‘Game of Thrones’ has been described as “TV’s first global blockbuster”, with well over 100 licensees globally, and further millions watching around the world illicitly at the time of broadcast or since.
Although most of the millions who watched the series would have been drawn into the world of mystery, magic and sword fighting, those of us who favour the law may have annoyed our friends by commenting at the most exciting moments, “that couldn’t happen, no king, court, or individual, would be permitted to do that.”
This three-hour seminar will examine some of the legal issues that arose in the series, and use them to consider international law and the law in Hong Kong which should govern similar events, although usually without dragons.
The seminar will begin by considering issues in international humanitarian law (often referred to as the law of war) raised in the series. These include does the law of war permit the torture and mutilation of prisoners as inflicted on Jaime Lannister; may your enemy be slaughtered without warning as at the Red Wedding; collateral damage and the injury and death of non-combatants as inflicted at the order of Daenerys Targaryen, and may all weapons be used including weapons of mass destruction such as Wildfire.
We will then consider issues in criminal procedure raised in the trials of Tyrion Lannister, Cersei Lannister and Petyr Baelish (Littlefinger). These include impartial judiciary, bribing and intimidating witnesses, the right to representation, the right to challenge prosecution witnesses, Cersei’s forced confession and the overall right to a fair trial, especially when facing the death penalty.
The seminar will consider the rule of law and the power of Joffrey Baratheon, and the linked question, does international law permit the removal and even the killing of a despotic leader, as when Jaime Lannister killed the Mad King?
The seminar will then consider private law issues including Eddard (Ned) Stark’s role as trustee of the Seven Kingdoms and responsibility for pets, including dragons.
To conclude the seminar will consider issues in human rights raised in the series. These include human rights and strict liability offences with mandatory death penalty, for example desertion from the Night’s Watch.
We will finally consider human rights and the law’s interference in private life. This will include the forced marriage between Ramsay Bolton and Sansa Stark, the difference in attitudes to homosexuality between King’s Landing and Dorne, and the issue of incest for Cersei and Jaime Lannister.
