Preventing international threats in the context of improving the legal framework for national and regional security

Abstract

Geopolitical challenges and potential integral threats have put the issue of developing strategies and tools to counter risks and strengthen security on the agenda. The purpose of the study is to conduct a comprehensive assessment of the areas of criminal law development in the context of increasing national and international security. The study uses generalisation, analysis, systematisation, and deduction methods. The study assesses the impact of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, which, using the example of specific illegal actions in Latvia, revealed real risks for the national security of Latvia and the Baltic region. The paper considers crimes related to the violation of bans on participation in armed conflicts, organisation and conduct of military-tactical exercises, and the inadmissibility of assisting a foreign state in an act aimed against another state. Ultimately, such a review reveals the importance and real threat of these criminal offences to state security and identifies approaches for improving legislation in this area. The crime of “espionage” is investigated, which ultimately outlines the structure of such an illegal act and its danger. Considerable attention is given to the examination of torture as a crime against humanity, which is done based on national and international legislation. As a result, the evolution of this criminal offence is considered, various approaches to defining this phenomenon are evaluated, sadism as a particular form of torture is investigated, a classification of similar acts is created, and various types of consequences that could be caused during such a crime are formulated. The practical value of the study lies in the possibility of law enforcement agencies using the findings to form effective strategies for developing modern political and legal tools to prevent international threats