The subject of the research is the norms of international law, the content of which is established, among other things, through the practice of international courts and tribunals. A key question is the definition of jus cogens norms through the lens of the prohibition of discrimination. Their content depends on how the hierarchy of norms of international law is understood, as well as on conceptions of whether a hierarchy of norms of international law exists at all. The research unfolds within the framework of the work of the UN International Law Commission on establishing secondary sources of international law and defining imperative norms of international law. Various approaches to understanding the prohibition of discrimination are analyzed in comparison with the prohibition of racial discrimination. Additionally, the personal contributions of judges to the formation of practices and understanding of international law norms are noted. The methodology of the research includes a detailed examination of established court practices and a comparison of the positions of courts and tribunals on issues of the prohibition of racial discrimination and the general prohibition of discrimination. The author employs a linguistic method to identify the definitions of norms, as well as a comparative analysis method to determine the imperative norms of international law. To date, clarity regarding the concept of jus cogens is still to be found. Some authors even compare jus cogens to mythical heroes and creatures. When turning to courts and tribunals, parties rely on arguments of universal morality, which should underpin future court decisions. The Inter-American Commission on Human Rights has stated that the international community unanimously supports the general prohibition of discrimination, comparing it to the prohibition of racial discrimination. Both lines of argumentation have not been fully substantiated, which, combined with the author’s reluctance to prematurely expand the composition of imperative norms, leans him towards the position of denying the general prohibition of discrimination as an imperative norm of international law. Before discussing the status of jus cogens regarding the prohibition of discrimination, it appears necessary, for example, at the UN level, to analyze the general acceptance of the prohibition of discrimination in countries around the world according to established criteria for analysis, a list of which may be extensive and include issues of gender, immigration status, as well as any other characteristics that statistically underlie discriminatory behavior most frequently.