Crime Against Humanity


Definition of Crime Against Humanity

Crimes against humanity are horrific crimes that are knowingly inflicted upon civilians in a widespread manner. Examples include murder, enslavement, torture, extermination, rape, forcible transfer of populations, etc. Crimes against humanity are limited to the non military population. Violence and other crimes between militaries are separate and distinct from the term crimes against humanity.



Crime Against Humanity Explained

Sometimes during a war, as in World War II, or in other circumstances, atrocities are committed against civilian populations. For example in World War II, millions of Jewish people were murdered by the Nazis. These murders were not the consequence of a battle between two armies. They were separate because the Jews were primarily a civilian population. So, a separate term was needed to categorize crimes against civilian populations. This is why the term "crimes against humanity" was created. Crimes against humanity are crimes of the highest level of severity.





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