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Definition: war crimes from Philip's Encyclopedia

Violations of international laws of war. The modern conception of war crimes followed the atrocities committed in the era of World War 2, which was followed by the Nuremberg Trials, the first trials of war criminals. Atrocities marked the civil wars in Bosnia-Herzegovina, Rwanda, and Kosovo. See also Geneva Convention

war crime

From The Hutchinson Unabridged Encyclopedia with Atlas and Weather Guide
Offence (such as murder of a civilian or a prisoner of war) that contravenes the internationally accepted laws governing the conduct of wars, particularly the Hague Convention of 1907 and the Geneva Convention of 1949. A key principle of the law relating to such crimes is that obedience to the orders of a superior is no defence. In practice, prosecutions are generally brought by the victorious side. World War II crimes War crimes became a major issue in the aftermath of World War II. The United Nations War Crimes Commission was set up 1943 to investigate German atrocities. Leading Nazis were defendants in the Nuremberg trials 1945–46. High-ranking Japanese officers were tried in Tokyo before the International Military Tribunal, and others by the legal section of the Allied supreme command. In subsequent years the hunt for Nazis who escaped justice continued, led notably by Simon Wiesenthal (1909–2005). Later war crimes Subsequent wars have had their full measure of crimes, examples…
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Full text Article War Crimes

From Encyclopedia of Violence, Peace and Conflict Full text Article Contents by Subject Area
Introduction Historical World War I World War II Post-World War II Some Legal Problems Conclusion Further Reading GLOSSARY C... …
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Full text Article War Crimes

From World of Criminal Justice, Gale
Momir Talic (AP/Wide World Photos)
War crimes are acts that violate the international laws, treaties, customs, and practices governing military conflict between belligerent states or parties. Until the end of World War II acts that constituted war crimes were confined to those prohibited by explicit laws and customs of war dating…
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Full text Article war crime

From Britannica Concise Encyclopedia
Any violation of the laws of war , as laid down by international customary law and certain international treaties . At the end of World War II, the part of the London Agreement signed by the U.S., Britain, the Soviet Union, and France established three categories of war crime: conventional war…
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Full text Article war crime

From Palgrave Macmillan Dictionary of Political Thought
Conduct during war which harms either combatants or civilians, and which goes beyond legitimate hostilities under the laws of war. The allied powers set up a United Nations War Crimes Commission in 1943, which introduced the new category of the ‘crime against humanity’, partly in order to cover…
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Definition : War crimes are major violations of international laws directed at citizens or combatants during armed conflict. War crimes can include genocide and other crimes against humanity. War crimes are criminal acts that are committed by individuals during armed conflict and are directed at…
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Full text Article war crime

From The Hutchinson Unabridged Encyclopedia with Atlas and Weather Guide
Offence (such as murder of a civilian or a prisoner of war) that contravenes the internationally accepted laws governing the conduct of wars, particularly the Hague Convention of 1907 and the Geneva Convention of 1949. A key principle of the law relating to such crimes is that obedience to the…
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Full text Article war crime

From Collins Dictionary of Law
a concept of international law that denotes prohibited activities even during the carnage of war. It includes crimes against humanity, genocide and mistreatment of civilians and captured combatants. The problem has been that familiar in international law of enforcement. The high point of recognition…
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Full text Article war crime

From Merriam-Webster's Dictionary of Law
:an act committed usu. during an international war for which individual criminal liability will be imposed by a domestic or international tribunal; specif :a violation of the laws or customs of war as embodied or recognized by international treaty, court decisions, or established practice —usu. used…
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Full text Article war crime

From The Palgrave Macmillan Dictionary of Diplomacy
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Full text Article war crime

From Collins English Dictionary
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