These are particularly serious violations [1] of IHL, endangering protected persons [2] and/or objects [3], or breaching important international values, for which the individual criminal responsibility [4] of perpetrators may be engaged. War crimes can be committed in both international and non-international armed conflicts, although the list of possible war crimes is not identical for both types of conflicts.
The Geneva Conventions and Additional Protocol I establish that certain violations of IHL are to be considered “grave breaches [5]”, and they must be prosecuted by High Contracting Parties on the basis of the principle of universal jurisdiction [6]. Other serious violations of IHL are established by customary international law and by international criminal law [7] treaties. Such serious violations of IHL, together with grave breaches, constitute war crimes.
War crimes constitute one category of “international crimes”, the others being genocide [8] and crimes against humanity [9].
See Breach [10], Violations [1]; Individual criminal responsibility [4]; Genocide [8]; Crimes Against Humanity [9]; International Criminal Court [11]; ICTY [12]; ICTR [13]; International criminal law [7]; Individual criminal responsibility [4];
Penal sanctions required for
GCI, 50 [18] (see ICRC updated Commentary [19])
GCII, 51 [20] (see ICRC updated Commentary [21])
GCIII, 130 [22]
GCIV, 147 [23]
Fundamental guarantees for persons accused of war crimes
GCI, 49/4 [26] (see ICRC updated Commentary [27])
GCII, 50/4 [28] (see ICRC updated Commentary [29])
GCIII, 82 [30]-88 [31] and 105 [32]-108 [33] and 129/4 [34]
GCIV, 146/4 [35]
PI, 75/7 [36]
The International Criminal Court (Part A., Art. 8) [37]
Germany, International Criminal Code (Paras. 8-12) [38]
Canada, Crimes Against Humanity and War Crimes Act (Section 4) [39]
Ghana, National Legislation Concerning the Emblem [40]
Belgium, Law on Universal Jurisdiction. (A., Art. 136 (c).) [41]
United States, War Crimes Act [42]
Hungary, War Crimes Resolution [43]
United States Military Tribunal at Nuremberg, United States v. Alfried Krupp et al. [44]
Israel, Human Rights Committee’s Report on Beit Hanoun [46] (Paras. 49, [47] 68 [48] and 75 [49])
Case Study, Armed Conflicts in the former Yugoslavia [50] (17 [51], 27 [52] and 32 [53])
UN, Statute of the ICTY [54] (Part B. [55] and Part C. [56], Arts 2 [57] and 3 [58])
ICTY, The Prosecutor v. Tadic [59] (Part A. [60], Paras. 79-84 [61])
ICTY, The Prosecutor v. Rajic (Part A., Para. 8) [62]
ICTY, The Prosecutor v. Blaskic (Part A., Paras. 151-158) [63]
Colombia, Constitutionality of IHL Implementing Legislation [64]
United States, Military Commissions [65]
Mali, Destruction of World Cultural Heritage [66]
Iran, Victim of Cyber warfare [67]
South Sudan: Medical Care Under Fire [68]
Health Care in Pakistan’s Tribal Areas [69]
Switzerland, The Immunity of General Nezzar [70]
Democratic Republic of Congo, Fighting with the M 23 Group [71]
Central African Republic, Coup d’Etat [72]
Somalia, the fate of Children in the conflict [73]
The armed conflict in Syria [74]
European Court of Human Rights, Kononov v. Latvia [75]
Israel/Palestine, Operation Protective Edge (Gaza, 13 June - 26 August 2014) [76]
ICTY, The Prosecutor v. Radovan Karadzic [77]
Libya, Report of the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (2014/15) [78]
Mali, Accountability for the Destruction of Cultural Heritage [79]
Sweden/Syria, Can Armed Groups Issue Judgments? [80]
UN, Security Council Resolution 2286 on Attacks on Hospitals [81]
Iraq, Forced displacement and deliberate destruction [82]
El Salvador, Supreme Court Judgment on the Unconstitutionality of the Amnesty Law [83]
USA, Al-Shimari v. CACI Premier Technology, Inc. [84]
Syria, Report by UN Commission of Inquiry (March 2017) [85]
Afghanistan, Bombing of a Civilian Truck [86]
Italy, Use of force against ambulances in Iraq [87]
Syria, the Battle for Aleppo [88]
Switzerland: Gold Looting Case [89]
Israel/Palestine, Accountability for the Use of Lethal Force [90]
ICC, Confirmation of Charges against LRA Leader [91]
Spain, Universal Jurisdiction over Grave Breaches of the Geneva Conventions [93]
UN/Colombia, Human Rights Committee Clarifications and Concluding Observations (2016) [94]
Iraq, The Battle for Mosul [96]
Germany, Aerial Drone Attack in Mir Ali/Pakistan [97]
Eastern Ukraine, Attacks Against and Military Use of Schools [98]
Eastern Ukraine, OHCHR Report on the Situation: November 2016 - February 2017 [99]
Central African Republic/Democratic Republic of Congo/Uganda, LRA attacks [100]
Central African Republic, Coup d'Etat [101]
Iraq, Crimes by Militia Groups [102]
Links
[1] https://casebook.icrc.org/glossary/violations
[2] https://casebook.icrc.org/glossary/protected-persons
[3] https://casebook.icrc.org/glossary/protected-objects
[4] https://casebook.icrc.org/glossary/individual-criminal-responsibility
[5] https://casebook.icrc.org/glossary/grave-breaches
[6] https://casebook.icrc.org/glossary/universal-jurisdiction
[7] https://casebook.icrc.org/glossary/international-criminal-law
[8] https://casebook.icrc.org/glossary/genocide
[9] https://casebook.icrc.org/glossary/crimes-against-humanity
[10] https://casebook.icrc.org/glossary/breach
[11] https://casebook.icrc.org/case-study/international-criminal-court
[12] https://casebook.icrc.org/glossary/international-criminal-tribunal-former-yugoslavia
[13] https://casebook.icrc.org/glossary/international-criminal-tribunal-rwanda
[14] https://casebook.icrc.org/law/criminal-repression
[15] https://casebook.icrc.org/law/criminal-repression#i_a
[16] https://casebook.icrc.org/law/criminal-repression#chapter3
[17] https://casebook.icrc.org/law/criminal-repression#chapter5
[18] https://www.icrc.org/applic/ihl/ihl.nsf/Article.xsp?action=openDocument&documentId=8DE472A17F7E30AFC12563CD0051A2D6
[19] https://ihl-databases.icrc.org/applic/ihl/ihl.nsf/Comment.xsp?action=openDocument&documentId=21B052420B219A72C1257F7D00587FC3
[20] https://www.icrc.org/applic/ihl/ihl.nsf/Article.xsp?action=openDocument&documentId=14F60F779A9C29F2C12563CD0051A8FF
[21] https://ihl-databases.icrc.org/applic/ihl/ihl.nsf/Comment.xsp?action=openDocument&documentId=51B3435E776E06CEC1258115003EC277
[22] https://www.icrc.org/applic/ihl/ihl.nsf/Article.xsp?action=openDocument&documentId=DD77A07DBDF8B9A2C12563CD0051B5EC
[23] https://www.icrc.org/applic/ihl/ihl.nsf/Article.xsp?action=openDocument&documentId=F8D322BF3C0216B2C12563CD0051C654
[24] https://www.icrc.org/applic/ihl/ihl.nsf/Article.xsp?action=openDocument&documentId=28D300B20C31500CC12563CD0051D79F
[25] https://www.icrc.org/applic/ihl/ihl.nsf/Article.xsp?action=openDocument&documentId=73D05A98B6CEB566C12563CD0051E1A0
[26] https://www.icrc.org/applic/ihl/ihl.nsf/Article.xsp?action=openDocument&documentId=3F6C2B8B20272F58C12563CD0051A2BB
[27] https://ihl-databases.icrc.org/applic/ihl/ihl.nsf/Comment.xsp?action=openDocument&documentId=3ED0B7D33BF425F3C1257F7D00589C84
[28] https://www.icrc.org/applic/ihl/ihl.nsf/Article.xsp?action=openDocument&documentId=58854E245CB34B82C12563CD0051A8E4
[29] https://ihl-databases.icrc.org/applic/ihl/ihl.nsf/Comment.xsp?action=openDocument&documentId=939B22235997C68FC1258115003EA52F
[30] https://www.icrc.org/applic/ihl/ihl.nsf/Article.xsp?action=openDocument&documentId=FE7BF8F4BF13CAFBC12563CD0051B18E
[31] https://www.icrc.org/applic/ihl/ihl.nsf/Article.xsp?action=openDocument&documentId=9D7A298238E4B64AC12563CD0051B1F7
[32] https://www.icrc.org/applic/ihl/ihl.nsf/Article.xsp?action=openDocument&documentId=5CF3FFAD4325DDB6C12563CD0051B359
[33] https://www.icrc.org/applic/ihl/ihl.nsf/Article.xsp?action=openDocument&documentId=D0C16ACFF067B9D5C12563CD0051B3AC
[34] https://www.icrc.org/applic/ihl/ihl.nsf/Article.xsp?action=openDocument&documentId=C083F579BD003884C12563CD0051B5D3
[35] https://www.icrc.org/applic/ihl/ihl.nsf/Article.xsp?action=openDocument&documentId=6F96EE4C7D1E72CAC12563CD0051C63A
[36] https://www.icrc.org/applic/ihl/ihl.nsf/Article.xsp?action=openDocument&documentId=086F4BB140C53655C12563CD0051E027
[37] https://casebook.icrc.org/case-study/international-criminal-court#part_a_art_8%20
[38] https://casebook.icrc.org/case-study/germany-international-criminal-code
[39] https://casebook.icrc.org/case-study/canada-crimes-against-humanity-and-war-crimes-act
[40] https://casebook.icrc.org/case-study/ghana-national-legislation-concerning-emblem
[41] https://casebook.icrc.org/case-study/belgium-law-universal-jurisdiction
[42] https://casebook.icrc.org/case-study/united-states-war-crimes-act
[43] https://casebook.icrc.org/case-study/hungary-war-crimes-resolution
[44] https://casebook.icrc.org/case-study/united-states-military-tribunal-nuremberg-united-states-v-alfried-krupp-et-al
[45] https://casebook.icrc.org/case-study/netherlands-re-pilz
[46] https://casebook.icrc.org/case-study/israel-human-rights-committees-report-beit-hanoun
[47] https://casebook.icrc.org/case-study/israel-human-rights-committees-report-beit-hanoun#para_49
[48] https://casebook.icrc.org/case-study/israel-human-rights-committees-report-beit-hanoun#para_68
[49] https://casebook.icrc.org/case-study/israel-human-rights-committees-report-beit-hanoun#para_75
[50] https://casebook.icrc.org/case-study/case-study-armed-conflicts-former-yugoslavia
[51] https://casebook.icrc.org/case-study/case-study-armed-conflicts-former-yugoslavia#art_17
[52] https://casebook.icrc.org/case-study/case-study-armed-conflicts-former-yugoslavia#art_27
[53] https://casebook.icrc.org/case-study/case-study-armed-conflicts-former-yugoslavia#art_32
[54] https://casebook.icrc.org/case-study/un-statute-icty
[55] https://casebook.icrc.org/case-study/un-statute-icty#part_b
[56] https://casebook.icrc.org/case-study/un-statute-icty#part_c
[57] https://casebook.icrc.org/case-study/un-statute-icty#art_2
[58] https://casebook.icrc.org/case-study/un-statute-icty#art_3
[59] https://casebook.icrc.org/case-study/icty-prosecutor-v-tadic
[60] https://casebook.icrc.org/case-study/icty-prosecutor-v-tadic#part_a
[61] https://casebook.icrc.org/case-study/icty-prosecutor-v-tadic#para_79
[62] https://casebook.icrc.org/case-study/icty-prosecutor-v-rajic#para_8
[63] https://casebook.icrc.org/case-study/icty-prosecutor-v-blaskic#part_a_para_151
[64] https://casebook.icrc.org/case-study/colombia-constitutionality-ihl-implementing-legislation
[65] https://casebook.icrc.org/case-study/united-states-military-commissions
[66] https://casebook.icrc.org/case-study/mali-destruction-world-cultural-heritage
[67] https://casebook.icrc.org/case-study/iran-victim-cyber-warfare
[68] https://casebook.icrc.org/case-study/south-sudan-medical-care-under-fire
[69] https://casebook.icrc.org/case-study/health-care-pakistans-tribal-areas
[70] https://casebook.icrc.org/case-study/switzerland-immunity-general-nezzar
[71] https://casebook.icrc.org/node/20954
[72] https://casebook.icrc.org/node/20941
[73] https://casebook.icrc.org/case-study/somalia-fate-children-conflict
[74] https://casebook.icrc.org/case-study/armed-conflict-syria
[75] https://www.icrc.org/casebook/doc/case-study/european-court-of-human-rights-kononov-v-latvia.htm
[76] https://casebook.icrc.org/case-study/israelpalestine-operation-protective-edge-gaza-13-june-26-august-2014
[77] https://casebook.icrc.org/case-study/icty-prosecutor-v-radovan-karadzic
[78] https://casebook.icrc.org/case-study/libya-report-office-un-high-commissioner-human-rights-201415
[79] https://casebook.icrc.org/case-study/mali-accountability-destruction-cultural-heritage
[80] https://casebook.icrc.org/case-study/swedensyria-can-armed-groups-issue-judgments
[81] https://casebook.icrc.org/case-study/un-security-council-resolution-2286-attacks-hospitals
[82] https://casebook.icrc.org/case-study/iraq-forced-displacement-and-deliberate-destruction
[83] https://casebook.icrc.org/case-study/el-salvador-supreme-court-judgment-unconstitutionality-amnesty-law
[84] https://casebook.icrc.org/case-study/usa-al-shimari-v-caci-premier-technology-inc
[85] https://casebook.icrc.org/case-study/syria-report-un-commission-inquiry-march-2017
[86] https://casebook.icrc.org/case-study/afghanistan-bombing-civilian-truck
[87] https://casebook.icrc.org/case-study/italy-use-force-against-ambulances-iraq
[88] https://casebook.icrc.org/case-study/syria-battle-aleppo
[89] https://casebook.icrc.org/case-study/switzerland-gold-looting-case-0
[90] https://casebook.icrc.org/case-study/israelpalestine-accountability-use-lethal-force
[91] https://casebook.icrc.org/case-study/icc-confirmation-charges-against-lra-leader
[92] https://casebook.icrc.org/case-study/colombia-peace-agreement
[93] https://casebook.icrc.org/case-study/spain-universal-jurisdiction-over-grave-breaches-geneva-conventions
[94] https://casebook.icrc.org/case-study/uncolombia-human-rights-committee-clarifications-and-concluding-observations-2016
[95] https://casebook.icrc.org/case-study/international-criminal-court-trial-judgment-case-prosecutor-v-jean-pierre-bemba-gombo
[96] https://casebook.icrc.org/case-study/iraq-battle-mosul
[97] https://casebook.icrc.org/case-study/germany-aerial-drone-attack-mir-alipakistan
[98] https://casebook.icrc.org/case-study/eastern-ukraine-attacks-against-and-military-use-schools
[99] https://casebook.icrc.org/case-study/eastern-ukraine-ohchr-report-situation-november-2016-february-2017
[100] https://casebook.icrc.org/case-study/central-african-republicdemocratic-republic-congouganda-lra-attacks
[101] https://casebook.icrc.org/case-study/central-african-republic-coup-detat-0
[102] https://casebook.icrc.org/case-study/iraq-crimes-militia-groups
[103] https://casebook.icrc.org/case-study/georgia-attacks-against-peacekeepers
[104] https://casebook.icrc.org/case-study/32nd-international-conference-red-cross-and-red-crescent-sexual-and-gender-based-violence
[105] https://casebook.icrc.org/case-study/south-sudan-activities-oil-companies