{"id":34342,"date":"2024-12-27T17:09:40","date_gmt":"2024-12-27T11:39:40","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/?p=34342"},"modified":"2024-12-27T19:13:33","modified_gmt":"2024-12-27T13:43:33","slug":"crimes-against-humanity","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/editorial-analysis\/27-12-2024\/crimes-against-humanity","title":{"rendered":"Crimes Against Humanity &amp; Indian Stance"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p><strong>Syllabus: GS2\/Effect Of Policies &amp; Politics Of World On India&#8217;s Interests<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Context<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Recently, the <strong>UN General Assembly (UNGA)<\/strong> adopted a resolution approving the text of a proposed treaty governing the prevention and punishment of crimes against humanity <strong>(CAH Treaty).<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>About the Crimes Against Humanity<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>These represent some of the gravest offenses under international law, encompassing acts such as murder, extermination, enslavement, deportation, torture, and rape when committed as part of a widespread or systematic attack against civilians.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Historical Context<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>The concept of crimes against humanity was <strong>first codified in the 1945 London Charter<\/strong>, which established the <strong>Nuremberg Tribunal<\/strong> to prosecute major war criminals of the <strong>Second World War<\/strong>.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>This marked a significant development in international law, establishing that <strong>individuals, <\/strong><strong><em>not just states<\/em><\/strong>, are accountable for atrocities committed during conflicts, irrespective of their official capacity.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>International Legal Instruments<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Rome Statute (1998):<\/strong> It established the <strong>International Criminal Court (ICC)<\/strong>, which has jurisdiction over<em> genocide, war crimes, and crimes against humanity.<\/em>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>It defines crimes against humanity and outlines the court\u2019s mandate to prosecute individuals responsible for such acts.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Draft Articles on Prevention and Punishment of Crimes Against Humanity:<\/strong> The <strong>International Law Commission (ILC)<\/strong> has been instrumental in developing draft articles aimed at preventing and punishing crimes against humanity.\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>These articles propose measures for criminalization under national law, establishment of national jurisdiction, and international cooperation in investigations and prosecutions.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Key Elements<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Widespread or Systematic Attack:<\/strong> The acts must be part of a larger attack against a civilian population.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>State or Organizational Policy:<\/strong> There must be a policy or plan behind the attack, indicating it is not random.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Types of Acts:<\/strong> Includes murder, extermination, enslavement, deportation, imprisonment, torture, rape, and other inhumane acts.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Need for a Crimes Against Humanity (CAH) Treaty<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Unlike genocide and war crimes, which are governed by the <strong>Genocide Convention of 1948<\/strong> and the <strong>Geneva Conventions of 1949<\/strong> respectively, c<strong>rimes against humanity are only covered under the Rome Statute of the ICC<\/strong>.\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>It complicates efforts to hold perpetrators accountable, especially in countries that are not parties to the Rome Statute.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>A dedicated CAH treaty would not only address individual criminal responsibility but also <strong>hold states accountable<\/strong> for failing to prevent such crimes, similar to the obligations under the Genocide Convention.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Jurisdictional Limitations:<\/strong> The <strong>ICC\u2019s jurisdiction is limited to its member states, <\/strong>which means that crimes committed in non-member states often go unpunished.\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>It underscores the <strong>need for a comprehensive treaty<\/strong> that would obligate all states to prevent and punish crimes against humanity, similar to the obligations under the Genocide Convention.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Political and Diplomatic Obstacles: <\/strong>States may be reluctant to cooperate with international investigations or to extradite suspects due to political alliances, fears of retaliation, or concerns about national sovereignty.\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Additionally, powerful states can exert influence to shield their allies from accountability, further complicating international justice efforts.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Implementation and Enforcement Issues: <\/strong>Many countries lack the necessary legal infrastructure or political will to prosecute crimes against humanity effectively.\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>This is compounded by issues such as corruption, weak judicial systems, and inadequate resources, which can impede the investigation and prosecution of these crimes.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Victim and Survivor Support: <\/strong>Many survivors face ongoing trauma, stigmatization, and economic hardship.\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Ensuring their protection, offering psychological and financial support, and involving them in justice processes are essential but often neglected aspects of addressing these crimes.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>India\u2019s Position on CAH<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>India\u2019s stance on the proposed CAH treaty <strong>reflects a cautious approach<\/strong>, rooted in its broader concerns about international criminal justice mechanisms.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>India is not a party to the Rome Statute<\/strong> and has historically expressed reservations about the ICC\u2019s jurisdiction and the potential for political misuse.&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>India <strong>advocates for a balanced approach<\/strong> that respects state sovereignty while addressing the need for accountability.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Domestic Legal Framework<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Currently, India\u2019s domestic legal framework <strong><em>does not specifically address crimes against humanity<\/em><\/strong>.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>It was highlighted by Justice S. Muralidhar of the Delhi High Court, who noted that neither crimes against humanity nor genocide is included in India\u2019s criminal law.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Incorporating CAH into domestic legislation would align India with international standards and strengthen its commitment to human rights.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Conclusion and Way Forward<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>The adoption of a resolution to negotiate a treaty on crimes against humanity marks a significant milestone in the international community\u2019s efforts to combat serious human rights violations.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The resolution calls for preparatory sessions in 2026 and 2027, followed by negotiating sessions in 2028 and 2029 to finalize the treaty.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>This treaty is expected to play a pivotal role in ensuring that impunity for crimes against humanity is addressed comprehensively and effectively.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table\"><table class=\"has-background\" style=\"background-color:#fff2cc\"><tbody><tr><td><strong>Daily Mains Practice Question<\/strong><br><strong>[Q]<\/strong> Why is there a need for a dedicated treaty on Crimes Against Humanity(CAH) , and how could it complement the existing legal frameworks? analyze India\u2019s position on CAH in the context of its broader foreign policy objectives.<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.thehindu.com\/opinion\/op-ed\/crimes-against-humanity-and-an-obtuse-indian-stance\/article69005566.ece\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Source: TH<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-buttons is-layout-flex wp-block-buttons-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-button\"><a class=\"wp-block-button__link wp-element-button\" href=\"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/UPSC-Editorial-Analysis-27-December-2024-PDF.pdf\">Download PDF<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Recently, the UN General Assembly (UNGA) adopted a resolution approving the text of a proposed treaty governing the prevention and punishment of crimes against humanity (CAH Treaty).<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":15,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[22],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-34342","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-editorial-analysis"],"acf":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/34342","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/15"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=34342"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/34342\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":34373,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/34342\/revisions\/34373"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=34342"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=34342"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=34342"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}