Crimes Against Humanity Cover Image

Злочини против човечности Правно-историјски осврт
Crimes Against Humanity

Author(s): Marija Stojanović, Marko Anđelković Slijepčević
Subject(s): Criminal Law, International Law, Penal Policy
Published by: Институт за политичке студије
Keywords: crimes against humanity; international criminal law; international criminal court;

Summary/Abstract: The existence and defining of the crimes against humanity is of great importance to international law and its development, and for the international criminal court, that prosecute and judge for this crime. What is of great influence, which refers to this crime, is the criminal legal protection of a range of values, that are fundamental goods of mankind, and that should always be protected, and this includes the right to life, liberty and numerous other goods. Crimes against humanity are considered “mass crimes” that are made against civilian population, and in the first place include the murder of entire groups of people, where they attack the common human values that are important for all mankind. A major step was made adoption of the Rome Statute, which contains the standards by which the International Criminal Court was established, and whose subject matter jurisdiction includes this crime. On the other hand, many national legislations have not long had a special formulation of crimes against humanity, although according to the general rules, majority of these actions that belongs to the forms of the crime against humanity, could be subsumed under certain crime in applicable criminal laws. In our country great progress was made by inclusion of this crime into the national criminal legislation, and prescribing penalties for this crime. It can be said to exist and the negative side, when it comes to prosecution and punishment of this crime, as we have seen many abuses and manipulation by states that are trying and how they manage to escape responsibility for this crime, and they want to extradite their citizens to the International Criminal Court. While on the other hand there are countries which, because of its location and poor economic, and financial state, can not resist the prosecution of their citizens although it raises a big question for their responsibility. What we can strive to achieve the ultimate goal, which is the truth and punishment of all those who commit this crime, is to disappear the deep differences that exist in the economic, financial and political terms between countries, and to equally punish perpetrators regardless of which citizens they are or what political influence they have.

  • Issue Year: 2012
  • Issue No: 1
  • Page Range: 309-331
  • Page Count: 23
  • Language: Serbian