Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide

1. The Convention defines the crime of genocide. Genocide refers to the intent to destroy, in whole or in part, a national, ethnic, racial, or religious group, by any of the following acts:

  • Killing members of the group.
  • Causing serious bodily or mental harm to members of the group.
  • Deliberately inflicting on the group conditions of life calculated to bring about its physical destruction in whole or in part.
  • Imposing measures intended to prevent births within the group.
  • Forcibly transferring children of the group to another group.

2. The Convention defines crimes related to genocide

The following are punishable, in addition to genocide itself:

  • Conspiracy to commit genocide.
  • Direct and public incitement to commit genocide.
  • Attempt to commit genocide.
  • Complicity in genocide.

3. The Convention defines the obligations of States in the prevention and punishment of the crime of genocide

States Parties to the Convention have the following duties:

  • Prevent genocide: act before the crime is committed, including through diplomatic, economic, or military measures.
  • Punish genocide: arrest, extradite, and prosecute alleged perpetrators.

The Convention