Phase IFoundation
Background
Overview
These concepts are fundamental to international humanitarian law and human rights. Understanding them is essential for analyzing conflicts, accountability mechanisms, and the ethical dimensions of warfare and state actions. They are often discussed in the context of international justice and the role of bodies like the ICC.
War crimes and crimes against humanity are categories of grave breaches of international law, prosecuted by international tribunals like the ICC. War crimes are violations of the laws of war (international humanitarian law) that incur individual criminal responsibility, while crimes against humanity are widespread or systematic attacks directed against any civilian population.