Real Crime Stories/Paranormal Hauntings

What Is A War Crime?

Two Additional Protocols were adopted in 1977 with the third one added in 2005, completing and updating the Geneva Conventions:

Protocol I (1977) relating to the Protection of Victims of International Armed Conflicts.Protocol II (1977) relating to the Protection of Victims of Non-International Armed Conflicts.Protocol III (2005) relating to the Adoption of an Additional Distinctive Emblem.

Leipzig War Crimes Trial

A small number of German military personnel of the First World War were tried in 1921 by the German Supreme Court for alleged war crimes.

London Charter / Nuremberg Trials 1945

The modern concept of war crime was further developed under the auspices of the Nuremberg Trials based on the definition in the London Charter that was published on August 8, 1945. (Also see Nuremberg Principles.) Along with war crimes the charter also defined crimes against peace and crimes against humanity, which are often committed during wars and in concert with war crimes.

International Military Tribunal for the Far East 1946

Also known as the Tokyo Trial, the Tokyo War Crimes Tribunal or simply as the Tribunal, it was convened on May 3, 1946 to try the leaders of the Empire of Japan for three types of crimes: "Class A" (crimes against peace), "Class B" (war crimes), and "Class C" (crimes against humanity), committed during World War II.

International Criminal Court 2002

On July 1, 2002, the International Criminal Court, a treaty-based court located in The Hague, came into being for the prosecution of war crimes committed on or after that date. Several nations, most notably the United States, China, Russia, and Israel, have criticized the court. The United States still participates as an observer. Article 12 of the Rome Statute provides jurisdiction over the citizens of non-contracting states in the event that they are accused of committing crimes in the territory of one of the state parties.

War crimes are defined in the statute that established the International Criminal Court, which includes:

Grave breaches of the Geneva Conventions, such as: Willful killing, or causing great suffering or serious injury to body or healthTorture or inhumane treatmentUnlawful wanton destruction or appropriation of propertyForcing a prisoner of war to serve in the forces of a hostile powerDepriving a prisoner of war of a fair trial Unlawful deportation, confinement or transfer Taking hostages Directing attacks against civiliansDirecting attacks against humanitarian workers or UN peacekeepersKilling a surrendered combatant Misusing a flag of truceSettlement of occupied territoryDeportation of inhabitants of occupied territoryUsing poison weaponsUsing civilians as shieldsUsing child soldiers Firing upon a Combat Medic with clear insignia.

· The following acts as part of a non-international conflict:

Murder, cruel or degrading treatment and tortureDirecting attacks against civilians, humanitarian workers or UN peacekeepers

· The following acts as part of an international conflict:

Civilians killed in shelling in eastern Ukraine. According to the HRW report, "The use of indiscriminate rockets in populated areas violates international humanitarian law, or the laws of war, and may amount to war crimes." Taking hostagesSummary executionPillage Rape, sexual slavery, forced prostitution or forced pregnancy

However the court only has jurisdiction over these crimes where they are "part of a plan or policy or as part of a large-scale commission of such crimes".