A genocide is defined as a deliberate and systematic destruction of a racial, ethnic, national, or cultural group. This definition encompasses acts committed with the intent to destroy, in whole or in part, a group of people based on their identity. Genocide can include a range of actions such as killing members of the group, causing serious bodily or mental harm, inflicting living conditions intended to physically destroy the group, and imposing measures to prevent births within the group, among others.
The term was coined by Polish-Jewish lawyer Raphael Lemkin in 1944, combining the Greek word "genos," meaning "race" or "family," with the Latin word "cide," meaning "killing." The formalization of the term occurred with the adoption of the United Nations Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide in 1948, which legally defined and condemned genocide.
Key Characteristics:
- Intent: The perpetrator's intention to destroy a group partially or wholly.
- Acts Committed: The specific actions taken against the group, as detailed in the UN definition.
- Targeted Group: The identity-based focus of the crime (e.g., racial, ethnic, national, or cultural).
Sources:
- United Nations. (1948). Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide. UN Treaty Collection
- Lemkin, R. (1944). Axis Rule in Occupied Europe: Laws of Occupation, Analysis of Government, and Proposals for Redress. Historical Text Archive
- Schabas, W. A. (2009). Genocide in International Law: The Crime of Crimes. Cambridge University Press.
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