Thanks to a Swiss initiative, the International Criminal Court (ICC) will now be able to prosecute as a war crime the intentional starvation of civilians in civil wars.
This content was published on
2 minutes
swissinfo.ch/jc
العربية
ar
تجويع المدنيين خلال الحروب الأهلية يصبح جريمة ضد الإنسانية
The ICC’s 122 member states unanimously approved a Swiss proposal to this effect at their annual meeting this week in The Hague. This will strengthen protection of victims of war, according to the Swiss foreign ministryExternal link.
“The majority of the over 800 million people who suffer from hunger every day live in conflict zones,” the ministry statement continues.
The International Criminal Court has a mandate to prosecute genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes. Up until now, it could only prosecute intentional starvation of civilians as a war crime in an international armed conflict, but this has now been broadened to include non-international armed conflicts.
“The intentional starvation of civilians as a method of warfare is a major problem in civil wars,” says the Swiss foreign ministry.
Examples that could be cited include Syria and Yemen. Neither of these countries are ICC member states, and the amendment is unlikely to have much impact in the immediate future.
However, as pointed out on the international law website Opinio JurisExternal link, “the amendment’s real utility would come in the context of Security Council referrals”. If the UN Security Council were to refer either Syria or Yemen to the ICC at some point in the future, for example (although this currently looks unlikely), it would make it possible for the OTP to prosecute starvation of civilians in those states.
More
More
Swiss Solidarity collects CHF3 million for Yemen
This content was published on
The Swiss public has expressed its solidarity for the victims of the war in Yemen, donating more than CHF3.1 million.
What do you think Switzerland’s Alain Berset can bring to the Council of Europe?
The former interior minister is to become the first Swiss Secretary General of the Council of Europe – which issues should his five-year term focus on?
How is your country dealing with the return of stolen artifacts?
Western nations like Switzerland often have to deal with the process of recovering or returning looted artifacts which have been illegally imported. What’s the situation like in your country?
Majority of young Swiss well-trained, army fitness test reveals
This content was published on
More than half of young Swiss men and women are considered well-trained, with around 80% meeting the federal government's exercise recommendations, according to the Armed Forces 2023 fitness test.
Italian consulate to relocate to ‘Casa d’Italia’ in Zurich
This content was published on
The Italian state is renovating the "Casa d'Italia" in Zurich's Kreis 4 district, with plans to move the Consulate General from its current location on Tödistrasse in District 2 to this historic building.
Swiss companies maintain financial stability amid European struggles
This content was published on
Swiss companies continue to demonstrate financial robustness compared to their European counterparts, although corporate restructuring activities have increased in recent months.
This content was published on
Unknown assailants detonated an ATM in canton Vaud early Sunday morning, causing extensive damage to the building. The perpetrators fled the scene and remain at large.
Kudelski Group to sell Skidata division to Assa Abloy
This content was published on
The Kudelski Group is selling its Skidata division to the Swedish manufacturer of locking and security systems Assa Abloy.
Tragic weekend in Swiss waters: three bodies recovered
This content was published on
Swiss authorities recovered three bodies from local waters over the weekend, with one incident occurring in Zurich and two in Zug.
Lake Parade in Geneva attracts over 100,000 people
This content was published on
The 22nd Lake Parade and the Lake Sensation in Geneva attracted over 100,000 people in summery weather on Saturday. There were no major incidents at either event.
Graubünden storm causes significant economic damage, prompting support measures
This content was published on
The recent storm in Misox, in canton Graubünden, has resulted in severe economic damage, affecting SMEs, tourism, and agricultural land.
Delegates fail to agree agenda for Syria constitution talks
This content was published on
The Syrian government and opposition co-chairs have been unable to reach consensus on the agenda of the constitution talks in Geneva.
Mechanism sends ‘strong signal to perpetrators of crimes in Syria’
This content was published on
More and more European countries, including Germany, France, Sweden and Austria, are prosecuting people for war crimes in Syria.
You can find an overview of ongoing debates with our journalists here . Please join us!
If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.