The Genocide Convention

Christian J. Tams; Lars Berster; Björn Schiffbauer

doi:10.17104/9783406635724

The Genocide Convention

Article-by-Article Commentary

Series: Beck International

2. Edition 2024

No access

doi.org/10.17104/9783406635724
ISBN print: 978-3-406-81272-9
ISBN online: 978-3-406-63572-4
C.H.BECK, München C.H.BECK, München

Zusammenfassung

TAMS/BERSTER/SCHIFFBAUER

“The 1948 Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide is the first universal human rights treaty of the United Nations era, the cornerstone of the international legal regime against the crime of genocide and a key influence on developments in many other areas of international law. In this article-by-article commentary each of the Genocide Convention’s 19 provisions is are analysed comprehensively. Drawing on case-law of the International Court of Justice, international criminal courts and tribunals, regional human rights courts and national, as well as domestic jurisprudence of many States, this commentary provides authoritative guidance on the Genocide Convention, including key matters such as the definition of genocide, the duty of States to prevent and punish it, and on the Convention’s implementation regime.”

Schlagworte

Chapter Expand | CollapsePage
I–IV Titelei/Inhaltsverzeichnis I–IV
V–VII Preface: The Genocide Convention at 75 V–VII
VII–IX Foreword to the First Edition VII–IX
IX–XV Table of Contents IX–XV
XV–XVII Notes on References and Annexes XV–XVII
XVII–XIX Authors XVII–XIX
XIX–XXIII List of Abbreviations and Acronyms XIX–XXIII
XXIII–XXXI Table of Cases XXIII–XXXI
XXXI–1 Bibliography XXXI–1
1–33 General Introduction 1–33
- 1–5 A. The Convention and the international fight against genocide 1–5
- 5–12 B. The way towards the Convention 5–12
  - 5–7 I. Background 5–7
  - 7–8 II. General Assembly Resolution 96(I) 7–8
  - 8–10 III. The Secretariat Draft 8–10
  - 10–11 IV. The Ad Hoc Committee Draft 10–11
  - 11–12 V. The Sixth Committee debate (autumn 1948) 11–12
- 12–16 C. The Convention and general rules against genocide 12–16
  - 12–14 I. The Convention’s scope 12–14
  - 14–16 II. Treaty, custom, and jus cogens rules against genocide 14–16
- 16–22 D. The Convention over time: textual continuity, adaptation, interpretation 16–22
  - 16–17 I. Textual continuity 16–17
  - 17–17 II. Extra-conventional rules 17–17
  - 17–22 III. Treaty interpretation between continuity and change 17–22
- 23–30 E. The Convention over time: retroactivity and intertemporality 23–30
  - 23–23 I. Implications of retroactivity 23–23
  - 23–25 II. A presumption against retroactivity 23–25
  - 25–28 III. Retroactivity and the Genocide Convention 25–28
  - 28–30 IV. The Convention’s intertemporal significance 28–30
- 30–33 F. Concluding observations 30–33
33–39 Preamble 33–39
- 33–34 A. Introduction 33–34
- 34–35 B. Drafting history 34–35
- 36–37 C. Interpretation 36–37
  - 36–36 I. ‘Having considered …’ 36–36
  - II. ‘Recognizing …’
  - 37–37 III. ‘Being convinced …’ 37–37
- 37–39 D. Concluding observations 37–39
39–83 Article I 39–83
- 39–41 A. Introduction 39–41
- 41–44 B. Drafting history 41–44
- 44–82 C. Interpretation 44–82
- 82–83 D. Concluding observations 82–83
84–175 Article II 84–175
- 84–84 A. The basic structure of the crime 84–84
- 84–91 B. Legal development prior to the drafting process 84–91
- 91–104 C. Drafting history 91–104
  - 91–93 I. Group 91–93
  - 93–99 II. Acts of genocide 93–99
  - 99–104 III. Intent to destroy 99–104
- 104–172 D. Interpretation 104–172
  - 104–112 I. Protected values 104–112
  - 112–144 II. Material elements 112–144
  - 144–172 III. Mental elements 144–172
- 172–175 E. Relationship to customary international law 172–175
175–207 Article III 175–207
- 175–176 A. Introduction 175–176
- 176–181 B. Drafting history 176–181
  - 176–177 I. ‘Genocide’ 176–177
  - 177–178 II. Conspiracy to commit genocide 177–178
  - 178–179 III. Direct and public incitement to commit genocide 178–179
  - 179–179 IV. Attempt to commit genocide 179–179
  - 179–180 V. Complicity in genocide 179–180
  - 180–181 VI. Further modes of responsibility 180–181
- 181–207 C. Interpretation 181–207
  - 181–185 I. Article III lit. (a) – genocide 181–185
  - 185–191 II. ‘Inchoate crimes’ affiliated to genocide 185–191
  - 191–195 III. Complicity in genocide 191–195
  - 195–199 IV. Superior responsibility 195–199
  - 199–203 V. Commission of genocide by omission 199–203
  - 203–207 VI. ‘Joint criminal enterprise’ 203–207
207–237 Article IV 207–237
- 207–208 A. Introduction 207–208
- 208–209 B. Drafting history 208–209
- 210–233 C. Interpretation 210–233
  - 210–212 I. Personal scope 210–212
  - 212–217 II. Explicit legal consequences 212–217
  - 217–233 III. Implied legal consequences 217–233
- 233–234 D. Relationship to other provisions of the Convention 233–234
  - 233–233 I. Link with Articles II and III 233–233
  - II. Articles IV, V and VI: the tripartite chain of primary state duties vis-à-vis génocidaires
- 234–234 E. Relationship to customary international law 234–234
- 234–237 F. Concluding observations 234–237
237–255 Article V 237–255
- 237–238 A. Introduction 237–238
- 238–239 B. Drafting history 238–239
- 240–252 C. Interpretation 240–252
- 252–252 D. Relationship to other provisions of the Convention 252–252
- 252–253 E. Relationship to customary international law 252–253
- 253–255 F. Concluding observations 253–255
255–281 Article VI 255–281
- 255–256 A. Introduction 255–256
- 256–258 B. Drafting history 256–258
- 259–277 C. Interpretation 259–277
  - 259–260 I. Personal scope 259–260
  - 260–271 II. Explicit legal consequences 260–271
  - 271–277 III. Implied legal consequences 271–277
- 277–277 D. Relationship to other provisions of the Convention 277–277
- 277–278 E. Relationship to customary international law 277–278
- 278–281 F. Concluding observations 278–281
281–291 Article VII 281–291
- 281–282 A. Introduction 281–282
- 282–283 B. Drafting history 282–283
- 283–288 C. Interpretation 283–288
- 288–289 D. Relationship to other provisions of the Convention 288–289
  - 288–288 I. Link with Articles II and III 288–288
  - II. Article VII and the Genocide Convention as a whole
- 289–289 E. Relationship to customary international law 289–289
- 289–291 F. Concluding observations 289–291
291–313 Article VIII 291–313
- 291–292 A. Introduction 291–292
- 292–294 B. Drafting history 292–294
- 294–305 C. Interpretation 294–305
  - 294–297 I. The utility of Article VIII: ‘call upon … to’ 294–297
  - 297–299 II. Personal scope: ‘any contracting party’ 297–299
  - 299–304 III. Substantive scope 299–304
  - 304–305 IV. Procedure 304–305
- 305–307 D. Relationship to other provisions of the Convention 305–307
  - 305–305 I. Link with Articles II and III 305–305
  - II. Distinction from Article IX
- 308–312 E. Subsequent developments 308–312
- 312–312 F. Relationship to customary international law 312–312
- 312–313 G. Concluding observations 312–313
313–339 Article IX 313–339
- 313–318 A. Introduction 313–318
- 318–320 B. Drafting history 318–320
- 321–337 C. Interpretation 321–337
  - 321–330 I. General features of ICJ proceedings 321–330
  - 330–335 II. Specific features of Article IX 330–335
  - 335–337 III. The outcome of ICJ proceedings 335–337
- 337–338 D. Relationship to other provisions of the Convention and customary international law 337–338
- 338–339 E. Concluding observations 338–339
339–361 Reservations to the Convention 339–361
- 339–340 A. Introduction 339–340
- 340–347 B. Background: the general regime of reservations 340–347
  - 340–341 I. The ICJ’s Reservations opinion 340–341
  - 341–347 II. The contemporary regime 341–347
- 348–359 C. Assessing reservations made in respect of the Genocide Convention 348–359
  - 348–350 I. Distinguishing reservations from other unilateral statements 348–350
  - 350–358 II. Assessing reservations proper 350–358
  - 358–359 III. Withdrawal of reservations 358–359
- 359–361 D. Concluding observations 359–361
361–367 Article X 361–367
- 361–362 A. Introduction 361–362
- 362–363 B. Drafting history 362–363
- 363–365 C. Interpretation 363–365
  - I. The legal implications of multilingual treaty drafting
  - 365–365 II. The ‘correction’ of the authentic Chinese text 365–365
- 365–367 D. Concluding observations 365–367
367–379 Article XI 367–379
- 367–368 A. Introduction 367–368
- 368–369 B. Drafting history 368–369
- 369–377 C. Interpretation 369–377
  - 369–370 I. Eligibility to participate 369–370
  - 370–377 II. Modalities of expressing consent to be bound 370–377
  - 377–377 III. The depositary 377–377
- 377–379 D. Concluding observations 377–379
379–389 Article XII 379–389
- 379–380 A. Introduction 379–380
- 380–381 B. Drafting history 380–381
- 381–386 C. Interpretation 381–386
  - 381–383 I. Declarations under Article XII 381–383
  - 383–386 II. The territorial scope of obligations imposed by the Convention 383–386
- 386–389 D. Concluding observations 386–389
389–395 Article XIII 389–395
- 389–390 A. Introduction 389–390
- 390–390 B. Drafting history 390–390
- 390–394 C. Interpretation 390–394
  - 390–392 I. Entry into force of the Convention as such 390–392
  - 392–394 II. The Convention’s entry into force for states consenting to be bound subsequently 392–394
- 394–395 D. Concluding observations 394–395
395–401 Article XIV 395–401
- 395–396 A. Introduction 395–396
- 396–397 B. Drafting history 396–397
- 397–399 C. Interpretation 397–399
  - 397–398 I. Duration in force 397–398
  - 398–399 II. Withdrawing from the Convention 398–399
  - 399–399 III. Other grounds entailing loss or suspension of treaty membership 399–399
- 399–401 D. Concluding observations 399–401
401–405 Article XV 401–405
- 401–401 A. Introduction 401–401
- 401–402 B. Drafting history 401–402
- 402–403 C. Interpretation 402–403
- 403–405 D. Concluding observations 403–405
405–411 Article XVI 405–411
- 405–406 A. Introduction 405–406
- 406–406 B. Drafting history 406–406
- 407–410 C. Interpretation 407–410
  - 407–407 I. The content of Article XVI 407–407
  - 407–409 II. Options for dealing with revision requests 407–409
  - 409–410 III. Effects of revisions on the Convention 409–410
- 410–411 D. Concluding observations 410–411
411–419 Article XVII 411–419
- 411–412 A. Introduction 411–412
- 412–412 B. Drafting history 412–412
- 412–417 C. Interpretation 412–417
  - 412–414 I. General considerations 412–414
  - 414–416 II. Notification of states’ expressions to become bound – lit. (a) 414–416
  - 416–417 III. Other depositary notifications – lit. (b)–(f) 416–417
- 417–419 D. Concluding observations 417–419
419–421 Article XVIII 419–421
- 419–419 A. Introduction 419–419
- 419–420 B. Drafting history 419–420
- 420–421 C. Interpretation 420–421
421–423 Article XIX 421–423
- 421–421 A. Introduction 421–421
- 421–421 B. Drafting history 421–421
- C. Interpretation
423–483 Annexes to the Commentary 423–483
- 423–437 Annex 1: Authentic Treaty Version 423–437
- 437–446 Annex 2: The Way Towards the Convention 437–446
- 446–454 Annex 3: Treaty Participation 446–454
- 454–466 Annex 4: Treaty Action 454–466
- 466–483 Annex 5: Definitions of Genocide in the National Legislation of Member States 466–483
483–490 Index 483–490

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