Criminal prosecutions aim to hold individuals who ordered, planned, or perpetrated crimes responsible for their actions through criminal sanctions, such as fines or terms of imprisonment. Some also consider this a way to deter future perpetrators.
The legal framework
Learn about two key international legal agreements that provide the legal framework for prosecuting genocide and crimes against humanity: the Genocide Convention and the Rome Statute for the International Criminal Court.
International criminal justice since Nuremberg
Learn about the evolution and application of international criminal justice since the International Military Tribunals established after World War II.
Innovations: Victim-driven efforts to advance accountability
Learn more about the role that victims have played in recent years in pursuing justice and accountability.
This Section
Find information on historical cases of genocide and other atrocities.