Domestic Laws Against Genocide - Prevent Genocide International

Article V: The Contracting Parties undertake to enact, in accordance with their respective Constitutions, the necessary legislation to give effect to the provisions of the present Convention, and, in particular, to provide effective penalties for persons guilty of genocide or any of the other acts enumerated in article III.

Implementing the Genocide Convention in Domestic Law

The crime of genocide in domestic law and the domestic prosecution of persons committing genocide are subjects of international significance. Correspondingly, the failure of nations to enact laws against genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes are matters of international concern. For example, in April 1999, a Swiss court threw out the charge of genocide in the trial of Rwandan mayor, Fulgence Niyonteze, because the crime of genocide was not at that time a part of Swiss law. Many countries have more effective laws for air piracy (hijacking) than for genocide.

The failure of countries to prosecute or extradite perpetrators of genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes has become a matter of tremendous international interest since the October 1998 arrest of former Chilean dictator Pinochet in the United Kingdom on Spanish charges of torture and genocide. Pinochet was released in March 2000 and allowed to return to Chile, but his case has become a crucial turning point in the effort to bring an end to impunity for torture, genocide and other international crimes.

Laws and Penal Codes from Africa
	Article 313 of Burkina Faso's Code Pénal	Article 137 of Côte d'Ivoire's Code Pénal	Article 281 of the Ethiopian Penal Code of 1957
	Ghana: Criminal Code (Amendment) Act, 1993 Section 1: Genocide	Article 30 of Mali's Code Pénal	Congo (Brazaville)'s 'Law No. 8 - 98 of 31 October 1998'' on genocide, war crimes and crimes against humanity
	Seychelles' Genocide Act of 1969	South Africa's Implementation of the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court Act 27 (July 12, 2002)

Rwanda's Organic Law No. 08/96 on Genocide and Crimes Against Humanity In English (or French)
Loi Organique No. 40/2000 du 26/01/2001 Portant Creation des ‘Jurisdictions Gacaca’ et Organisation des Pousuites des Infractions Constitutives du Crime de Genocide ou de Crimes contra L’Humanite, Commises enter le 1 Octobre 1990 et Le 31 Decembre 1994

Laws and Penal Codes from the Americas
	Antigua's Genocide Act, Laws, Vol. 4, chapter 191	Note on Argentina's penal code	Barbados (Genocide Act, chapter 133A
	Artículo 138 of Bolivia's Codigo Penal	Brazil's Law N°2.889 of Oct. 1, 1956	Canada's Act on genocide and war crimes [summary] Français [sommaire] Article 318 on Advocating Genocide
	*Colombia's Código Penal, art 101 & 102)*	*Artículo 127 of the Código Penal (April 14, 1998)*	Artículo 361 of Cuba's Código Penal
	Artículo 361 of El Salvador's Código Penal	Artículo 376 of the Código Penal of Guatemala	Jamaica's Offenses against the person (amendment) 1968, s. 33
	Artículo 149 of Mexico's Codigo Penal	Artículos 549 & 550 of Nicaragua's Codigo Penal	*Artículo 311 of the Código Penal* of Panama**
	Articulo 319 9 of Paraguay's Código Penal	Peru's Title XIV (Law # 26926 (Código Penal, Art. 129)	Note on Suriname
	Trinidad and Tobago Genocide Act, 1977	Chapter 50A of the United States Code

Laws and Penal Codes from Asia and the Pacific

Australia's Genocide Convention Act 1949 Bahrain, Decree No. 4 of 1990 (on genocide) Bangladesh (International Crimes (Tribunals) Act 1973

Cambodian Law for prosecuting crimes committed from 1975 to 1979 China (see Hong Kong and Macau) Chapter 34 (Genocide) of the Fiji Islands Penal Code

Hong Kong (China), Section 9A, Offenses Against Person Ordinance, Cap. 212 - genocide UNDANG-UNDANG REP. INDONESIA NOMOR 26 TAHUN 2000 - Pasal 8 - genosida
Statute of the Iraqi Special Tribunal, issued December 10th, 2003

Israeli Law on the Crime of Genocide, 5710 -1950 Kiribati (Gilbert Islands) Penal Code Article 52 (Genocide) Article 373 (Genocide) of the Kyrgyzstan Criminal Code

Macau (China), Article 230 (Genocide) New Zealand's Int'l Crimes and ICC Act of Sept. 6, 2000 Solomon Islands, Penal Code Article 52 (Genocide)

Tajikistan's Crimes Against the Peace and Security of Mankind Tonga (Genocide Act, 1969) Tuvalu, Penal Code, Article 52 (Genocide)

Vietnam

Laws and Penal Codes from Europe

Criminal Code of Albania, Chap. 1, Crimes Against Humanity Article 393 of the Criminal code of Armenia Paragraph 321 of Austria's Strafgesetzbuch

Article 103 and 104 of the Azerbaijan Criminal Code Article 127 of the Belarus Criminal Code Belgium's Law on serious violations of international humanitarian law

Bosnia-Herzegovia Penal Code, Article 141 Criminal Code of Bulgaria, Article 416 on Genocide Croatia (Penal Code, art. 156)

Cyprus (Uw 59/ 1980) Czech Republic (Penal Code, art. 259) Denmark - Law Nr. 132 of April 29, 1955

Article 91 of Estonia's Karistusseadustik eriosa Article 211-1 of France's Code Pénal Finnish Penal Code on Genocide and Ethnic Agitation

Article 651 (genocide) of Georgia's penal code 220a of Germany's Strafgesetzbuch
Also VStGB / CCAIL
Article 155 of Hungary's Penal Code

Ireland's Genocide Act of 1973 Italy's law on Genocide of 9 October 1967, n. 962 Article 71 of the Penal Code of Latvia

Liechtenstein Penal Code, art. 321 (offsite link) Article 99 of the Lithuanian Criminal Code Luxembourg's law of 8 August 1985 on genocide

Netherlands (Act of 2 July 1964 Implement-ing the Conv. on Genocide Polish Penal Code (Kodeks Karny) Article 118 Article 239 of Portugal's Codigo Penal

Article 356 of the Romanian Penal Code Artículo 607 of Spain's Codigo Penal Article 357 of the Russian Federal Criminal Code

Slovakia (Criminal Code, articles 259-265) Slovenia (Penal Code, 1994, Chapter 35, art. 373 and 378) Lag 169 of Sweden's Lagboken (Act of 20 March 1963)

Switzerland (Penal Code), Art. 264 Criminal Code of Ukraine, Article 442 on Genocide United Kingdom 's ICC Bill - 25 August 2000 (offsite PDF file)

Criminal Code of Yugoslavia, Article 141 on Genocide

Domestic Prosecution of Genocide
In Rwanda, Cambodia, Germany, Kosovo, Latvia and other nations

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Laws and Penal Codes from Asia and the Pacific
	Australia's Genocide Convention Act 1949	Bahrain, Decree No. 4 of 1990 (on genocide)	Bangladesh (International Crimes (Tribunals) Act 1973
	Cambodian Law for prosecuting crimes committed from 1975 to 1979	China (see Hong Kong* and Macau)*	Chapter 34 (Genocide) of the Fiji Islands Penal Code
	Hong Kong (China), Section 9A, Offenses Against Person Ordinance, Cap. 212 - genocide	UNDANG-UNDANG REP. INDONESIA NOMOR 26 TAHUN 2000 - Pasal 8 - genosida	Statute of the Iraqi Special Tribunal, issued December 10th, 2003
	Israeli Law on the Crime of Genocide, 5710 -1950	Kiribati (Gilbert Islands) Penal Code Article 52 (Genocide)	Article 373 (Genocide) of the Kyrgyzstan Criminal Code
	Macau (China), Article 230 (Genocide)	New Zealand's Int'l Crimes and ICC Act of Sept. 6, 2000	Solomon Islands, Penal Code Article 52 (Genocide)
	Tajikistan's Crimes Against the Peace and Security of Mankind	Tonga (Genocide Act, 1969)	Tuvalu, Penal Code, Article 52 (Genocide)
	Vietnam

Laws and Penal Codes from Europe
	Criminal Code of Albania, Chap. 1, Crimes Against Humanity	Article 393 of the Criminal code of Armenia	Paragraph 321 of Austria's Strafgesetzbuch
	Article 103 and 104 of the Azerbaijan Criminal Code	Article 127 of the Belarus Criminal Code	Belgium's Law on serious violations of international humanitarian law
	Bosnia-Herzegovia Penal Code, Article 141	Criminal Code of Bulgaria, Article 416 on Genocide	Croatia (Penal Code, art. 156)
	Cyprus (Uw 59/ 1980)	Czech Republic (Penal Code, art. 259)	Denmark - Law Nr. 132 of April 29, 1955
	Article 91 of Estonia's Karistusseadustik eriosa	Article 211-1 of France's Code Pénal	Finnish Penal Code on Genocide and Ethnic Agitation
	Article 651 (genocide) of Georgia's penal code	220a of Germany's Strafgesetzbuch Also VStGB / CCAIL	Article 155 of Hungary's Penal Code
	Ireland's Genocide Act of 1973	Italy's law on Genocide of 9 October 1967, n. 962	Article 71 of the Penal Code of Latvia
	Liechtenstein Penal Code, art. 321 (offsite link)	Article 99 of the Lithuanian Criminal Code	Luxembourg's law of 8 August 1985 on genocide
	Netherlands (Act of 2 July 1964 Implement-ing the Conv. on Genocide	Polish Penal Code (Kodeks Karny) Article 118	Article 239 of Portugal's Codigo Penal
	Article 356 of the Romanian Penal Code	Artículo 607 of Spain's Codigo Penal	Article 357 of the Russian Federal Criminal Code
	Slovakia (Criminal Code, articles 259-265)	Slovenia (Penal Code, 1994, Chapter 35, art. 373 and 378)	*Lag 169 of Sweden's Lagboken* (Act of 20 March 1963)**
	Switzerland (Penal Code), Art. 264	Criminal Code of Ukraine, Article 442 on Genocide	United Kingdom 's ICC Bill - 25 August 2000 (offsite PDF file)
	Criminal Code of Yugoslavia, Article 141 on Genocide