International Convention on the suppression and punishment of the crime of apartheid
The International Convention on the Suppression and Punishment of the Crime of Apartheid is a United Nations treaty that was adopted by the General Assembly in 1973. The convention defines apartheid as a crime against humanity, establishing it as an international offense that warrants punishment under international law.
Apartheid refers to a system of institutionalized racial segregation and discrimination that was practiced in South Africa from 1948 until the early 1990s. The policy was characterized by the denial of basic human rights and freedoms to non-white South African citizens. It involved the segregation of communities, discriminatory laws, and the systematic oppression of racial and ethnic groups.
The convention aims to criminalize apartheid and hold those responsible for its implementation accountable for their actions. It obligates member states to take various measures to prevent and suppress the crime of apartheid, including enacting domestic legislation to establish it as a criminal offense under their national laws.
Under the convention, states parties are required to adopt measures such as legislation, prosecution, and extradition to ensure that individuals involved in the crime of apartheid are brought to justice. It also encourages international cooperation in prosecuting those responsible for apartheid and calls upon states to provide assistance to victims of apartheid.
The convention has played a significant role in raising awareness about the crime of apartheid and providing a legal framework for its prosecution. It has contributed to the condemnation of apartheid as a violation of fundamental human rights and has been an important tool in the fight against racial discrimination and oppression.
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