'Crimes against humanity' in document 'UK - ICC Act (Overseas Territories) Order 2009'

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RELEVANT SECTIONS OF THE IMPLEMENTING LEGISLATION

PART 5
OFFENCES UNDER DOMESTIC LAW

Introduction

Trial and punishment of main offences
57.—(1) The following provisions apply in relation to—

(a) offences under section 51 (genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes),
(b) offences under section 52 (conduct ancillary to genocide, etc. committed outside jurisdiction), and
(c) offences ancillary to an offence within paragraph (a) or (b) above.

(2) The offence is triable only on indictment.

(3) Proceedings for an offence shall not be instituted except by or with the consent of the Attorney General.

(4) If the Offence is not committed in the Territory—

(a) proceedings may be taken, and
(b) the offence may for incidental purposes be treated as having been committed, in any place in the Territory.

(5) A person convicted of—

(a) an offence involving murder, or
(b) an offence ancillary to an offence involving murder,

shall be dealt with as for an offence of murder or, as the case may be, the corresponding ancillary offence in relation to murder.

In this subsection “murder” means the killing of a person in such circumstances as would, if committed in the Territory, constitute murder.

(6) In any case a person convicted of an offence is liable to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 30 years.

PART 5
OFFENCES UNDER DOMESTIC LAW

Introduction

Meaning of “ancillary offence”
59.—(1) References in this Part to an ancillary offence under the law of the Territory are to—

(a) aiding, abetting, counselling or procuring the commission of an offence,
(b) inciting a person to commit an offence,
(c) attempting or conspiring to commit an offence, or
(d) assisting an offender or concealing the commission of an offence .

(2) In subsection (1)(a) the reference to aiding, abetting, counselling or procuring is to such conduct, however expressed, that in relation to an indictable offence would be punishable under the law of the Territory, whether under any provision of that law or at common law.

(3) In subsection (1)(b) the reference to incitement is to conduct amounting to an offence of incitement, however expressed, under the law of the Territory, whether under any provision of that law or at common law.

(4) In subsection (1)(c)—

(a) the reference to an attempt is to conduct amounting to an offence of attempt, however expressed, under the law of the Territory, whether under any provision of that law or at common law; and
(b) the reference to conspiracy is to conduct amounting to an offence of conspiracy, however expressed, under the law of the Territory, whether under any provision of that law or at common law.

(5) In subsection (1)(d)—

(a) the reference to assisting an offender is to such conduct that would amount to an offence under the law of the Territory, whether under any provision of that law or at common law; and
(b) the reference to concealing an offence is to such conduct that would amount to an offence under the law of the Territory, whether under any provision of that law or at common law.


Saving for general principles of liability, etc
60.—(1) In determining whether an offence under this Part has been committed the court shall apply the principles of the law of the Territory.

(2) Nothing in this Part shall be read as restricting the operation of any enactment or rule of law relating to—

(a) the extra-territorial application of offences (including offences under this Part), or
(b) offences ancillary to offences under this Part (wherever committed).

PART 5
OFFENCES UNDER DOMESTIC LAW

Supplementary provisions

Mental element
70.—(1) References in this Part to a person committing—

(a) genocide,
(b) a crime against humanity,
(c) a war crime, or
(d) any of the acts mentioned in article 70.1 (offences against the administration of justice in relation to the ICC),

shall be construed in accordance with this section.

(2) Unless otherwise provided by—

(a) the articles mentioned in the definition in section 50(1) of the crimes specified in subsection (1)(a) to (c) above, or any relevant Elements of Crimes (see section 50(2)),
(b) section 54(1) or article 70.1 (offences in relation to the ICC), or
(c) section 65 (responsibility of commanders and other superiors),

a person is regarded as committing such an act or crime only if the material elements are committed with intent and knowledge.

(3) For this purpose—

(a) a person has intent—

(i) in relation to conduct, where he means to engage in the conduct, and
(ii) in relation to a consequence, where he means to cause the consequence or is aware that it will occur in the ordinary course of events; and

(b) “knowledge” means awareness that a circumstance exists or a consequence will occur in the ordinary course of events.

(4) In interpreting and applying the provisions of this section (which corresponds to article 30) the court shall take into account any relevant judgment or decision of the ICC.

Account may also be taken of any other relevant international jurisprudence.

RELEVANT ROME STATUTE PROVISIONS

Article 5
Crimes within the jurisdiction of the Court
1. The jurisdiction of the Court shall be limited to the most serious crimes of concern to the international community as a whole. The Court has jurisdiction in accordance with this Statute with respect to the following crimes:
(b) Crimes against humanity

Article 7
Crimes against humanity
1. For the purpose of this Statute, "crime against humanity" means any of the following acts when committed as part of a widespread or systematic attack directed against any civilian population, with knowledge of the attack:
(a) Murder;
(b) Extermination;
(c) Enslavement;
(d) Deportation or forcible transfer of population;
(e) Imprisonment or other severe deprivation of physical liberty in violation of fundamental rules of international law;
(f) Torture;
(g) Rape, sexual slavery, enforced prostitution, forced pregnancy, enforced sterilization, or any other form of sexual violence of comparable gravity;
(h) Persecution against any identifiable group or collectivity on political, racial, national, ethnic, cultural, religious, gender as defined in paragraph 3, or other grounds that are universally recognized as impermissible under international law, in connection with any act referred to in this paragraph or any crime within the jurisdiction of the Court;
(i) Enforced disappearance of persons;
(j) The crime of apartheid;
(k) Other inhumane acts of a similar character intentionally causing great suffering, or serious injury to body or to mental or physical health.
2. For the purpose of paragraph 1:
(a) "Attack directed against any civilian population" means a course of conduct involving the multiple commission of acts referred to in paragraph 1 against any civilian population, pursuant to or in furtherance of a State or organizational policy to commit such attack;
(b) "Extermination" includes the intentional infliction of conditions of life, inter alia the deprivation of access to food and medicine, calculated to bring about the destruction of part of a population;
(c) "Enslavement" means the exercise of any or all of the powers attaching to the right of ownership over a person and includes the exercise of such power in the course of trafficking in persons, in particular women and children;
(d) "Deportation or forcible transfer of population" means forced displacement of the persons concerned by expulsion or other coercive acts from the area in which they are lawfully present, without grounds permitted under international law;
(e) "Torture" means the intentional infliction of severe pain or suffering, whether physical or mental, upon a person in the custody or under the control of the accused; except that torture shall not include pain or suffering arising only from, inherent in or incidental to, lawful sanctions;
(f) "Forced pregnancy" means the unlawful confinement of a woman forcibly made pregnant, with the intent of affecting the ethnic composition of any population or carrying out other grave violations of international law. This definition shall not in any way be interpreted as affecting national laws relating to pregnancy;
(g) "Persecution" means the intentional and severe deprivation of fundamental rights contrary to international law by reason of the identity of the group or collectivity;
(h) "The crime of apartheid" means inhumane acts of a character similar to those referred to in paragraph 1, committed in the context of an institutionalized regime of systematic oppression and domination by one racial group over any other racial group or groups and committed with the intention of maintaining that regime;
(i) "Enforced disappearance of persons" means the arrest, detention or abduction of persons by, or with the authorization, support or acquiescence of, a State or a political organization, followed by a refusal to acknowledge that deprivation of freedom or to give information on the fate or whereabouts of those persons, with the intention of removing them from the protection of the law for a prolonged period of time.
3. For the purpose of this Statute, it is understood that the term "gender" refers to the two sexes, male and female, within the context of society. The term "gender" does not indicate any meaning different from the above.