conflict zones
Rape as a War Crime
As defined by Amnesty International
From “The Quest for International Justice: Defining the Crimes and Defenses for the International Criminal Court” IOR 40/006/1997 adopted 01/02/1997.
2.2.4 Rape, Enforced Prostitution and Other Sexual Rape of detainees by government officials or by armed opposition groups on a systematic or large scale is a crime against humanity, which should be within the jurisdiction of the international criminal court. Rape in such circumstances is a form of torture, but because of its unique characteristics it also deserves being identified as a separate crime against humanity. Enforced prostitution on a systematic or large scale when government officials or armed opposition groups force detainees to carry out such conduct should also be considered as a crime against humanity which should be within the court’s jurisdiction. Some forms of other sexual abuse of detainees by government officials or armed opposition groups committed on a systematic or large scale may amount to crimes against humanity. For the same reasons that they are prohibited in international and non-international armed conflict, they should be considered crimes against humanity.
Rape as defined by the Geneva Convention, adopted August 12, 1949 by the Diplomatic Conference for the Establishment of International Conventions for the Protection of Victims of War:
