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What defines a crime as a war crime?

Dessie Doornbos

A war crime is a type of crime that happens during a war. These crimes include things like killing or hurting innocent people on purpose, destroying schools, hospitals, or homes that are not meant to be military targets, and using weapons that are not allowed in war.

What makes a crime a war crime is that it violates the rules of war. These rules are called international humanitarian law. They are there to protect people who are not fighting in the war, like civilians, medical workers, and prisoners of war.

Some examples of war crimes include:

-Killing or hurting innocent people, like women, children, or older people who are not fighting in the war.

-Using weapons that are meant to cause unnecessary suffering, like chemical weapons, landmines, or cluster bombs.

-Destroying buildings or objects that are not military targets, like schools or hospitals.

-Treating prisoners of war badly, like torturing them, killing them, or not giving them enough food or medical care.

-Forcing people to do things against their will, like making them fight in the war or using them as human shields.

It is important to know that war crimes are not allowed, and people who commit them can be punished. This is why it is important for everyone involved in a war to follow the rules of war and respect international humanitarian law.