The vicissitudes of the Genocide Convention in this new century

Abstract

The heinous acts committed during the Second World War constituted an undeniable incentive for a considerable number of States that decided to positively welcome the proposal concerning the adoption of an international legal instrument that aimed the criminalization of illicit that were similar to the ones committed during the referred armed conflict. Finally, in 1948, the Convention for the Prevention and Punishment of the crime of genocide was adopted and, in 1951, it entered into force. Hence, more than seventy years have passed since this severe crime was internationally codified. Thus, we will analyze and interpret the content of the latter in the light of current situations. All this will be made with the purpose of determining if the content of the agreement adopted at the Chaillot Palace, on December 9 of 1948, is a suitable one.