war crimes

Cultural  

1. Acts committed by soldiers or government officials, either in the course of a war or in bringing on a war, that violate the customs of warfare. Examples of war crimes include atrocities committed against civilians (see My Lai massacre) and the mistreatment of prisoners of war. After World War II, twenty-two Nazi leaders were tried at Nuremberg by the victorious Allies, and twelve were sentenced to death for war crimes. (See Nuremberg trials.)

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Example Sentences

His career also included a stint as a lead war crimes prosecutor at the International Criminal Tribunal in The Hague.

From Los Angeles Times

He worked out of a newly opened Civilian Protection Center of Excellence, where his supervisor was a veteran strike-team targeter who had served as a United Nations war crimes investigator.

From Salon

Kosovo's former president and guerrilla leader Hashim Thaci called the war crimes charges against him "entirely untrue and utterly absurd" Wednesday on the final day of his marathon trial in The Hague.

From Barron's

Established by the country's parliament, the KSC investigates and prosecutes suspected war crimes committed by ethnic Albanian guerrillas during the war.

From Barron's

Last week, a military court in Baku handed lengthy sentences, including life jail terms, to Armenian separatist leaders in a war crimes trial.

From Barron's