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universality principle
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universality principle

international law
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The universality principle in international law allows any country to prosecute certain severe crimes, regardless of where they occurred or the nationalities involved. This principle is applied to crimes like piracy, war crimes, crimes against humanity, genocide, and torture. It acknowledges that some offenses are so heinous they violate the rights of all humanity, thus granting universal jurisdiction to all nations to bring perpetrators to justice. This principle is a cornerstone of international criminal law, aiming to ensure that individuals who commit the most egregious acts do not escape accountability.12

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7 Britannica Sources
  1. criminal law - Requirements of jurisdiction
  2. international law - Jurisdiction
  3. conflict of laws - Common principles
  4. international law - Definition and scope
  5. international law - Custom
  6. international law - Historical development
  7. human rights - The relevance of custom and tradition: the universalist-relativist debate

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