COVID-19 and crimes against humanity

Kemp, Gerhard

Abstract

Death and serious harm to physical and mental health caused by COVID-19 affect not only the protected interests underlying various crimes under domestic law (notably murder, other homicide offences and assault), but can also be analysed in the context of the interests protected by international criminal law. The analyses in the comparative (national) chapters focus on criminal liability of government officials and corporations for crimes under domestic law, the focus in this chapter falls on criminal liability in the context of crimes that affect interests beyond those of the individual victims. The definitions and structures of the various crimes under domestic criminal law and international criminal law are different, but there are also different interests at stake. For instance, the crime of murder under domestic criminal law protects the individual right to life, whereas the crime of genocide protects not only the right to life but also the existence and survival of specifically defined groups, and crimes against humanity concerns the violation of fundamental human rights committed as part of a widespread or systematic attack on a civilian population.

• Online Publication Date: Jun 15, 2023
• Publication Date: Jun 15, 2023
• Deposit Date: Jun 7, 2023
• Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing
• Pages: 331-342
• Book Title: Public Health Crisis Management and Criminal Liability of Governments
• Chapter Number: 16
• ISBN: 9781509946310
• Public URL: https://uwe-repository.worktribe.com/output/10838588
• Publisher URL: https://www.bloomsbury.com/uk/public-health-crisis-management-and-criminal-liability-of-governments-9781509946310/