Collective Responsibility in War Crimes and Crimes Against Humanity

Each individual and state has a moral and legal obligation to protect its population against war crimes and crimes against humanity. Understanding this obligation requires a deeper understanding of what such responsibility entails. Often issues have arisen as to whether war crimes and crimes against humanity committed while in office can be treated as individual or (., 2007). As some people have put it, should such crimes be attached to the office an individual was holding on commission or attached to the holder of the office? As a minimum requirement the state or a state office holder should ensure that citizens under its jurisdiction are not subjected to acts amounting to crimes against humanity or war crimes, put in place appropriate and effective measures to ensures such dont happen, and when they happen, ensure that those responsible for the atrocities are held accountable. State and should therefore be organized in a manner ensuring that they are able to live up to this obligation. Government apparatus and structures through which public power is exercised should facilitate the to ensure that the aforementioned crimes and tensions which may lead to the same do not occur. These should include facilitation of where possible.