Présentation - European Convention Statutory Limitations 1974

i n t r o d u c t i o n

European Convention on the Non-Applicability of Statutory Limitations to Crimes against Humanity and War Crimes. Strasbourg, 25 January 1974.

Forum of adoption

Council of Europe

In force

The attempts of the Council of Europe to adopt a convention on the non-applicability of statutory limitations to crimes against humanity preceded those of the United Nations. When the United Nations took up the question in 1965, the Council of Europe suspended its efforts. The U.N. Convention, however, which was adopted on 26 November 1968 seemed unacceptable to most members of the Council of Europe because of its broad definition of "crimes against humanity". The present Convention uses a narrower definition and, unlike the U.N. Convention, limits its applicability to cases for which the statutory limitation period has not expired at the time of the entry into force of it.

Meetings of forum

25.01.1974, Strasbourg

Dade of adoption

25.01.1974

Depositary

Council of Europe

Number of articles

Authentic text

English; French

Source

D.Schindler and J.Toman, The Laws of Armed Conflicts, Martinus Nihjoff Publisher, 1988, pp.933-936.

Keywords

IMPRESCRIPTIBILITY; PENAL PROCEDURE; REPRESSION OF BREACHES; WAR CRIME; CRIME AGAINST HUMANITY; EUROPE; COUNCIL OF EUROPE; INTERNATIONAL ARMED CONFLICT; CUSTOMARY INTERNATIONAL LAW