War Crimes and the Role of International Humanitarian Law in Mitigating Their Effects

Abstract

outlines the fundamental principles upon which international humanitarian law is based, and examines its role in mitigating the devastating consequences of armed conflicts. It further elucidates the legal and political obstacles that hinder the accountability and prosecution of major war criminals. The study arrives at several key findings, most notably that international humanitarian law has only marginally limited the occurrence of war crimes and their destructive impact on civilians, in a manner that remains disproportionate to the scale of violations and the severity of war-inflicted harm. Moreover, the persistence of significant legal loopholes within international legal frameworks, coupled with overriding political considerations, continues to impede the effective prosecution and accountability of perpetrators of war crimes.