HillNote
Genocide, a crime under international law, has been officially recognized in several cases by national or international courts and tribunals, such as the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda. However, states, non-governmental organizations and intergovernmental organizations such as the United Nations (UN) are also involved in determining whether a situation could be referred to as “genocide.” Although such a step is not without controversy, states can express their political recognition of these situations through various means, including motions, resolutions or official declarations from the legislative and executive branches. This HillNote addresses the practice of political (or state) recognition of genocide.