The 1949 Geneva Conventions require states to search for those who have committed war crimes and either prosecute them in their own courts or turn them over to another state that is prepared to try them. Similarly, the 1984 Convention Against Torture requires states to establish their own jurisdiction to prosecute torture if an offender is on their territory and is not extradited to stand trial in the country where the crime was committed.
此后，这一概念被写入了几乎所有国家投批准了的条约。1949年日内瓦公约要求各国搜捕犯有战争罪行者，可以在本国法庭起诉他们，也可以把他们引渡给准备起诉他们的他国。类似地，1984年禁止酷刑公约（Convention Against Torture）要求各国建立各自的司法管辖权以起诉身在本国并没有引渡回犯罪实施国的罪犯。