in fact distinct: For example, although intermediary of alleged vigilantes on its vigilante killings are sometimes justified operations. by individual perpetrators as III. Victims of the Extrajudicial they are distinct from killings Executions lawfully committed in self-defence, Other than knowing the perpetrators of the because they are not actually carried out in killings; understanding the dynamics and response to an immediate threat or use of causes of killings in particular situations lethal force. Killings by vigilantes are will often require a focus on the victims’ distinct from insurgents, guerrillas and membership to especially vulnerable rebel groups because vigilantes are not groups which can be listed as civilians in against the state as such; nor do they seek armed conflict, women, refugees, fundamental changes in the structure of the indigenous people, those deemed to be state, or separatism. who are not the “socially undesirable” Governments tend not to accept main concerns of authorities in many states responsibility for such killings on the such as accused people, children, the grounds that private actors were elderly, the disabled, those perceived to be responsible and there was nothing the or identified as gay, lesbian, bisexual or Government could have done to prevent transsexual, human rights defenders, and them. This indeed happens in many journalists. instances in which individuals or mobs act There are also reports on so-called “honour entirely of their own accord and in of women. The perpetrators of killings” circumstances in which Government these crimes are mostly male family officials are either absent or helpless. Often members, who go unpunished or receive the fully private killings may occur as reduced sentences on the justification of extrajudicial executions when those killed having murdered to defend their “family were on the Government list of where the state either approves of honour” undesirables (suspected criminals etc.) and and supports these acts, or extends a form that the killings are not exactly lamented of impunity to the perpetrators by giving by the authorities; when complicity of the tacit or covert support to the practice. Governments is the case or at least when Prevention of the so-called honour killings the passive acquiescence of the may happen with ensuring the Government becomes apparent; or when independence of judges and lawyers who Governments have act through the monitor these incidents. Along with the
in fact distinct: For example, although vigilante killings are sometimes justified by individual perpetrators as they are distinct from killings lawfully committed in self-defence, because they are not actually carried out in response to an immediate threat or use of lethal force. Killings by vigilantes are distinct from insurgents, guerrillas and rebel groups because vigilantes are not against the state as such; nor do they seek fundamental changes in the structure of the state, or separatism. Governments tend not to accept responsibility for such killings on the grounds that private actors were responsible and there was nothing the Government could have done to prevent them. This indeed happens in many instances in which individuals or mobs act entirely of their own accord and in circumstances in which Government officials are either absent or helpless. Often the fully private killings may occur as extrajudicial executions when those killed were on the Government list of undesirables (suspected criminals etc.) and that the killings are not exactly lamented by the authorities; when complicity of the Governments is the case or at least when the passive acquiescence of the Government becomes apparent; or when Governments have act through the intermediary of alleged vigilantes on its operations. III. Victims of the Extrajudicial Executions Other than knowing the perpetrators of the killings; understanding the dynamics and causes of killings in particular situations will often require a focus on the victims’ membership to especially vulnerable groups which can be listed as civilians in armed conflict, women, refugees, indigenous people, those deemed to be “socially undesirable” who are not the main concerns of authorities in many states such as accused people, children, the elderly, the disabled, those perceived to be or identified as gay, lesbian, bisexual or transsexual, human rights defenders, and journalists. There are also reports on so-called “honour killings” of women. The perpetrators of these crimes are mostly male family members, who go unpunished or receive reduced sentences on the justification of having murdered to defend their “family honour” where the state either approves of and supports these acts, or extends a form of impunity to the perpetrators by giving tacit or covert support to the practice. Prevention of the so-called honour killings may happen with ensuring the independence of judges and lawyers who monitor these incidents. Along with the
GA3.%20SOCHUM.docx