9781422281369

Dr. Raphael Lemkin, who coined the word “genocide,” also helped to draft the UN Genocide Convention in 1948. This internation- al legislation was intended to prevent and

punish the crime of genocide—the mass

destruction of national, ethnic, racial, or reli- gious groups.

of being called genocide. There are also arguments over what kinds of groups can be considered victims of genocide. As well as national, ethnic, and racial groups, some insist that political groups or economic classes can also suffer from a genocidal attack. How Is Genocide Defined? The United Nations (UN), an organization of countries formed after World War II, passed a law in 1948 making genocide ille- gal. The UN defined “genocide” as any act committed with intent to destroy in whole or in part a national, ethnic, racial, or religious group. This included the following kinds of activity: • Killing members of the group. • Causing serious bodily or mental harm to members of the group.

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What Is Genocide?