THE PRICE OF PEACE: WAR CRIMES, HUMAN RIGHTS VIOLATIONS, AND ACCOUNTABILITY

AUTHOR – DEBALINA ROY, STUDENT AT XAVIER LAW SCHOOL, XIM UNIVERSITY

BEST CITATION – DEBALINA ROY, THE PRICE OF PEACE: WAR CRIMES, HUMAN RIGHTS VIOLATIONS, AND ACCOUNTABILITY, INDIAN JOURNAL OF LEGAL REVIEW (IJLR), 5 (1) OF 2025, PG. 400-411, APIS – 3920 – 0001 & ISSN – 2583-2344.

Abstract

War represents the ultimate infringement upon the rights of individuals. It not only violates international laws but also hinders people from enjoying fundamental human rights, including the right to life, personal liberty, healthcare, medicine, and education. These basic human rights are owed to one another, not just as members of our respective nations but also as members of the global community. Over the past few decades, armed conflicts have devastated the lives of countless civilians, witnessing severe breaches of international humanitarian and human rights laws. This article delves into the numerous violations of human rights that can be attributed to ongoing wars and armed conflicts worldwide, highlighting their detrimental impact on various aspects of life and different social groups. The author endeavours to explain the significance of human rights in the context of the ongoing conflicts between Russia and Ukraine, Israel and Palestine, and other parts of the world. The author highlights the importance of the rights outlined in the International Bill of Rights, specifically the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR), 1948, and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), in upholding human rights in areas affected by war. Both international human rights law and international humanitarian law share the common objective of safeguarding the dignity and humanity of all individuals. This article analyses the relationship between these two bodies of law and determines whether human rights law remains applicable during armed conflicts and war, and if so, how they can mutually reinforce each other. The author has adopted doctrinal research methodology and referred to primary as well as secondary sources in writing this article and in arriving at the aforementioned findings.

Keywords: human rights, international humanitarian law, international human rights law, war, armed conflict, human rights violations