· The prime aim of the United
Nations is the ending of all war.
· All members have promised
never to attack another state, and to act in conformity with justice and international
law.
· All members agree to settle
international disputes by peaceful means.
· No country may threaten the
use of force, or use force against another country except in self-defence.
· Members are expected to
develop friendly relations with other nations based on equal rights and
self-determination.
· Members are committed to work
in co-operation with other states in solving international problems of an economic,
social, cultural, and humanitarian character and to work to promote the economic and
social advancement for all people.
· Members are committed to
practising tolerance and respecting human rights and fundamental freedoms without
distinction as to race, sex, language, or religion.
· Members are committed to
providing military forces, if requested by the UN Security Council, to deal with any
country committing an act of aggression against another country.
· The United Nations is
committed to working to reduce armaments and using the human and physical resources
thereby saved for the betterment of mankind.
“. . . The second aim of the trial was to establish the rules of international law for the future, so that not only the launching of wars of aggression would be illegal, but also, for the first time, to make the rulers who lead their countries into wars of aggression personally responsible for their actions.” - Lord Shawcross - Principal British Prosecutor at Nuremberg, 1945.
“To initiate a war of aggression is not only an international crime, it is the supreme international crime.”
“To initiate a war of aggression is a crime that no political or economic situation can justify.”
Principle I. Any person who commits an act which constitutes a crime under international law is responsible therefore and liable to punishment.
Principle II. The fact that internal law does not impose a penalty for an act which constitutes a crime under international law does not relieve the person who committed the act from responsibility under international law.
Principle III. The fact that a person who committed an act which constitutes a crime under international law acted as Head of State or responsible government official does not relieve him from responsibility under international law.
Principle IV. The fact that a person acted pursuant to order of his Government or of a superior does not relieve him from responsibility under international law, provided a moral choice was in fact possible to him.
Principle V. Any person charged with a crime under international law has the right to a fair trial on the facts and law.
Principle VI. The crimes hereinafter set out are punishable as
crimes under international law:
(a) Crimes against peace:
(i)
Planning, preparation, initiation or waging of a war of aggression or a war in violation of international treaties, agreements
or assurances;
(ii) Participation in a common plan or conspiracy for the accomplishment of any of the acts mentioned under (i).
(b) War Crimes:
Violations of the laws or customs of war which include, but are not limited to, murder, ill-treatment or deportation of slave-labour or for any other purpose of the civilian population of or in occupied territory, murder or ill-treatment of prisoners of war or persons on the seas, killing of hostages, plunder of public or private property, wanton destruction of cities, towns, or villages, or devastation not justified by military necessity.
(c) Crimes against humanity:
Murder, extermination, enslavement, deportation and other inhumane acts done against any civilian population, or persecutions on political, racial, or religious grounds, when such acts are done or such persecutions are carried on in execution of or in connection with any crime against peace or any war crime.
Principle VII. Complicity in the commission of a crime against peace, a war crime, or a crime against humanity as set forth in Principle VI is a crime under international law.