Denmark to criminalize war crimes by autumn

The Danish government will introduce legislation to criminalize war crimes in national law by fall. Justice Minister Peter Hummelgaard established a preparatory committee in 2023 to pave the way for incorporating these provisions. The committee’s recommendation is now ready, aiming to send a strong signal amidst the Ukraine conflict. Hummelgaard emphasizes the importance of conveying a clear message that war crimes will not be tolerated. Additionally, Denmark plans to ratify the crime of aggression under the International Criminal Court’s statute, holding leaders accountable for unlawfully using military force in violation of the UN Charter. The proposal for separate criminalization of war crimes was initially presented by the Danish Socialist People’s Party (SF) last year and received government support. Although war crimes are already punishable under Danish law, they lack specific provisions, a gap now set to be addressed.