# Definition of 'Crimes Against Humanity'. **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [January 9, 2007, 3:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/definition-of-crimes-against-humanity/387252 "2007-01-09T03:22:45Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 6\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Jim\_B](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jim_b/32/4338_2.png) [@Jim\_B](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jim_B)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2007, 3:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/definition-of-crimes-against-humanity/387252/1 "2007-01-09T03:22:45Z")
Is there a real definition of “crimes against humanity”? I mean, I guess what I want to know, is there really a point when homicide, torture, rape, etc. cease to be these simple crimes and become “crimes against humanity”? Or is this term more an appeal to the emotions than anything else? Also, what is the _exact_ legal definition of “crimes against humanity”, if there is one? Remember I am not trying to make light of these terrible crimes. But I do wonder if there is really a definition to this crime. Thank you in advance to all who reply 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Tim\_T-Bonham.net](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/46a35a/32.png) [@Tim\_T-Bonham.net](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tim_T-Bonham.net)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2007, 8:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/definition-of-crimes-against-humanity/387252/2 "2007-01-09T08:59:26Z")
Wikipedia seems to have a fairly complete description: [Crimes against humanity - Wikipedia](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crimes_against_humanity). Is there something specific about that definition that you find hard to understand? ---
**Author:** ![bdgr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/a87d85/32.png) [@bdgr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bdgr)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2007, 9:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/definition-of-crimes-against-humanity/387252/3 "2007-01-09T09:20:33Z")
[QUOTE=t-bonham@scc.net] Wikipedia seems to have a fairly complete description: [Crimes against humanity - Wikipedia](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crimes_against_humanity). Is there something specific about that definition that you find hard to understand? [/QUOTE] any definition that doesnt include lutefisk is incomplete. ---
**Author:** ![Jim\_B](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jim_b/32/4338_2.png) [@Jim\_B](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jim_B)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2007, 12:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/definition-of-crimes-against-humanity/387252/4 "2007-01-10T00:26:48Z")
[QUOTE=t-bonham@scc.net] Wikipedia seems to have a fairly complete description: [Crimes against humanity - Wikipedia](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crimes_against_humanity). Is there something specific about that definition that you find hard to understand? [/QUOTE] No, I guess that Wikipedia article made things a little clearer. Notice that they say: > [@](#): > > The Rome Statute Explanatory Memorandum states that crimes against humanity “are particularly odious offences in that they constitute a serious attack on human dignity or grave humiliation or a degradation of **one or more** human beings…” (emphasis mine) But the quote goes on to say: > [@](#): > > “…Isolated inhumane acts of this nature may constitute grave infringements of human rights, or depending on the circumstances, war crimes, but may fall short of meriting the stigma attaching to the category of crimes under discussion…” So there have to be _more than one person_ involved for it to be war crimes. That makes it a little more clear. But I am still a little confused. Does that mean murdering **one** person is homicide, while murdering **two** is war crimes? Or am I somehow mistaken again here. Someone please correct me on this if I am. ---
**Author:** ![Jim\_B](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jim_b/32/4338_2.png) [@Jim\_B](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jim_B)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2007, 12:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/definition-of-crimes-against-humanity/387252/5 "2007-01-10T00:30:34Z")
:smack: Wait a minute, that quote said “ **one or more** ” not “ **more than one** ”. Nevertheless, I am still a little confused about how crimes can just fall short of this definition somehow. Again, if you beat up a person once, that’s a war crime, but if you beat up his family too, that’s crimes against humanity. 😕 ---
**Author:** ![Jim\_B](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jim_b/32/4338_2.png) [@Jim\_B](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jim_B)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2007, 12:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/definition-of-crimes-against-humanity/387252/6 "2007-01-10T00:46:02Z")
Just FYI, this is what I think I meant to add to the quote: > [@](#): > > However, murder, extermination, torture, rape, political, racial, or religious persecution and other inhumane acts reach the threshold of crimes against humanity only if they are part of a **widespread or systematic practice**. (emphasis mine again) Thank you all for your patience. I think I got up on the wrong side of the bed today or something 😉 . My question then again, is how widespread does it have to be to be crimes against humanity?