July 25, 1945.
The following acts, designs or attempts at any of them shall be deemed crimes and shall come within the jurisdiction of the Tribunal:
a) Aggression against or domination over other nations carried out by the European Axis Powers in violation of treaties, agreements and assurances;
b) Atrocities against civilian populations including murder and ill-treatment of civilians and deportation of civilians to slave labour, and persecutions on racial or religious grounds inflicted in pursuance of the aggression or domination referred to in paragraph (a) above;
c) Violations of the laws, rules and customs of war. Such violations shall include murder and ill-treatment of prisoners of war, atrocities, wanton destruction of towns and villages, and plunder.
Any person who is proved to have in any capacity whatever directed or participated in the preparation for or carrying out of any of the above-mentioned acts shall be personally answerable therefor and for each and every violation of international law, of the laws of humanity and of the dictates of the public conscience committed in the course of carrying out the said acts, designs or attempts or any of them by the forces and authorities whether armed, civilian or otherwise in the service of any of the European Axis Powers.
Source: International Conference on Military Trials : London, 1945 Report of Robert H. Jackson, United States Representative to the International Conference on Military Trials : London, 1945 International organization and conference series; II European and British Commonwealth 1 Department of State Publication 3080 Washington, DC : Government Printing Office, 1949 |