Convention on the Non-Applicability of Statutory Limitations to War Crimes and Crimes Against Humanity

The Convention on the Non-Applicability of Statutory Limitations to War Crimes and Crimes Against Humanity was adopted and opened for signature, ratification and accession by United Nations General Assembly resolution 2391 (XXIII) of 26 November 1968. Pursuant to the provisions of its Article VIII (90 days following the deposit of the tenth ratification), it came into force on 11 November 1970.

The Convention provides that no signatory state may apply statutory limitations to:

• War crimes as they are defined in the Charter of the Nürnberg International Military Tribunal of 8 August 1945.
• Crimes against humanity, whether committed in time of war or in time of peace, as defined in the Charter of the Nürnberg International Military Tribunal, eviction by armed attack or occupation, inhuman acts resulting from the policy of apartheid, and the crime of genocide as defined in the 1948 Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide.

As of December 2020, with the adhesion of Ecuador, the convention has 56 state parties, which includes 55 UN member states and the State of Palestine.