The Nuhanovic Foundation

Reparations Database

Declaration of Basic Principles of Justice for Victims of Crime and Abuse of Power.

YEAR

2023

Country Focus

DOCUMENTS

Emanating from the deliberations of the Seventh United Nations Congress on the Prevention of Crime and the Treatment of Offenders and General Assembly resolution 40/34 of 29 November 1985

This Declaration relates exclusively to victims of crime and of abuses of State power and does not touch on violations of international humanitarian law. However it is of interest in that its Article 11 indicates an obligation of States to provide remedies for criminal violations by their agents, officials and quasi-officials. It provides also that where the responsible State or government no longer exists, its successor State/government should assume this obligation.  Articles 18-21 clearly consider remedies, international agreements, proscriptive state legislation and monitoring as being appropriate responses to abuses of State power.