Page "War crime" Paragraph 22

Colloquial definitions of war crime include violations of established protections of the laws of war, but also include failures to adhere to norms of procedure and rules of battle, such as attacking those displaying a peaceful flag of truce, or using that same flag as a ruse of war to mount an attack.

Attacking enemy troops while they are being deployed by way of a parachute is not a war crime.

However, Protocol I, Article 42 of the Geneva Conventions explicitly forbids attacking parachutists who eject from damaged airplanes, and surrendering parachutists once landed.

War crimes include such acts as mistreatment of prisoners of war or civilians.

In 2008 the U. N. Security Council adopted resolution 1820, which noted that “ rape and other forms of sexual violence can constitute war crimes, crimes against humanity or a constitutive act with respect to genocide ”; see also war rape.

War crimes are sometimes part of instances of mass murder and genocide though these crimes are more broadly covered under international humanitarian law described as crimes against humanity.