More than 200 leading human rights, humanitarian, civil liberties, faith-based and environmental organizations, think tanks and experts have issued a joint urgent statement in response to President Trump’s threat regarding Iran that “a whole civilization will die tonight” if his demands are not met.
“Such language describes a grave atrocity if carried out,” stated the open letter signed by organizations including Amnesty International USA, Human Rights Watch, Refugees International, and Oxfam America. “A threat to wipe out ‘a whole civilization’ may amount to a threat of genocide. Genocide is a crime defined by the Genocide Convention and by the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court as committing one or more of several acts “with intent to destroy in whole or in part a national, racial or religious groups as such.”
The statement also outlines the legal implications of President’s Trump’s threats. “The law is clear that civilians must not be targeted, and they must also be protected from indiscriminate or disproportionate attacks. Strikes on civilian infrastructure – such as the recent attack on a bridge and the attacks President Trump is repeatedly threatening to carry out to destroy power plants – have devastating consequences for the civilian population and environment.”
The statement also urges all parties to respect international law, noting that those responsible for atrocities, including crimes against humanity and war crimes, can and must be held accountable.
“The undersigned remind those engaged in military operations of their obligation to refuse any patently unlawful order. Anyone who orders, carries out, or is otherwise complicit in President Trump’s abhorrent threats must be held accountable.”