A resolution recommending that all governments seek means to ensure that all Nazi war criminals would be liable to prosecution for an indefinite period of time, without any statute of limitation, was adopted unanimous I here this weekend by the United Nations Commission on Human Rights.
The measure, originally introduced by Poland, subsequently amended by the United States, Israel and other delegations on the 21-member body, called upon Secretary General U Thant to initiate a study on the legal procedures necessary to make sure that no statute of limitation stall apply in international law on the prosecution of Nazi war criminals. The Commission requested Mr. Thant to give this study “priority,” so that the legal aspects could be discussed at the Commission’s next meeting, in 1966.
As passed by the Commission, the resolution applies to all “war crimes and crimes against humanity,” and invites all states that have not yet done so to ratify the UN Convention Against Genocide, which was adopted in 1948. The United States is one of the members of the UN that has not yet ratified that convention.
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