Meaning of hostis humani generis | Babel Free

Definitions

A person who has committed a criminal act so grave – originally maritime piracy and slave-trading, and now torture as well – that any nation may put on trial and, upon conviction, punish him or her.

Equivalents

Examples

“Hoſtis humani generis, is neither a Definition, nor ſo much as a Deſcription of a Pirate, but a rhetorical Invective to ſhew the Odiouſneſs of that Crime. […] So a Man who breaks the common Rules of Honeſty and Juſtice, which are eſſential to the well-being of Mankind, by robbing only one Nation, may juſtly be term'd hoſtis humani generis; and that Nation has the ſame Right to puniſh him, as if he had actually rob'd all Nations.”

“All the definitions of piracy may be reduced to two short ones: 1. That of the Roman or civil law, which describes a pirate to be hostis humani generis; that is, the enemy of mankind: 2. That of the common law, which [describes] him as being a robber on the sea, […]”

“Neither we nor any other organ of English opinion, […] can feel⟳ the slightest sympathy or compassion for the Taepings, unless indeed there be any truth in the exquisitely horrible accounts of their massacre by Chinese troops which anonymous correspondents send⟳ home here. That they are hostes humani generis, we very willingly admit⟳. But because they are hostes humani generis it does not follow⟳ that the whole human race⟳ is bound to take⟳ up the responsibility of defeating their designs.”

“In the modern age, humanitarian and practical considerations have⟳ combined to lead⟳ the nations of the world to recognize that respect⟳ for fundamental human rights is in their individual and collective interest⟳. Among the rights universally proclaimed by all nations, as we have⟳ noted, is the right to be free of physical torture. Indeed, for purposes of civil liability, the torturer has become⟳—like⟳ the pirate and slave trader before him—hostis humani generis, an enemy of all mankind.”

“The response of international law, as articulated by [Hugo] Grotius in the seventeenth century—though hardly invented by him—and reiterated in later formulations, was that such actors [pirates and marauders] were outlaws, and enemies of all humankind (hostis humani generis). As the standard texts explain⟳, this is still the case in international law today, and thus, "Piracy jure gentium (under the law of nations) is the first international crime warranting universal jurisdiction, a concept that permits any state to bring⟳ a pirate to justice at any time, anywhere."”

CEFR level