Government mass killing and post-conflict domestic trials

Gary Uzonyi, Nam Kyu Kim

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

2 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Why do some countries implement trials to punish perpetrators of state-sponsored mass killing during civil war? A common explanation is that domestic and international demand for justice pressures the government to implement trials. However, this demand is unlikely to produce prosecutions because state-sponsored violence during fighting provides elites incentive to conceal information after war. The revelation of information concerning the government's atrocities could result in renewed domestic instability or international sanction. Therefore, a government that has committed atrocities during the civil war, and emerges victorious from the conflict, should be unlikely to pursue trials in the aftermath of the war.
Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)396-413
Number of pages17
JournalStudies in Conflict and Terrorism
Volume43
Issue number5
Early online date29 May 2018
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 2020

Keywords

  • civil war
  • mass killing
  • international sanction
  • confllict

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