Denmark to introduce strong law against war crimes, says justice minister

By Ebad Ahmed

PRAGUE (AA) – The Danish government is all set to introduce a bill in the autumn focusing on specific laws against war crimes, Justice Minister Peter Hummelgaard confirmed on Friday.

“It’s important that we send a clear signal to the world around us and not least to victims that we won’t accept war crimes and similar international crimes,” the minister said in a statement.

The minister in 2023 mandated a parliamentary committee to draft anti-war crime legislative paragraphs that can be incorporated into Danish criminal law.

The Ministry of Justice has confirmed that the mandated committee has completed its work on recommendations for specific war crimes and crimes against humanity.

Hummelgaard said enacting war crime laws will send a strong message regarding the ongoing conflict in Ukraine.

The passage of proposed laws by the parliament would end Denmark’s position as one of the last European countries without specific laws on war crimes.

The legislation on war crimes was initiated last year after a motion by the opposition Socialist People’s Party, which the government supported.

“I think it’s important to say first and foremost that war crimes are already illegal in Danish criminal law,” Hummelgaard said at the time.

“It is not written in as specific clauses in the criminal law, but all offences that are war crimes are criminal.

“But with all that said, I think that SF has an important point in saying that the time has now come for us to introduce an independent criminalization of war crimes. I think that would send out an important message to the world, and especially to victims,” he said.