An extrajudicial killing also known as extrajudicial execution or extralegal killing is the killing of a person by governmental authorities without judicial proceeding or legal due process.
Extrajudicial killings are usually committed by militants, death squads and other organizations unrepresentative of their governments or countries. Such killings also target political dissidents, activists, marginalized groups, and social and religious figures.
Any death caused during detention or torture is applicable to extrajudicial killing. Honor killing can also be under this category.
Governments have the responsibility to protect their people and prevent such killings. After launching investigations, they need to indict the perpetrators. In reality, however, many cases have happened with impunity. OMCT (World Organization Against Torture) and its SOS-Torture Network members have gathered piles of evidence from various countries including developed ones.
One significant case happened in the Philippines in the name of ‘War on Drugs’ killing a large number of people including children. There was evidence that 845 extrajudicial killings were committed in Bangladesh between 2013 and 2017, but the country failed to launch correct investigations into them. Even some state authorities themselves or those who have ties to them commit tortures and serious crimes with impunity. And this may be one of the main reasons why such cases go on.
SOS-Torture Network said it has gathered evidence of such cases in Latin America including countries such as Columbia, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua and Venezuela. Similar cases happened in Congo, Egypt, Iraq, Nigeria and Syria.
In Myanmar, protests emerged after military takeover on February 1. According to some monitoring groups, more than 1,200 people died during protest crackdowns, during interrogation after arrests and during gunfights after the formation of local people’s defence forces till October 21.
Meanwhile, the State Administration Council’s information team has claimed that 1,155 people were murdered after being accused of having ties to, giving support and acting as informants for the SAC. Moreover, 14 government employees, 75 military members and 93 police were reportedly killed.
The UN’s Committee Against Torture (CAT) conducted a survey how a country followed the Convention Against Torture. Then, the committee made references to extrajudicial killings. It pointed out Burundi, Ukraine, Israel/Palestine, Iraq, Yemen and China where such killings happened in recent years.
CAT also put the non-state/ government perpetrators on the list.
The Daily Eleven takes the view that every humane society will not and should not accept any unlawful, extrajudicial killings committed by any individuals or organizations.
Daily Eleven Editorial (November 14)
