Identity cleansing is the confiscation of personal identification, passports, and other such documents in order to make it difficult or impossible for those driven out to return. The term was used to describe the systematic stripping of identity and property documents from expelled Kosovo Albanians during the Kosovo War, when Yugoslav forces reportedly removed passports, land titles, vehicle registration plates, and identity cards to block refugees' return. Human rights organizations documented the practice and presented evidence of it at later war crimes proceedings.
Facts
Elements of OffenseConfiscation of personal identification, passports, and other such documents in order to make it difficult or impossible for those driven out to return. 1 Notable ExampleKosovo War: Physicians for Human Rights reported that nearly 60 percent of respondents to its survey observed the Yugoslav Army removing or destroying personal identification documents from expelled Kosovo Albanians. 1 Jurisdiction VariationThe Kosovo instance of identity cleansing was documented as evidence presented at the war crimes trials held at The Hague after the situation in Kosovo was stabilized, rather than prosecuted as a distinct domestic criminal offense defined by statute in any national jurisdiction. 1 Classification
Offense GradeMinor or Summary Offense 1 In the Other Atlases
- Also in Geography Atlas: Europe, found in there.
Sources
1. Identity cleansing (Wikipedia)
Wikipediaen.wikipedia.org/wiki/Identity_cleansing, lead paragraph
Identity cleansing is defined as "confiscation of personal identification, passports, and other such documents in order to make it difficult or impossible for those driven out to return".
Lead paragraph, first sentence
and other such documents in order to make it difficult or impossible for those driven out to return
Kosovo War section, second paragraph
(PHR) reports that nearly 60% of respondents to its survey observed the Yugoslav Army removing or destroying personal identification documents.
Kosovo War section, war crimes trials sentence
evidence of it has been brought at the war crimes trials held at The Hague after the situation in Kosovo was stabilized
View the Source Reader Challenges (0)
No disputes yet. Spotted an error or a better source? Open the first one.
Sign in to dispute this or suggest a correction.