As an international offense, the systematic and institutionalized oppression and domination of one racial group over another through inhumane acts committed in the context of a regime intended to maintain that domination, historically associated with the legal system enforced in South Africa from 1948 to the early 1990s. It is defined as an international crime under the 1973 International Convention on the Suppression and Punishment of the Crime of Apartheid and is separately listed as a crime against humanity under the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court, distinct from apartheid as a historical political and social system in its own right.
Facts
Classification CodeApartheid is classified as a crime against humanity under Article 7 of the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court, defined there as inhumane acts of a character similar to other crimes against humanity, committed in the context of an institutionalized regime of systematic oppression and domination by one racial group over another and committed with the intention of maintaining that regime. 2 Typical PenaltyAs a crime against humanity under the Rome Statute, apartheid carries the Court's general penalty scale: imprisonment for a specified term not exceeding 30 years, or life imprisonment when justified by the extreme gravity of the crime and the individual circumstances of the convicted person. 3 Elements of OffenseSouth Africa's apartheid system was enforced through pass laws requiring the black population to carry permits: the Native Laws Amendment Act of 1952 tightened these controls so that black residents could not remain in urban areas for more than 72 hours without one. 1 Notable ExampleBetween 1960 and 1983, an estimated 3.5 million black Africans were forcibly removed from their homes and relocated into segregated neighborhoods under apartheid legislation, one of the largest mass evictions of the twentieth century. 1 Jurisdiction VariationApartheid as a legally codified system operated in both South Africa and the territory of South West Africa, administered by South Africa and now Namibia, from 1948 to 1994. 1 Classification
Offense GradeSerious or Indictable Offense 1 Connections
Has Offense Grade
Entity-backed identity for the offense-grade enum value this offense already carries, resolved to a crime concept by an explicit value-to-entity map (phase 3 bucket conversion, docs\design_entity_backed_browse_buckets_20260928.md). The offense-grade fact itself stays on the offense unchanged.
In the Other Atlases
- Also in Geography Atlas: Africa, found in there.
- Also in Geography Atlas: West Africa, found in there.
Sources
1. Apartheid (Wikipedia)
Wikipediaen.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apartheid, lead paragraph
Apartheid was a system of institutionalised racial segregation that existed in South Africa and South West Africa from 1948 to 1994.
Apartheid, Legislation section, Native Laws Amendment Act sentence
The Native Laws Amendment Act, 1952 centralised and tightened pass laws so that blacks could not stay in urban areas for longer than 72 hours without a permit.
Apartheid, lead section, forced removals sentence
Between 1960 and 1983, 3.5 million black Africans were removed from their homes and forced into segregated neighbourhoods as a result of apartheid legislation, in some of the largest mass evictions in modern history.
View the Source 2. Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court, Article 7 (legal.un.org)
Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court, via the United Nations Office of Legal Affairs (legal.un.org)Rome Statute, Article 7(2)(h)Quote, Rome Statute, Article 7(2)(h)
'The crime of apartheid' means inhumane acts of a character similar to those referred to in paragraph 1, committed in the context of an institutionalized regime of systematic oppression and domination by one racial group over any other racial group or groups and committed with the intention of maintaining that regime;
3. Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court, Article 77 (public.law)
Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court, via public.lawRome Statute, Article 77 (public.law)Quote, Rome Statute, Article 77 (public.law)
Imprisonment for a specified number of years, which may not exceed a maximum of 30 years; or A term of life imprisonment when justified by the extreme gravity of the crime and the individual circumstances of the convicted person.
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.