Represalier

Represalier is a rarely used English noun derived from the French verb représailler, meaning to retaliate. It denotes a person who carries out reprisals in response to a prior wrongdoing or breach of obligations. The related noun représailles refers to the retaliatory acts themselves, while the verb describes the act of retaliation.

In international law, reprisals are measures taken by one state in response to another state's breach of obligations, with the aim of inducing compliance while limiting harm. Reprisals are intended to press a party to honor its duties without escalating into broader hostilities. They are generally expected to be proportionate, temporary, and directed at the offending state rather than at civilians or neutral parties, reflecting the tension between enforcing obligations and preserving humanitarian norms.

Legal frameworks governing reprisals draw on customary international law and, where applicable, treaty provisions. Reprisals must avoid violations that would themselves be unlawful, and they are increasingly framed in modern practice as countermeasures taken to induce compliance rather than as punitive actions. The use of force as a reprisal is highly restricted under contemporary international law and is subject to strict proportionality and necessity requirements. In many contexts, the concept has evolved into broader notions of sanctions and countermeasures that states impose to protect or restore rights while minimizing harm.

Practice today tends to favor nonviolent or economic measures over direct armed reprisals. Reprisals, when employed, are scrutinized for legality and proportionality, and they often face international condemnation if they cross humanitarian or civilian protections.

See also: reprisal, retaliation, countermeasures, international law, proportionality.