folkemord

Folkemord is the term used in Danish and Norwegian for genocide, referring to the intentional destruction, in whole or in part, of a national, ethnic, racial, or religious group. It is regarded as a grave violation of international law.

The concept was formalized in international law with the Genocide Convention of 1948, which defines acts aimed at destroying a protected group: killing members, causing serious bodily or mental harm, inflicting conditions of life calculated to bring about destruction, imposing measures intended to prevent births, and forcibly transferring children to another group. The defining element is the intent to destroy, at least in part, the targeted group.

Distinctions exist from related crimes, such as crimes against humanity or ethnic cleansing, though overlap can occur. Genocide focuses on the intent to destroy a group as such, whereas other crimes address massive violence and harm more broadly.

Notable historical episodes commonly described as genocides include the Holocaust, the Armenian Genocide, the Rwandan Genocide, and the Srebrenica massacre. Legal judgments and historical scholarship have varied in labeling some events as genocide.

International law seeks to deter and punish genocidal acts. Prosecutions have occurred in international courts and tribunals, such as the ICTY and ICTR, and more recently before the International Criminal Court. Prevention, accountability, and remembrance are central to ongoing efforts to address genocidal violence.