Congratulations! You have reached this website dedicated to presenting and discussing the Nuremberg Principles. This was launched in August 2019 to mark the 74th anniversary of the first document signing that led to the final adoption of the Nuremberg Principles, a key set of principles of international humanitarian law.

Following launch of the website new content will be added from time to time, and a first extension will be a discussion forum to enable you to participate in discussions of key relevant topics. One essential important topic affects individuals who have responsibility for the design, development, and deployment of weapons and their uses that breach international humanitarian law.

The Nuremberg Principles started life in World War II as awareness of the atrocities being committed by the military powers of Germany and Japan (and their associates) grew and caused international outrage. The first formal communication about the atrocities was in the Moscow Declaration of 1943. That Declaration set out an intention to pursue perpetrators after the end of the war.

The legal principles covering nuclear weapons have been evolving over centuries in many countries and civilizations. Greater impetus was provided by the Hague Conventions from 1899 onwards. Further codification took place with the Nuremberg Principles, and the International Court of Justice has put its mind to the lawfulness of nuclear weapons. Here are the fundamental principles of International Humanitarian Law as applied to weapons and warfare.

What international law means that an individual who votes in favour of acquiring nuclear weapons, or who takes part in decisions to acquire, design, construct, deploy, maintain, or use nuclear weapons is taking on personal individual liability for possible crimes under international law and may be indicted before any competent legal tribunal (national or international)?

The source of the relevant international law is the Nuremberg Principles.

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