Process

The War Crimes Program has various legal options at its disposal to address the commission of or complicity in crimes against humanity, war crimes or genocide. These include:

• Criminal prosecution under the Crimes Against Humanity and War Crimes Act
• Criminal prosecution for immigration fraud under the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act (IRPA)and/or the Citizenship Act
• Citizenship revocation under the Citizenship Act
• Inadmissibility investigations and proceedings under IRPA
• Exclusion from refugee status under IRPA
• Extradition and surrender to an international tribunal under the Extradition Act

In addition to building cases to pursue appropriate legal options for each allegation, the Program further utilizes its expertise in international criminal law, international humanitarian law, customary international law, and immigration and refugee law to provide strategic and legal advice that feed into Canada’s policies and programs.

The War Crimes Program also collaborates with international partners and organizations to strengthen the global efforts to seek accountability for the commission of atrocity crimes. Program partners engage in information sharing with domestic and international partners, as well as training and outreach events to promote the War Crimes Program’s activities.