Secretariat draft

Preamble

The High Contracting Parties proclaim that Genocide, which is the intentional destruction of a group of human beings, defies universal conscience, inflicts irreparable loss on humanity by depriving it of the cultural and other contributions of the group so destroyed, and is in violent contradiction with the spirit and aims of the United Nations.

1. They appeal to the feelings of solidarity of all members of the international community and call upon them to oppose this odious crime.

2. They proclaim that the acts of genocide defined by the present Convention are crimes against the Law of Nations, and that the fundamental exigencies of civilization, international order and peace require their prevention and punishment.

3. They pledge themselves to prevent and to repress such acts wherever they may occur.

Article I

Definitions

1. [Protected groups] The purpose of this Convention is to prevent the destruction of racial, national, linguistic, religious or political groups of human beings.

2. [Acts qualified as genocide] In this Convention, the word ‘genocide’ means a criminal act directed against any one of the aforesaid groups of human beings, with the purpose of destroying it in whole or in part, or of preventing its preservation or development.