Uploaded March 2020 | Updated September 2026, 12 hours ago

---

Universal Jurisdiction allows states to investigate and prosecute international crimes no matter who committed them, where they were committed and against whom they were committed. Thus, UJ provides a tool to fight against impunity for crimes committed in states where the national authorities and courts are not able or willing to investigate and prosecute those crimes. Some states that apply Universal Jurisdiction – like Germany – have specialized police units and prosecutors.