A United Nations expert has called on member states to recognize hostage-taking as a crime against humanity, amidst ongoing discussions for a treaty addressing crimes of this nature. This appeal was made by the Special Rapporteur on torture, Alice Jill Edwards, highlighting what she describes as a significant oversight in the current legal framework. Her plea comes as efforts to draft a treaty on crimes against humanity are taking shape, underscoring the urgency of recognizing hostage-taking as a stand-alone international crime.
Edwards’ statement emphasized that hostage-taking has increasingly been used as a tool to extract political, financial, or military gains. Her report to the UN Human Rights Council in February 2025 documented various instances, including the Houthis’ targeting of humanitarian workers in Yemen, and the hostage situations arising from the Israel-Gaza conflict post-October 7 attacks. Moreover, Russia’s use of hostage-taking to intimidate occupied populations in Ukraine, alongside cases of arbitrary detentions of foreign nationals for political leverage, was noted in these reports.
While hostage-taking is already prohibited by international law, its recognition as a crime against humanity could bolster efforts to hold perpetrators accountable. Such a recognition could lead to the adoption of universal jurisdiction principles, enabling states to prosecute perpetrators regardless of where the crime took place. The draft convention under discussion would potentially allow states to investigate and prosecute these crimes, even extending jurisdiction to those accused found within a nation’s borders, irrespective of their nationality or the location of the crime.
The push for this recognition is part of a broader UN initiative that began with a resolution adopted in 2024. This resolution established a preparatory committee tasked with finalizing the draft convention for negotiations set to begin between 2028 and 2029. While approximately 100 countries, led by Mexico and the Gambia, back this resolution, other nations, such as China, Russia, Iran, and North Korea, argue that such a treaty may be premature.
Furthermore, this call is made alongside other significant human rights efforts. For instance, the UN Working Group on discrimination against women and girls recently pushed to recognize gender apartheid as a crime against humanity. As diplomatic and legal actions continue, these developments signify an evolving international approach to tackling grave human rights violations.