The Capacity of the Contemporary International Law in Recognition of the Concept of Cultural Genocide

The concept of “cultural genocide”, ie. the deliberate destruction of monuments, identity or culture of a group without its physical removal, although specified in Article 3 of the Draft Convention of Genocide, was finally removed from the final text and limited the genocide to killing a national, ethnic, racial and religious group. Other binding international instruments as well as some international case law so far have refused to accept this concept. However, there are still crimes and acts that are being committed based on cultural factors or intentionally for destruction of cultural symbols and traditions and they are not defined as the international crimes and genocide. But, they are closest to the concept of cultural genocide or cultural destruction. This article aims to consider capacities of the contemporary international law in recognition of the concept of cultural genocide and criminalization of the offences committed against a nation’s culture in a new approach. Finally, it concludes that present positive international law does not accept this theory, yet signs of this concept’s grounds of appearance can be traced.