18 U.S.C. § 1091

Current through P.L. 118-107 (published on www.congress.gov on 11/21/2024)

Section 1091 - Genocide

(a) BASIC OFFENSE.-Whoever, whether in time of peace or in time of war and with the specific intent to destroy, in whole or in substantial part, a national, ethnic, racial, or religious group as such-

(1) kills members of that group;

(2) causes serious bodily injury to members of that group;

(3) causes the permanent impairment of the mental faculties of members of the group through drugs, torture, or similar techniques;

(4) subjects the group to conditions of life that are intended to cause the physical destruction of the group in whole or in part;

(5) imposes measures intended to prevent births within the group; or

(6) transfers by force children of the group to another group;

shall be punished as provided in subsection (b).

(b) PUNISHMENT FOR BASIC OFFENSE.-The punishment for an offense under subsection (a) is-

(1) in the case of an offense under subsection (a)(1), where death results, by death or imprisonment for life and a fine of not more than $1,000,000, or both; and

(2) a fine of not more than $1,000,000 or imprisonment for not more than twenty years, or both, in any other case.

(c) INCITEMENT OFFENSE.-Whoever directly and publicly incites another to violate subsection (a) shall be fined not more than $500,000 or imprisoned not more than five years, or both.

(d) ATTEMPT AND CONSPIRACY.-Any person who attempts or conspires to commit an offense under this section shall be punished in the same manner as a person who completes the offense.

(e) JURISDICTION.-There is jurisdiction over the offenses described in subsections (a), (c), and (d) if-

(1) the offense is committed in whole or in part within the United States; or

(2) regardless of where the offense is committed, the alleged offender is-

(A) a national of the United States (as that term is defined in section 101 of the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1101));

(B) an alien lawfully admitted for permanent residence in the United States (as that term is defined in section 101 of the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1101));

(C) a stateless person whose habitual residence is in the United States; or

(D) present in the United States.

(f) NONAPPLICABILITY OF CERTAIN LIMITATIONS.-Notwithstanding section 3282, in the case of an offense under this section, an indictment may be found, or information instituted, at any time without limitation.

18 U.S.C. § 1091

Added Pub. L. 100-606, §2(a), Nov. 4, 1988, 102 Stat. 3045; amended Pub. L. 103-322, title VI, §60003(a)(13), Sept. 13, 1994, 108 Stat. 1970; Pub. L. 107-273, div. B, title IV, §4002(a)(4), (b) (7), Nov. 2, 2002, 116 Stat. 1806, 1808; Pub. L. 110-151, §2, Dec. 21, 2007, 121 Stat. 1821; Pub. L. 111-122, §3(a), Dec. 22, 2009, 123 Stat. 3481.

EDITORIAL NOTES

AMENDMENTS2009-Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 111-122, §3(a)(1), struck out ", in a circumstance described in subsection (d)" before "and with the specific" in introductory provisions and "or attempts to do so," before "shall be punished" in concluding provisions.Subsec. (c). Pub. L. 111-122, §3(a)(2), struck out "in a circumstance described in subsection (d)" before "directly".Subsecs. (d) to (f). Pub. L. 111-122, §3(a)(3), (4), added subsecs. (d) to (f) and struck out former subsecs. (d) and (e) which related to the required circumstance for offenses referred to in subsecs. (a) and (c) and nonapplicability of certain limitations, respectively. 2007-Subsec. (d). Pub. L. 110-151 added subsec. (d) and struck out former subsec. (d). Text of former subsec. (d) read as follows: "The circumstance referred to in subsections (a) and (c) is that- "(1) the offense is committed within the United States; or "(2) the alleged offender is a national of the United States (as defined in section 101 of the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1101))."2002-Subsec. (b)(1). Pub. L. 107-273, §4002(b)(7), substituted "subsection (a)(1)," for "subsection (a)(1),,". Pub. L. 107-273, §4002(a)(4), made technical correction to directory language of Pub. L. 103-322. See 1994 Amendment note below.1994-Subsec. (b)(1). Pub. L. 103-322 as amended by Pub. L. 107-273, §4002(a)(4), substituted ", where death results, by death or imprisonment for life and a fine of not more than $1,000,000, or both;" for "a fine of not more than $1,000,000 and imprisonment for life,".

STATUTORY NOTES AND RELATED SUBSIDIARIES

EFFECTIVE DATE OF 2002 AMENDMENT Pub. L. 107-273, div. B, title IV, §4002(a)(4), Nov. 2, 2002, 116 Stat. 1806, provided that the amendment made by section 4002(a)(4) is effective Sept. 13, 1994.

SHORT TITLE Pub. L. 100-606, §1, Nov. 4, 1988, 102 Stat. 3045, provided that: "This Act [enacting this chapter] may be cited as the 'Genocide Convention Implementation Act of 1987 (the Proxmire Act)'."

children: the term "children" means the plural and means individuals who have not attained the age of eighteen years;
incites: the term "incites" means urges another to engage imminently in conduct in circumstances under which there is a substantial likelihood of imminently causing such conduct;
members: the term "members" means the plural;
religious group: the term "religious group" means a set of individuals whose identity as such is distinctive in terms of common religious creed, beliefs, doctrines, practices, or rituals; and
substantial part: the term "substantial part" means a part of a group of such numerical significance that the destruction or loss of that part would cause the destruction of the group as a viable entity within the nation of which such group is a part.