Legal Definitions - collective punishment

Definition: Collective punishment is a penalty that is imposed on a group of people without considering individual responsibility for the actions that led to the punishment. This type of punishment is considered unfair and is prohibited by the Geneva Convention since 1949.

Example: During a protest, a few individuals in the crowd start throwing stones at the police. Instead of identifying and punishing those individuals, the police decide to use tear gas on the entire crowd, including peaceful protesters. This is an example of collective punishment.

Explanation: In this example, the police punished the entire crowd for the actions of a few individuals. The peaceful protesters who did not engage in any violent behavior were also affected by the tear gas, which is unfair and unjust. Collective punishment violates the principle of individual responsibility and can lead to resentment and further conflict.