When the state acts as judge, jury, and executioner, it is extrajudicial killing.

Cultures · Published 3 October 2026 Swipe more like this →

In short: Extrajudicial killing occurs when a government authority executes individuals without a lawful judicial proceeding. While legal police self-defense or battlefield combat are excluded, these state-sanctioned deaths often target political opponents, activists, or civilians. From historical bills of attainder to modern drone strikes, the practice remains a global human rights concern.

Extrajudicial killing, or EJK, is defined as a deliberate death not authorized by a court providing standard judicial guarantees. Historically, this took forms like the 1540 legislative bill of attainder used against Thomas Cromwell. In modern contexts, it often involves death squads or state-sanctioned assassinations. Organizations like Amnesty International and the Human Rights Measurement Initiative track these violations, which are reported as common in countries ranging from Burundi and Ethiopia to Brazil and Colombia.

The scale of such violence can be staggering. During Argentina's 'Dirty War' between 1976 and 1983, the military regime is estimated to have killed between 11,000 and 15,000 people. Similarly, in Colombia, an investigation found that 6,402 civilians were killed by the military between 2002 and 2008, falsely labeled as rebels. These actions often target intellectuals, labor leaders, and human rights workers, frequently under the guise of counter-terrorism or national security.

The legal status of targeted killings by unmanned aerial vehicles remains a contentious issue. By 2015, there had been just under 2,500 such assassinations. High-profile cases, such as the 2011 drone strike in Yemen that killed American citizen Anwar al-Awlaki, have sparked intense debate regarding the suspension of legal rights for those deemed threats. Critics argue these operations bypass the judicial process, while proponents often cite national security imperatives, highlighting the ongoing tension between state power and individual human rights.

The practice is not limited to authoritarian regimes. The United States, for instance, scores 4.1 out of 10 on the Human Rights Measurement Initiative's scale for freedom from extrajudicial execution. Whether through historical lynchings in the American South or contemporary drone strikes, the fundamental question remains whether a government can ever possess the moral or legal authority to bypass the court system when deciding who lives and who dies.

General information, not professional advice. Spotted an error? Flag the card or see corrections and complaints.

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