hostis humani generis

== English == === Etymology === Borrowed from Latin hostis hūmānī generis (“enemy of the human race”): hostis (“enemy of the state”) + hūmānī, genitive singular neuter of hūmānus (“of man”) + generis, genitive singular of genus (“race”). === Pronunciation === (Received Pronunciation) IPA(key): /ˈhəʊstɪs ˈhjuːməni ˈd͡ʒɛnəɹɪs/ Hyphenation: hos‧tis hu‧ma‧ni ge‧ne‧ris === Noun === hostis humani generis (plural hostes humani generis) (international law) A person who has committed a criminal act so grave – originally maritime piracy and slave-trading, and now torture as well – that any nation may put on trial and, upon conviction, punish him or her. 1980 June 30, Irving R[obert] Kaufman (Circuit Judge, United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit), Filártiga v. Peña-Irala, Federal Reporter, volume 630, page 890: In the modern age, humanitarian and practical considerations have combined to lead the nations of the world to recognize that respect for fundamental human rights is in their individual and collective interest. Among the rights universally proclaimed by all nations, as we have noted, is the right to be free of physical torture. Indeed, for purposes of civil liability, the torturer has become—like the pirate and slave trader before him—hostis humani generis, an enemy of all mankind. === Further reading === hostis humani generis on Wikipedia.Wikipedia