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Article . 2026
License: CC BY
Data sources: Datacite
ZENODO
Article . 2026
License: CC BY
Data sources: Datacite
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Empire Without Accountability: Why Colonial Atrocities Still Go Unpunished

Authors: Samreen Imtiaz;

Empire Without Accountability: Why Colonial Atrocities Still Go Unpunished

Abstract

This article examines the persistent lack of accountability for colonial-era atrocities, arguing that such impunity is not a historical oversight but a product of deliberate legal and political design. Using India's colonial experience such as the Jallianwala Bagh massacre, the Sedition Law, and the Criminal Tribes Act as a central case, it explores how colonial violence was legalised, shielded, and often celebrated. The analysis extends globally to the Mau Mau rebellion in Kenya and the Herero-Nama genocide in Namibia, highlighting how international law has historically excluded colonial crimes through mechanisms like the war-nexus limitation and state immunity. The article concludes by advocating for structural reforms, including repeal of colonial laws, reparative justice, and legal recognition of colonial atrocities, as essential steps toward a more equitable global legal order.

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selected citations
These citations are derived from selected sources.
This is an alternative to the "Influence" indicator, which also reflects the overall/total impact of an article in the research community at large, based on the underlying citation network (diachronically).
BIP!Citations provided by BIP!
popularity
This indicator reflects the "current" impact/attention (the "hype") of an article in the research community at large, based on the underlying citation network.
BIP!Popularity provided by BIP!
influence
This indicator reflects the overall/total impact of an article in the research community at large, based on the underlying citation network (diachronically).
BIP!Influence provided by BIP!
impulse
This indicator reflects the initial momentum of an article directly after its publication, based on the underlying citation network.
BIP!Impulse provided by BIP!
0
Average
Average
Average
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