What are extrajudicial executions?
Extrajudicial executions (political killings) are killings by the government or government-backed forces that take place outside of the legal system, without a trial or other legal hearing. They are planned executions carried out with a total lack of regard for due process of law or judicial procedure as protected in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. These killings are often the work of regular military and police functions, special units taht function without normal supervision, and “death squads” that operate while the government looks the other way. This term does not include killings by opposing factions during war.
