Crimes Against Humanity and War Crimes in Slovakia?

Abstract

The negative impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on global society both during the crisis and in its aftermath was tremendous. Governments chose various methods to cope with the deathly virus. While some were highly effective, others were not. In Slovakia, the government conducted mass testing of its population. The mass testing was free of charge performed by the government. The testing, using antigen tests, was conducted four times during weekends in buildings housing hospitals, schools, or administrative offices. Although testing was not explicitly obligatory, certain restrictions were applied to those who did not undergo testing. For instance, it prevented free movement of the untested; they were banned from visiting places that the government deemed not necessary or not of fundamental need, such as workplaces, libraries, banks, car service stations, opticians, dry cleaners, post offices, or the gas station. However, groceries, drug stores, or shops selling essential household products could be visited without a certificate of having tested negative for COVID-19.In April 2021, a group of Slovak citizens, calling themselves ‘Order of the Law Fellowship’, filed a complaint with the International Criminal Court stating that the mentioned mass testing conducted by the government, was allegedly part of an involuntary experiment done on the population of Slovakia. The group claimed that the government must be held responsible for allegedly committing crimes against humanity and war crimes, stipulated in the Rome Statute as core international crimes. This article aims to analyse their claims regarding the charges against the government, keeping in mind the character and severity of the core international crimes.