universal jurisdiction

noun

A principle whereby a state claims legal jurisdiction over persons whose alleged crimes were committed outside the boundaries of the prosecuting state, regardless of the accused's nationality, country of residence, or other relationship with the prosecuting country.

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Meanings

noununiversal jurisdiction (uncountable)
  1. uncountableinternational lawA principle whereby a state claims legal jurisdiction over persons whose alleged crimes were committed outside the boundaries of the prosecuting state, regardless of the accused's nationality, country of residence, or other relationship with the prosecuting country.
    1 more example

    "Amnesty International’s legal memorandum, Universal Jurisdiction: the duty of states to enact and implement legislation, documents more than 125 states that have universal jurisdiction over at least one of the crimes. The organization is campaigning for all states to enact universal jurisdiction legislation over all six crimes."https://web.archive.org/web/20091109030738/http://www.amnesty.org/en/international-justice/issues/universal-jurisdiction

Translations

Chinese Mandarin 普遍管轄權 /普遍管辖权
  • 普遍管轄權 /普遍管辖权 (pǔbiàn guǎnxiáquán, pǔpiàn guǎnxiáquán)Translations
French compétence universelle
  • compétence universelleTranslations
German Weltrechtsprinzip, Universalitätsprinzip
  • WeltrechtsprinzipTranslations
  • UniversalitätsprinzipTranslations
Korean 보편관할권
  • 보편관할권 (bopyeon'gwanhalgwon)Translations
Polish zasada jurysdykcji uniwersalnej
  • zasada jurysdykcji uniwersalnejTranslations
Cite this entry
APA

universal jurisdiction. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/universal%20jurisdiction

MLA

“universal jurisdiction.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/universal%20jurisdiction. Accessed November 5, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “universal jurisdiction,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/universal%20jurisdiction.

Source: universal jurisdiction on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.