The characterisation of violations of the rights of victims of nuclear tests

In this article, the author first outlines to which extent nuclear weapon is out law, and that to prepare a crime is to commit it. He also outlines the criminal characteristic of nuclear tests. Then, he discusses various issues to clarify and to characterise the offence: perfectly known nuclear risks, importance of the genetic factor, awareness of genetic risks, defenceless people, risks confirmed from the first experiments, an almost total lack of protection, misleading about radioactive risks, deliberately exposed veterans. The author then highlights various forms of nuclear denial by the State and other institutions, through institutionalised lies, absence of independent epidemiological studies, the justification of defence secrecy, dis-information. The next part discusses opportunities of legal actions for the victims, and those related to international law. In the last part, the author addresses and discusses the application of issues and concepts of crimes against humanity and of genocide to this specific case