Genocide and Crimes Against Humanity | Mercenaries

The general definition of mercenaries focuses on the following two elements: the foreign nature of the military service provided and the primarily financial motivation in providing combat service. Mercenarism refers to the hiring of foreign individuals or groups of individuals by a state or entity to serve in a combat role for private gain. In 1987 the United Nations Commission on Human Rights appointed Special Rapporteur Enrique Bernales Ballesteros of Peru to analyze, monitor, and report on all forms of mercenarism. Despite growing condemnation, mercenaries continue to exist in many different forms and are involved in diverse activities.

Historical Overview

Mercenarism dates back to antiquity, a time during which armies were predominantly comprised of foreign professional soldiers seeking personal gain. The first account of mercenarism was recorded by...