Problem

Political assassination

Other Names:
Political murder
Political killings
Terrorism targeted against politicians
Nature:

A person may be assassinated for what he represents politically, when a government or any grouping chooses to eliminate its political opponents physically rather than fight them otherwise. Cold-blooded murders may also be committed on members of a group as a solution to delicate political issues. (The same ends may be achieved by character assassination or blackmail).

Incidence:

In 1993 Amnesty International called attention to 800 political killings worldwide. In 1993 it was estimated 16,000 political killings in Colombia since 1980, excluding deaths in guerrilla combat, with 3,080 political murders in 1992 alone. Other estimates put the number at 9,000 political murders from 1990 to 1993. Jamaica saw its most violent campaign year in 1980, when 699 people were killed amidst a flurry of political assassinations.

Broader Problems:
Terrorism
Assassination
Related UN Sustainable Development Goals:
GOAL 16: Peace and Justice Strong Institutions
Problem Type:
E: Emanations of other problems
Date of last update
04.10.2020 – 22:48 CEST