The UN Sub-Commission on Prevention of Discrimination and Protection of Minorities defined the term gross and large-scale violations of human rights as violations committed on the orders of a government, or with its sanction are a grave violation of the principle of respect for human rights and constitute an international crime.

“Such violations shall be deemed to include principally the following:

(a) Murder, including arbitrary execution;

(b) Torture;

(c) Genocide;

(d) Apartheid;

(e) Discrimination on racial, national, ethnic, linguistic or religious grounds;

(f) Establishing or maintaining over persons the status of slavery, servitude or forced labour;

(g) Enforced or involuntary disappearances;

(h) Arbitrary and prolonged detention;

(i) Deportation or forcible transfer of population.”

In 1993, the UN Commission on Human Rights affirmed that “the practice of forced evictions constitutes a gross violation of human rights, in particular the right to adequate housing…” The Commission reaffirmed its recognition of forced eviction as a gros violation in 2004 with its resolution entitled “Prohibition of forced evictions.”

The UN General Assembly defined the entitlements of gross human rights violations and serious humanitarian law breaches, affirming that, “by their very grave nature, [they] constitute an affront to human dignity” and “crimes under international law.” The defining resolution recognizes victims of gross violations as having “suffered harm, including physical or mental injury, emotional suffering, economic loss or substantial impairment of their fundamental rights, through acts or omissions,” for which they are entitled to remedy and reparation.