Overview
Following the matters raised at the 2025 General Assembly (GA) in Athens, the Executive Board (EB) conducted a membership-wide consultation from 30 January to 10 February 2026. The consultation asked members to vote on a set of questions distilled from the GA debate and subsequent member communications, and framed to be consistent with the ESC Constitution and applicable Swiss law.
Voting document
The EB prepared the ESC Voting Document: Questions, Context and Actionable Plans (2025 GA Matters), which sets out the questions, explains the context, and specifies the steps that follow from each voting outcome. The Voting Document is available here: https://esc-eurocrim.org/v2/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/260128_ESC-Voting-document_version-28.01.26_Final.pdf
Participation in the consultation and results
Electorate (eligible voters: n = 2,159)
- Invited to vote: 2,159 members (2025 members, plus 2026 members as of 29 January 2026)
- Opened the voting link: 620
- Submitted ballots (valid votes): 523 (24.2% of invited)
Results (submitted ballots: n = 523)
- Q1a (Statements on conflicts within Europe): Yes 357 / No 150 / Abstain 16
— Yes = 68.26% of submitted ballots (70.4% excluding abstentions)
- Q1b (Statements on conflicts outside Europe): Yes 308 / No 196 / Abstain 19
— Yes = 58.89% of submitted ballots (61.1% excluding abstentions)
- Q1c (Statement on the war in Gaza / Israel–Palestine): Yes 316 / No 188 / Abstain 19
— Yes = 60.42% of submitted ballots (62.7% excluding abstentions)
- Q2 (Affiliation formatting: add geographical location under international law alongside affiliations): Yes 298 / No 184 / Abstain 41
— Yes = 56.98% of submitted ballots (61.8% excluding abstentions)
The results report is available here:
https://esc-eurocrim.org/v2/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/260211_Lime-Survey-Report-on-ESC-Member-Consultation.pdf
Note: The report reflects submitted ballots only (n = 523); it excludes incomplete cases where the link was opened but the ballot was not submitted.
Outcomes of the consultation
Following the outcome of the consultation, the ESC Board has adopted an Affiliation Designation Guide, taking into account the draft guidelines presented to members during the consultation. The Guide applies from Eurocrim 2026 onwards and is available here: https://esc-eurocrim.org/v2/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/260306_Affiliation-Designation-Guide.pdf
In addition, in implementation of the outcome of the consultation, the ESC has issued the following statement.
European Society of Criminology – Statement on the War in Gaza and the Israel/Palestine conflict
(Outcome of the 2025 GA Matters Consultation; adopted by the Executive Board in implementation of the membership consultation outcome) – 6 March 2026
In February 2026, the European Society of Criminology (ESC) conducted a membership consultation following the matters raised at the 2025 General Assembly in Athens. A majority of participating members supported the Executive Board issuing a public statement concerning the war in Gaza and the broader Israel/Palestine conflict (a detailed breakdown of the consultation results is available on the ESC website). The Executive Board therefore issues this statement in implementation of that consultation outcome.
The ESC is a scholarly society and a pluralistic community whose members hold diverse views on the appropriate relationship between scholarship, public statements, and moral or political questions. The outcome of the consultation reflects the decision of the majority of voters, but it does not invalidate or marginalize other perspectives within the Society. The ESC remains committed to ensuring that members across this spectrum feel at home and are able to engage in rigorous, respectful academic exchange.
Condemnation of atrocities and protection of civilians
As criminologists dedicated to the study of crime, its causes, and its harmful consequences, we unequivocally condemn the mass atrocities and large-scale human rights abuses committed against civilians during the war in Gaza since October 2023, including large-scale destruction of civilian infrastructure, devastating loss of life, displacement, deprivation, and long-term trauma.
The scale of destruction and suffering in Gaza has been staggering. Water and sanitation infrastructure and universities have been severely damaged or destroyed (World Bank/Ipsos, 2024; Human Rights Watch, 2025), and the majority of hospitals rendered non-functional (Human Rights Watch, 2025). The civilian population have been subjected to severe restrictions on food, water, fuel, and medical supplies (IPC, 2025). At least 71,803 Palestinians have been reported killed, including at least 21,289 children (UNICEF, 2026) — figures that research has found to be conservative (Jamaluddine et al., 2025; Guillot et al., 2025). Major human rights organizations and UN mechanisms have concluded that war crimes and crimes against humanity have been committed on a mass scale (Human Rights Watch, 2024a; Amnesty International, 2024; UN Commission of Inquiry, 2024). The question of whether these acts amount to genocide against Palestinians under the Genocide Convention is debated in authoritative genocide-studies fora (Moses 2025) where it is argued that the threshold has been met (e.g. Segal, 2025; Shaw, 2025; Verdeja, 2025). Amnesty International (2024) concluded in the affirmative, while Human Rights Watch has documented acts of genocide and mounting evidence of genocidal intent (2024a). The question is also under active legal scrutiny before the International Court of Justice (ICJ, 2024).
Hamas’ 7 October 2023 attack also constituted an atrocity involving the killing and abduction of civilians and other grave abuses, with enduring harm to victims, families, and communities. UN reporting records over 1,200 people were killed and 251 taken hostage (OCHA, 2024; UNSRSG-SVC, 2024 [Patten report]). Major human rights organizations and UN mechanisms have documented these acts as war crimes and crimes against humanity (Human Rights Watch, 2024b; UN Commission of Inquiry, 2024; Amnesty International, 2025).
Accountability and rule of law
The ESC is committed to upholding international law whose logic is clear; atrocity crimes are not justified by atrocity crimes committed by others; civilian protection is not contingent on casualty numbers; and accountability must be pursued regardless of affiliation or status. We support thorough, independent investigations and accountability processes consistent with the rule of law—domestically and internationally—so that those responsible for war crimes and other serious violations are held to account, regardless of affiliation or status. We note ongoing international legal scrutiny and proceedings relevant to these events, and we support lawful processes aimed at preventing further harm and advancing accountability.
Criminology’s contribution
Criminologists have long studied not only crimes, but also their consequences for victims and the social fabric of communities. In Gaza, harms continue even when fighting pauses: through displacement, deprivation, disruption of healthcare and education, and psychological trauma, with particularly severe impacts on children and other vulnerable groups. Profound trauma and loss also affect Israeli victims and their families. Recovery requires not only accountability, but long-term support for victims and the rebuilding of community life and institutions.
Consistent with the ESC’s constitutional mission to foster criminological scholarship and its dissemination, the ESC will encourage rigorous research and debate on these events and their consequences—through conference programming, working groups, and publications in line with our legal framework and commitment to non-discrimination. It will also support the participation of affected scholars and early-career researchers through appropriate mechanisms, including fellowships and dedicated scholarly spaces.
We reaffirm the ESC’s commitment to respectful scholarly exchange, academic freedom, and the equal dignity and safety of all participants in ESC activities.
References
Amnesty International (2024). ‘You Feel Like You Are Subhuman’: Israel’s Genocide Against Palestinians in Gaza. London: Amnesty International (Index: MDE 15/8668/2024). Published 5 December 2024. https://www.amnesty.org/en/documents/mde15/8668/2024/en/.
Amnesty International (2025). Targeting Civilians: Murder, Hostage-Taking and Other Violations by Palestinian Armed Groups in Israel and Gaza. London: Amnesty International (Index: MDE 15/0282/2025). Published 11 December 2025. https://www.amnesty.org/en/documents/mde15/0282/2025/en/.
Guillot, M., Draidi, M., Cetorelli, V., Monteiro Da Silva, J.H.C. and Lubbad, I. (2025). ‘Life expectancy losses in the Gaza Strip during the period October 2023, to September 2024’, The Lancet, 405(10477), pp. 478–485. DOI: 10.1016/S0140-6736(24)02810-1.
Human Rights Watch (2024a). Extermination and Acts of Genocide: Israel Deliberately Depriving Palestinians in Gaza of Water. New York: Human Rights Watch. Published 19 December 2024. https://www.hrw.org/report/2024/12/19/extermination-and-acts-genocide/israel-deliberately-depriving-palestinians-gaza.
Human Rights Watch (2024b). ‘I Can’t Erase All the Blood from My Mind’: Palestinian Armed Groups’ October 7 Assault on Israel. New York: Human Rights Watch. Published 17 July 2024. https://www.hrw.org/report/2024/07/17/i-cant-erase-all-blood-my-mind/palestinian-armed-groups-october-7-assault-israel.
Human Rights Watch (2025). ‘Israel and Palestine’, in World Report 2025. New York: Human Rights Watch. Published 16 January 2025. https://www.hrw.org/world-report/2025/country-chapters/israel-and-palestine.
ICJ (International Court of Justice) (2024). Application of the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide in the Gaza Strip (South Africa v. Israel): Order on Provisional Measures, 26 January 2024. The Hague: International Court of Justice. https://www.icj-cij.org/node/203447.
IPC (Integrated Food Security Phase Classification) (2025). Gaza Strip: IPC Acute Food Insecurity and Acute Malnutrition Special Snapshot, July–September 2025 [Famine Review Committee Report]. Rome: IPC Global Support Unit. Published 22 August 2025. https://www.ipcinfo.org/fileadmin/user_upload/ipcinfo/docs/IPC_Famine_Review_Committee_Report_Gaza_Aug2025.pdf.
Jamaluddine, Z., Abukmail, H., Aly, S., Campbell, O.M.R. and Checchi, F. (2025). ‘Traumatic injury mortality in the Gaza Strip from Oct 7, 2023, to June 30, 2024: a capture–recapture analysis’, The Lancet, 405(10469), pp. 469–477. doi: 10.1016/S0140-6736(24)02678-3.
Moses, A. D. (2025). Introduction: Gaza and the Problems of Genocide Studies. Journal of Genocide Research, 1–14. https://doi.org/10.1080/14623528.2025.2558401
OCHA (United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs) (2024). Humanitarian Situation Update — Gaza Strip. New York/Geneva: OCHA. https://www.ochaopt.org/content/humanitarian-situation-update-353-gaza-strip
Segal, R. (2025). Introduction: Genocide Studies – Coming to Terms with Failure. Journal of Genocide Research, 1–11. https://doi.org/10.1080/14623528.2025.2557712
Shaw, M. (2025). The Genocide that Changed the World. Journal of Genocide Research, 1–15. https://doi.org/10.1080/14623528.2025.2556575.
UN Commission of Inquiry (2024). Report of the Independent International Commission of Inquiry on the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem, and Israel. UN Doc. A/HRC/56/26. Geneva: United Nations Human Rights Council. Published 27 May 2024. https://undocs.org/A/HRC/56/26
UN Commission of Inquiry (2025). Legal Analysis of the Conduct of Israel in Gaza pursuant to the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide. UN Doc. A/HRC/60/CRP.3. Geneva: Independent International Commission of Inquiry on the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem, and Israel, United Nations Human Rights Council. Published 16 September 2025. https://www.ohchr.org/sites/default/files/documents/hrbodies/hrcouncil/sessions-regular/session60/advance-version/a-hrc-60-crp-3.pdf
UNICEF (2026). Gaza Humanitarian Situation Report. New York: UNICEF. Published 5 February 2026. https://www.unicef.org/emergencies/children-gaza-need-lifesaving-support
United Nations Office of the Special Representative of the Secretary-General on Sexual Violence in Conflict (2024). Mission Report: Official Visit of the Office of the SRSG-SVC to Israel and the Occupied West Bank, 29 January–14 February 2024 [Patten Report]. New York: United Nations. Published 4 March 2024. https://www.un.org/sexualviolenceinconflict/mission-report-official-visit-of-the-office-of-the-srsg-svc-to-israel-and-the-occupied-west-bank-29-january-14-february-2024/
Verdeja, E. (2025). The Gaza Genocide in Five Crises. Journal of Genocide Research, 1–23. https://doi.org/10.1080/14623528.2025.2452707.
World Bank / United Nations / European Union (2024). Gaza Strip: Interim Damage Assessment Summary Note. Washington, DC: World Bank. Published 29 March 2024. https://thedocs.worldbank.org/en/doc/14e309cd34e04e40b90eb19afa7b5d15-0280012024/original/Gaza-Interim-Damage-Assessment-032924-Final.pdf
6 March 2026