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| Abbreviation | LIGP |
|---|---|
| Type | Nonprofit |
| Headquarters | United States |
| Website | www |
TheLemkin Institute for Genocide Prevention (LIGP), or simplyLemkin Institute, is a multinationalnon-governmental organization based in theUnited States. It describes its mission as being to "[connect] the global grassroots with the tools ofgenocide prevention".[1] Since 2024, it is a member of Global Action Against Mass Atrocity Crimes (GAAMAC), a network of States, civil society organizations, and academic institutions seeking to prevent atrocities.[2]
In 2017Elisa von Joeden-Forgey andIrene Victoria Massimino foundedThe Iraq Project for Genocide Prevention and Accountability to address grassroots desire for ending cycles of violence and promoting lasting peace inIraq following theISIS genocide of the Yazidi. They wrote:
We noticed during several trips to northern Iraq in 2016 and 2017 that very little of the work that goes on at high levels of governments, in international organizations, and among large civil society groups ever reaches people facing genocide and mass atrocity, although they are the people for whom all this work is supposed to be done.[3]
The project leaders argued in the following years that global prevention protocols remained insufficient. In August 2021, they developed their project into the Lemkin Institute for Genocide Prevention, naming it afterRaphael Lemkin (1900–1959), aPolish-Jewish lawyer andHolocaust survivor who coined the termgenocide. Originally registered as a nonprofit corporation inPennsylvania, it obtained federaltax-exempt status in September 2023.[4] In November 2024, Massimino stated that she left the Lemkin Institute.[4]
The Lemkin Institute aims to identify genocide as a process that can be categorized into ten patterns, rather than as a single event. This framework makes its definition broader than the one found the1948 Genocide Convention.[5] An eight-step approach to analysis aims to identify genocide in its early stages. The institute defines eleven principles for genocide prevention.[6] The institute considers that genocide can happen to groups everywhere and that it is everyone's responsibility to work to resist it.[7]
The Lemkin Institute works to advance its ideas of genocide prevention through its publication of Red Flag Warnings for Genocide, Active Genocide Alerts, and Statements, as well as communications with governments and international organizations, as well as through trainings.
In 2021, the Lemkin Institute began warning of the "potential for genocidal violence" againstArmenians, particularly those inArtsakh, fromAzerbaijan. AfterBBC'sHARDtalk,Stephen Sackur suggested in an interview with Artsakh State Minister Ruben Vardanyan that Nagorno-Karabakh should work out a political deal with Azerbaijan, the Institute issued a statement criticizing the anchor.[8] It published repeatedly about "the genocidal processes" unfolding in Nagorno-Karabakh as Azerbaijani forces blockaded theLachin Corridor, which the co-founders witnessed first hand during a visit to the region on May 7, 2023.[9][10]
In September 2023, it issued an SOS Alert following Azerbaijan's initiation of its significant military assault on Nagorno-Karabakh saying Armenians there are "currently being attacked by the genocidal regime of Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev" and that various legal experts agreed Azeri actions constituted genocide.[11]
Additionally, it issued an Active Genocide alert and 9 Red Flag alerts on Azerbaijan, warning "the risk of genocide" of Armenians in Artsakh, calling for Azerbaijan's accountability for their crimes against humanity.[12][13]
It published a 126-page report on the risk of genocide by Azerbaijan in Artsakh, using the UN Framework of Analysis for Atrocity Crimes.[14][15] This report also issued a warning regarding the subsequent occurrences such as the forced displacement of Armenians from Artsakh.[16]
In 2022, the Lemkin Institute issued a plea advocating for the acknowledgment of theBangladesh Genocide. Emphasizing solidarity with the victims, the document highlighted the significance of recognizing genocide as a crucial step in preventing such atrocities. It stressed the importance of acknowledging the victims, their suffering, and promoting accountability and justice.[17] According to theHuman Rights Congress for Bangladesh Minorities, the Lemkin Institute called on theUS Congress to officially acknowledge the 1971 Bangladesh genocide and ensure that those responsible for the atrocities are held accountable.[18][unreliable source?]
In early October of 2023, the Lemkin Institute began warning of the potential for genocidal violence byIsrael after the beginning of theGaza war, releasing a statement that identified and condemned atrocities by bothHamas and Israel.[19] On October 27, the Lemkin Institute stated that "[Israel and the US] are committinggenocide in Gaza only weeks after enabling genocide on another besieged people" (referring to the Armenians of Artsakh).[20] The institute has also criticizedwestern media coverage of the war for "avoiding historical context", "shifting responsibility away" from the state of Israel, and "ensuring the public will remain ignorant" of the relevantinternational law.[21]
The Lemkin Institute expressed support for theGlobal Sumud Flotilla.[22]
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On 21 January 2025, following thesecond inauguration of Donald Trump, the Lemkin Institute issued a Red Flag Alert for Genocide in relation to theElon Musk gesture controversy. The institute stated that it "strongly believe[d]" that the gesture was an intentionalNazi salute and that "leaders, and people in positions of great power, like Elon Musk, [should absolutely be taken] at their word when they signal allegiance with hate groups through signals or through speech".[23] The institute issued two Red Flag Alerts in response toTrump's actions during his second presidency. One was published on 28 February 2025 when Trump passed executive orders that put transgender individuals at risk.[24][25] After a 4 March 2025 speech by Trump describing immigrants as "monsters", "savages", and "terrorists", a Red Alert was issued on 13 March.[26][27][28]
The Lemkin Institute has describedgender critical feminism as "genocidal ideology that seeks the complete eradication of trans identity from around the world".[29] In a statement on the issue, the Lemkin Institute argued that rhetoric from anti-trans activists depicting trans women as dangerous were not based on fact, but instead as essential to manufacturing consent for anti-trans violence.[30]
In 2022, the Lemkin Institute declared anti-trans legislation in the United States as genocidal.[31] In June 2025, the Lemkin Institute issued a statement ontransgender andintersex rights in theUnited Kingdom (UK), stating that the actions of UK state institutions, including theEHRC's guidance and the actions of theUK Supreme Court constitute part of a "broader process of erasure". According to the institute, "All the actions described [in its report] fit neatly into the 9th Pattern of Genocide: 'Denial and/or Prevention of Identity.'"[32][33]
In November 2024, Joseph Lemkin, a US lawyer who is Raphael Lemkin's relative stated toAlgemeiner Journal that he objected to the Lemkin Institute's use of the Lemkin name and its use of the wordgenocide for the Gaza genocide.[4] In September 2025, Joseph Lemkin toldThe Algemeiner that his family, with the support of the European Jewish Association (EJA), was considering legal action against the Lemkin Institute over use of Lemkin's name. The family had previously requested a name change through formal letters and is awaiting a response. The EJA also contacted Pennsylvania GovernorJosh Shapiro and the state’s Bureau of Corporations and Charitable Organizations regarding the matter. According to Lemkin, if no action is taken and state officials do not intervene, the case will be brought before a court.[34]