extrajudicial
Outside legal channels
Extrajudicial describes actions taken outside the normal legal system, bypassing courts and formal judicial processes.
The term most often appears in extrajudicial killings—executions carried out by government forces or agents without trial or legal authority.
It carries connotations of illegitimacy and human rights violations: The report documented extrajudicial detention and torture.
Extralegal enforcement by civilians
- lynch mobCrowd executing without trial
- mob justiceExtralegal punishment by crowds
- revengePunishing a wrongdoer
- retributionPunishment for wrongdoing
self-appointed · posse · kangaroo court · bounty hunter · citizen arrest · frontier justice · rough justice · night rider
Murder of a prominent figure
- executionCompleting a planned task
- murderDeliberate unlawful killing
- death squadParamilitary killers targeting dissidents
- targeted killingDeliberate state lethal force
liquidation · elimination · disappearance · torture · rendition · drone strike · hit · lethal force
Concealed from authorities
- secretConcealed information
- undercoverSecretly engaged in espionage
- black opsUnacknowledged covert activities
- renditionPerformed version of work
disappearance · off-the-books · shadow · unacknowledged · hidden · concealed · backdoor · underground
Legal detention in jail
- internmentWartime civilian imprisonment
- custodyProtective care or control
- confinementState of being restricted
- incarcerationConfinement in jail
holding · captivity · black site · secret prison · gulag · dungeon · indefinite detention · house arrest
Forbidden by statute
- illegitimateNot authorized or recognized
- unconstitutionalViolating fundamental law
- unauthorizedNot officially permitted
- unsanctionedNot officially permitted
unwarranted · illicit · wrongful · unlicensed · prohibited · impermissible · lawless · criminal
Subject to sudden changes
- whimsicalPlayfully fanciful or erratic
- unpredictableCannot be anticipated
- subjectiveBased on personal perspective
- biasedUnfairly favoring one side
discriminatory · partial · prejudiced · unjust · unreasonable · disproportionate · inconsistent · peremptory
Supreme independent authority
- diplomaticTactful and sensitive
- immunityProtected from harm
- territorialDefensive about owned space
- extraterritorialOutside local legal authority
transnational · cross-border · foreign · multinational · overseas · jurisdiction · treaty · convention
vigilantism
Extralegal enforcement by civilians
- lynch mobCrowd executing without trial
- mob justiceExtralegal punishment by crowds
- revengePunishing a wrongdoer
retribution · self-appointed · posse · kangaroo court · bounty hunter · citizen arrest · frontier justice · rough justice · night rider · death squad
assassination
Murder of a prominent figure
- executionCompleting a planned task
- murderDeliberate unlawful killing
- death squadParamilitary killers targeting dissidents
targeted killing · liquidation · elimination · disappearance · torture · rendition · drone strike · hit · lethal force · summary execution
clandestine
Concealed from authorities
- secretConcealed information
- undercoverSecretly engaged in espionage
- black opsUnacknowledged covert activities
rendition · disappearance · off-the-books · shadow · unacknowledged · hidden · concealed · backdoor · underground · classified
imprisonment
Legal detention in jail
- internmentWartime civilian imprisonment
- custodyProtective care or control
- confinementState of being restricted
incarceration · holding · captivity · black site · secret prison · gulag · dungeon · indefinite detention · house arrest · extraordinary rendition
illegal
Forbidden by statute
- illegitimateNot authorized or recognized
- unconstitutionalViolating fundamental law
- unauthorizedNot officially permitted
unsanctioned · unwarranted · illicit · wrongful · unlicensed · prohibited · impermissible · lawless · criminal · outlawed
capricious
Subject to sudden changes
- whimsicalPlayfully fanciful or erratic
- unpredictableCannot be anticipated
- subjectiveBased on personal perspective
biased · discriminatory · partial · prejudiced · unjust · unreasonable · disproportionate · inconsistent · peremptory · despotic
sovereignty
Supreme independent authority
- diplomaticTactful and sensitive
- immunityProtected from harm
- territorialDefensive about owned space
extraterritorial · transnational · cross-border · foreign · multinational · overseas · jurisdiction · treaty · convention · human rights
circumvent
Avoid by going around
avoid · override · shortcut · workaround · end-run · subvert · undermine · flout · disregard · ignore
extrajudicialjudicial
Of courts and judges
court-ordered · legal · lawful · adjudicated · statutory
extrajudicialauthorized
Given official permission
procedural · sanctioned · legitimate · constitutional · due process
- Extrajudicial killingKilling bypassing legal process
prejudice, judicious, judicial, judiciary, adjudicate, adjudication, injudicious, prejudicial, adjudicator