Impunity

noun (uncountable)

/ɪmˈpjuː.nɪ.ti/

Exemption from punishment or the consequences of an action, particularly where a person or state commits harmful acts without legal accountability. In human rights and accountability discourse, impunity for security-force excesses has been a central criticism of the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act, 1958 (AFSPA), which grants personnel broad operational immunity. The UN Special Rapporteur on extrajudicial killings has repeatedly cited impunity as a structural enabler of custodial deaths.

✍️ Usage in a UPSC answer

Civil society organisations have long argued that AFSPA's broad immunity provisions foster impunity among security forces deployed in conflict zones, undermining the accountability norms that a constitutional democracy demands of its institutions.

Synonyms

exemptionimmunityunaccountabilityindemnitylicencenon-liability

Antonyms

accountabilityliabilityculpabilitypunishmentconsequence

🌱 Word Family

impunity (noun), unpunished (adjective), punish (verb), punishment (noun), punitive (adjective)

🔡 Root

Latin impunitas = freedom from punishment; im- (= in-) = not + poena = penalty, punishment (from Greek poinē)

📜 Etymology

Directly from Latin impunitas, entering English via Middle French impunité around the 16th century. The Latin poena (penalty) is cognate with Greek poinē (blood money, compensation) and English 'pain'. The word formalised the concept of structural non-accountability in both Roman law and early modern diplomatic discourse.

🧠 Memory Hook

IM-PUN-ity: no PUNishment. The Latin poena (pain/penalty) lurks inside 'pun' — the 'im-' prefix negates it. Someone acting with impunity feels no pain from their actions — no penalty, no consequence.

🛡️ Internal Security 📖 Seen in: Internal Security — Threats, Cyber Sec...

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