enemy of the state
{{Short description|Person accused of certain crimes against the state}}
{{about|the political and criminal term}}
{{use dmy dates|date=July 2021}}
An enemy of the state is a person suspected of political crimes against the state, such as treason. In designating certain persons and organizations as enemies of the state, the government can realize the political repression of political opponents, such as dissidents; thus a government can justify political repression as protecting the national security of the country and the nation.{{Citation needed|date=August 2017}}
Examples
=Political=
- In ancient Rome, some parties could be named an enemy of the state through specific public actions resulting in a formally recognized state of war.{{cite book|last=Fasolt|first=Constantin |author-link=Constantin Fasolt|title=The Limits of History|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=LCjERTEZvgIC&pg=PA168|access-date=9 July 2013|year=2004|publisher=University of Chicago Press|isbn=978-0-226-23910-1|page=168}} The Latin term proscription was used for official condemnation of enemies of the state.{{cite book|editor-last=Magill|editor-first=Frank N. |title=The Ancient World: Dictionary of World Biography|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=7NVFUi7G6TEC&pg=PA1209|access-date=9 July 2013|year=2013|volume=1 |publisher=Routledge |isbn=978-1-135-45740-2|page=1209}}
- The term "enemy of the people" in the Soviet Union during the period of Stalinism.
- Communists were considered as enemies of the state in Indonesia since 1965. Displaying communist symbols or attempting to propagate the ideology is considered an act of high treason and terrorism punishable by up to 20 years of imprisonment.[http://www.wirantaprawira.de/law/criminal/security/index.html Undang Undang no.27/1999, laws on Communism and Marxism-Leninism] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161230013634/http://www.wirantaprawira.de/law/criminal/security/index.html |date=30 December 2016 }} (Indonesian)
- Jews, Romani people, Jehovah's Witnesses, homosexuals, disabled, communists, social democrats and trade unionists were considered "enemies of the state" in Nazi Germany.{{cite encyclopedia|url=https://encyclopedia.ushmm.org/content/en/article/enemies-of-the-state|title=Enemies of the State |encyclopedia=Holocaust Encyclopedia|date=16 December 2008|access-date=4 August 2021}}
- Carlos Lamarca, a Brazilian Army Captain who deserted to become the leader of a left-wing guerrilla against the military dictatorship; Lamarca was the only man in the history of Brazil to receive the status of traitor, being considered an "enemy of the state".{{Citation needed|date=November 2013}}
- Leaker of classified U.S. military documents and diplomatic cables Chelsea Manning was charged with "aiding the enemy" (identified as al-Qaeda).{{cite news|last=Dorling |first=Philip |author-link=Philip Dorling|url=http://www.smh.com.au/opinion/political-news/us-calls-assange-enemy-of-state-20120927-26m7s.html |title=US calls Assange 'enemy of state'|work=The Sydney Morning Herald|date=27 September 2012|access-date=29 July 2021}}{{Cite news|last1=Tate|first1=Julie |last2=Londoño|first2=Ernesto| url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/national-security/judge-to-announce-verdict-in-bradley-manning-case-today/2013/07/29/e894a75c-f897-11e2-afc1-c850c6ee5af8_story.html |title=Judge finds Manning not guilty of aiding the enemy, guilty of espionage|newspaper=The Washington Post|date=29 July 2013|access-date=29 July 2021}}
- Edward Snowden, the American computer specialist who leaked details of top-secret United States and British government mass surveillance programs to the press,{{cite news |first1=Barton|last1=Gellman |author-link1=Barton Gellman |first2=Jerry|last2=Markon |author-link2=Jerry Markon |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/edward-snowden-says-motive-behind-leaks-was-to-expose-surveillance-state/2013/06/09/aa3f0804-d13b-11e2-a73e-826d299ff459_story.html?tid=pm_politics_pop |date=9 June 2013 |access-date=10 June 2013 |newspaper=The Washington Post |title=Edward Snowden says motive behind leaks was to expose 'surveillance state'}} has been discussed by opinion writers as being persecuted as an enemy of the state.
- {{cite web|last=Edwards|first=Bea |url=http://www.huffingtonpost.com/bea-edwards/american-whistleblowers-i_b_3690311.html |title=American Whistleblowers in Prison and in Exile|website=The Huffington Post|date=1 August 2013|access-date=29 July 2021}}
- {{cite magazine|last=Vlahos|first=Kelley Beaucar|url=http://www.theamericanconservative.com/articles/the-right-rallies-to-edward-snowden/ |title=The Right Rallies To Edward Snowden |magazine=The American Conservative |date=8 August 2013|access-date=29 July 2021}}
- {{cite news|last=Robinson|first=Eugene |author-link=Eugene Robinson (journalist)|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/eugene-robinson-what-nsa-reforms/2013/08/12/62e04e0c-037f-11e3-9259-e2aafe5a5f84_story.html |title=Eugene Robinson: What NSA reforms? |newspaper=The Washington Post |date=12 August 2013|access-date=29 July 2021}}
- Human rights defenders working on behalf of communities affected by large-scale development projects are increasingly branded as enemies of the state.{{cite news |title=Commentary to the Declaration on the Right and Responsibility of Individuals, Groups and Organs of Society to Promote and Protect Universally Recognized Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms |url= https://www.ohchr.org/sites/default/files/Documents/Issues/Defenders/CommentarytoDeclarationondefendersJuly2011.pdf |date=July 2011 |publisher=Special Rapporteur on human rights defenders|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20160311004844/http://www.ohchr.org/Documents/Issues/Defenders/CommentarytoDeclarationondefendersJuly2011.pdf|archive-date = 2016-03-11}}{{Where|date = July 2023}}
- Clive Palmer, an Australian mining magnate, was labelled as such by Mark McGowan, the Premier of Western Australia, when Palmer sued the Western Australian government for not allowing him free entry into the state during the COVID-19 pandemic lockdowns.{{cite news |last1=Cross|first1=Daile |last2=Hondros|first2=Nathan |title='I think he's the enemy of Australia': McGowan ramps up war of words with Palmer on WA border battle |url= https://www.smh.com.au/national/i-think-he-s-the-enemy-of-australia-mcgowan-ramps-up-war-of-words-with-palmer-on-wa-border-battle-20200731-p55hdj.html |date=31 July 2020 |access-date=12 August 2020|work=The Sydney Morning Herald}}
=Biography=
- Justin Raimondo's biography of Murray Rothbard, An Enemy of the State: The Life of Murray N. Rothbard.{{cite book|last=Raimondo|first=Justin |author-link=Justin Raimondo|title=An Enemy of the State: The Life of Murray N. Rothbard |publisher=Prometheus Books |year=2000 |isbn=1-61592-239-3}}
- Bill Lueders' biography of Erwin Knoll, An Enemy of the State: The Life of Erwin Knoll.{{cite book|last=Lueders|first=Bill |title=An Enemy of the State: The Life of Erwin Knoll |publisher=Common Courage Press |year=1996|isbn=1-56751-098-1}}
=Fictional=
- The fictional character Peter LaNague in the novel An Enemy of the State (The LaNague Federation, Book 1) by F. Paul Wilson.{{cite book|last=Wilson|first=F. Paul |author-link=F. Paul Wilson|title=An Enemy of the State (The LaNague Federation, Book 1) |publisher=Infrapress |year=2005 |isbn=0-9766544-2-3}}
- The fictional character Emmanuel Goldstein in the novel Nineteen Eighty-Four by George Orwell.
- In Resident Evil: Damnation, special agent Leon S. Kennedy is accused of being an enemy of the state by President of the Eastern Slav Republic Svetlana Belikova who orders her guards to kill him right after she briefly spars in one-on-one combat with him.{{cite AV media|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DDbpJN3e9Mo&t=44s|title=Resident Evil: Damnation (2012) - B.O.W. Lab Attack Scene (6/10) |time=0:44|date=7 February 2020 |publisher=Movieclips|via=YouTube|access-date=30 July 2021}}
- The six main characters in Final Fantasy XIII are branded as enemies of the state following the destruction of Cocoon; the main events of the game revolve around them trying to survive and hopefully clear their names.
- Tali'Zorah is accused of treason during her personal quest in Mass Effect 2.
- In the NCIS: New Orleans episode "Breaking Brig," the team hunt down a suspect known as "Matt S. O'Feeney", which was an anagram for eneMy OF State.{{cite web|last=Elizabeth|first=Stormy |url=https://www.celebdirtylaundry.com/2014/ncis-new-orleans-recap-10714-season-1-episode-3-breaking-brigg/|title='NCIS: New Orleans' "Breaking {{sic|Brigg"|nolink=y}} Recap: Season 1 Episode 3|website=Celeb Dirty Laundry|date=8 October 2014|access-date=4 August 2021}} The suspect was a dangerous man wanted by NCIS and Interpol for illegal arms dealing and other criminal activities.
- The protagonists of Avatar: The Last Airbender are declared enemies of the state by Long Feng, Grand Secretariat of the Earth Kingdom's capital city, in the episode "Lake Laogai."