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There are two parts of the laws of war (or Law of Armed Conflict (LOAC)): Law concerning acceptable practices while engaged in war, like the Geneva Conventions, is called jus in bello; while law concerning allowable justifications for armed force is called jus ad bellum.-1... Original document. ... Jus ad bellum (Latin for Justice of War; see also Just War Theory) are a set of criteria that are consulted before engaging in war, in order to determine whether entering into war is justifiable. ...

Sources of the laws of war

Positive international humanitarian law consists of international agreements which directly affect the laws of war, foremost the United Nations Charter, the Geneva Conventions and The Hague conventions, bind consenting nations and have achieved widespread consent. There are also customary laws of war, many of which were explored at the Nuremberg War Trials. These laws define both the permissive rights of states as well as prohibitions on their conduct when dealing with irregular forces and non-signatories. International humanitarian law (IHL), also known as the law of war, the laws and customs of war or the law of armed conflict, is the legal corpus comprised of the Geneva Conventions and the Hague Conventions, as well as subsequent treaties, case law, and customary international law. ... This article or section does not cite any references or sources. ... Original document. ... The longtime status of Netherlands as a largely neutral nation in international conflicts and the corresponding ascendance of The Hague as a primary location for diplomatic and international conferences has led to several negotiated conventions over the years being termed the Hague Convention: The Hague Conventions of 1899 and 1907... The Nuremberg Trials is the general name for two sets of trials of Nazis involved in World War II and the Holocaust. ... Irregular soldiers in Beauharnois, Quebec, 19th century. ...

In addition, the Nuremberg War Trial judgment on "The Law Relating to War Crimes and Crimes Against Humanity"^[1] held, under the guidelines Nuremberg Principles, that treaties like The Hague Convention of 1907, having been widely accepted by "all civilised nations" for about half a century, were by then part of the customary laws of war and binding on all parties whether the party was a signatory to the specific treaty or not. The Nuremberg Principles were a set of guidelines for determining what constitues a war crime. ... The Hague Conventions were international treaties negotiated at the First and Second Peace Conferences at The Hague, Netherlands in 1899 and 1907, respectively, and were, along with the Geneva Conventions, among the first formal statements of the laws of war and war crimes in the nascent body of secular international...

Interpretations of international humanitarian law change over time and this also affects the laws of war. For example Carla Del Ponte, the chief prosecutor for the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia pointed out in 2001 that although there is no specific treaty ban on the use of depleted uranium projectiles, there is a developing scientific debate and concern expressed regarding the impact of the use of such projectiles and it is possible that, in future, there will be a consensus view in international legal circles that use of such projectiles violate general principles of the law applicable to use of weapons in armed conflict.^[2] This is because in future it may be the consensus view that depleted uranium projectiles breaches one or more of the following treaties: The Universal Declaration of Human Rights; the Charter of the United Nations; the Genocide Convention; the United Nations Convention Against Torture; the Geneva Conventions including Protocol I; the Convention on Conventional Weapons of 1980; the Chemical Weapons Convention; and the Convention on the Physical Protection of Nuclear Material.^[3] Procureur (Prosecutor) of the ICTY Carla del Ponte Carla Del Ponte (born February 9, 1947 in Lugano, Switzerland) is currently a Chief UN War Crimes Prosecutor. ... The Tribunal building in The Hague. ... Depleted uranium storage yard. ... The Universal Declaration of Human Rights (also UDHR) is a declaration adopted by the United Nations General Assembly (A/RES/217, December 10, 1948), outlining basic human rights. ... The United Nations Charter is the constitution of the United Nations. ... The Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide was adopted by the UN General Assembly in December 1948 and came into effect in January 1951. ... CAT states: members in green, non-members in grey The United Nations Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (UNCAT) is an international human rights instrument, organized by the United Nations and intended to prevent torture and other similar activities. ... Original document. ... Protocol I: Additional to the Geneva Conventions of 12 August 1949, and relating to the Protection of Victims of International Armed Conflicts. ... The United Nations Convention on Conventional Weapons (CCW), concluded at Geneva on October 10, 1980, seeks to prohibit or restrict the use of certain conventional weapons which are considered excessively injurious or that have indiscriminate effects. ... Chemical Weapons Convention Opened for signature January 13, 1993 in Paris Entered into force April 29, 1997 Conditions for entry into force Ratification by 50 states and the convening of a Preparatory Commission Parties 181 (as of Oct. ...

Purposes of the laws

It has often been commented that creating laws for something as inherently crimeful and lawless as war seems like a lesson in absurdity. However, based on the adherence to what amounted to customary international law by warring parties through the ages, it was felt that codifying laws of war would be beneficial.

Some of the central principles underlying laws of war are:

• Wars should be limited to achieving the political goals that started the war (e.g., territorial control) and should not include unnecessary destruction
• Wars should be brought to an end as quickly as possible
• People and property that do not contribute to the war effort should be protected against unnecessary destruction and hardship

To this end, laws of war are intended to mitigate the evils of war by: For other uses, see Evil (disambiguation). ...

• Protecting both combatants and noncombatants from unnecessary suffering;
• Safeguarding certain fundamental human rights of persons who fall into the hands of the enemy, particularly prisoners of war, the wounded and sick, and civilians; and
• Facilitating the restoration of peace.

A combatant is a person who takes a direct part in the hostilities of an armed conflict who upon capture qualifies for prisoner of war under the Third Geneva Convention (GCIII). ... Non-combatant is a military and legal term describing civilians not engaged in combat. ... Human rights are rights which some hold to be inalienable and belonging to all humans. ... Geneva Convention definition A prisoner of war (POW) is a soldier, sailor, airman, or marine who is imprisoned by an enemy power during or immediately after an armed conflict. ... A civilian is a person who is not a member of a military. ... Gari Melchers, Mural of Peace, 1896. ...

Conduct of warfare

Among other issues, the laws of war address declaration of war, acceptance of surrender and the treatment of prisoners of war; military necessity along with distinction and proportionality; and the prohibition of certain inhumane weapons which cause unnecessary suffering. President Franklin D. Roosevelt signs a declaration of war against the Empire of Japan on December 8, 1941, one day after the attack on Pearl Harbor. ... Balian of Ibelin surrendering the city of Jerusalem to Saladin, from Les Passages faits Outremer par les Français contre les Turcs et autres Sarrasins et Maures outremarins, ca. ... Geneva Convention definition A prisoner of war (POW) is a soldier, sailor, airman, or marine who is imprisoned by an enemy power during or immediately after an armed conflict. ... Military necessity along with distinction, and proportionality are three important principles of international humanitarian law governing the legal use of force in an armed conflict. ... A weapon is a tool used to kill or incapacitate a person or animal, or destroy a military target. ...

It is a violation of the laws of war to engage in combat without meeting certain requirements, among them the wearing of a distinctive uniform or other distinctive signs visible at a distance, and the carrying of weapons openly. Impersonating soldiers of the other side by wearing the enemy's uniform is allowed, though fighting in that uniform, like fighting under a white flag, is perfidy which is forbidden, as is the taking of hostages. For other uses, see Uniform (disambiguation). ... German troops after surrendering to the U.S. Third Army carry the white flag (WW2 photo). ... This article belongs in one or more categories. ... For other uses, see Hostage (disambiguation). ...

Land warfare

The Law of Land Warfare is that part of the Laws of War applicable to the conduct of warfare on land (territory) and to relationships between belligerents and neutral states. This article, derived from public domain government sources, generally describes the law as internationally understood. The conduct of armed hostilities on land is regulated by the law of land warfare which is both written and unwritten.-1... A belligerent is an individual, group, country or other entity which acts in an aggressive or hostile manner, such as engaging in combat. ... A neutral country takes no side in a war between other parties, and in return hopes to avoid being attacked by either of them. ... For other uses, see Law (disambiguation). ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ...

Prohibitory effect

The law of war places limits on the exercise of a belligerent’s power mentioned under Purposes and requires that belligerents refrain from employing any kind or degree of violence which is not actually necessary for military purposes and that they conduct hostilities with regard for the principles of humanity and chivalry. For other uses, see Violence (disambiguation). ... Compassion is best described as an understanding of the emotional state of another; not to be confused with empathy. ... For other uses, see Chivalry (disambiguation). ...

Binding on States and Individuals

The law of war is binding not only upon States as such but also upon individuals and, in particular, the members of their armed forces. Alternate cover US 1979 and 2002 reissue cover, also known as paint spatter cover For the military meaning, see Armed forces. ...

Sources of the law

See also: Sources of international law

The law of war is derived from two principal sources: Sources of international law are the materials and processes out of which the rules and principles regulating the international community are developed. ...

• Lawmaking Treaties (or Conventions), such as the Hague and Geneva Conventions.
• Custom. Not all the law of war derives from or has been incorporated in such treaties, which can refer to the continuing importance of customary law. (see Martens Clause). Such customary international law is established by the general practice of nations together with their acceptance that such practice is required by law.

The first two pages of the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk, in (left to right) German, Hungarian, Bulgarian, Ottoman Turkish and Russian A treaty is an agreement under international law entered into by actors in international law, namely states and international organizations. ... The first two pages of the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk, in (left to right) German, Hungarian, Bulgarian, Ottoman Turkish and Russian A treaty is an agreement under international law entered into by actors in international law, namely states and international organizations. ... The longtime status of Netherlands as a largely neutral nation in international conflicts and the corresponding ascendance of The Hague as a primary location for diplomatic and international conferences has led to several negotiated conventions over the years being termed the Hague Convention: The Hague Conventions of 1899 and 1907... The Geneva Conventions consist of treaties formulated in Geneva, Switzerland that set the standards for international law for humanitarian concerns. ... The Martens Clause was introduced into the preamble to the 1899 Hague Convention II – Laws and Customs of War on Land[1]. The clause took its name from a declaration read by Fyodor Fyodorovich Martens,[2] the Russian delegate at the Hague Peace Conferences 1899 and was based upon his... Customary international law Unwritten law applied to the behaviour of nations. ... Opinio juris sive necessitatis or Opinio juris is the belief that a behavior was done because it was a legal obligation. ...

Declaration of war

Some treaties, notably the UN charter (1945) Article 2, and some other articles in the charter, seek to curtail the right of member states to declare war; as does the older Kellogg-Briand Pact of 1928 for those nations who ratified it. The Kellogg-Briand Pact was used against those charged at the Nuremberg War Trials in Germany post-WW2 for waging an aggressive war. President Calvin Coolidge, Herbert Hoover, and Frank B. Kellogg, standing, with representatives of the governments who have ratified the Treaty for Renunciation of War (Kellogg-Briand Pact), in the East Room of the White House. ...

Violations and applicability

Parties are bound by the laws of war to the extent that such compliance does not interfere with achieving legitimate military goals. For example, they are obliged to make every effort to avoid damaging people and property not involved in combat, but they are not guilty of a war crime if a bomb mistakenly hits a residential area.

By the same token, combatants that use protected people or property as shields or camouflage are guilty of violations of laws of war and are responsible for damage to those that should be protected.^{[citation needed]}

Prohibitory effects

Well-known examples of such laws include the prohibition on attacking doctors or ambulances displaying a Red Cross, a Red Crescent or other emblem related to the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement (this sometimes leads to confusion when the British military is involved, where certain regiments use the English flag, which is also a red cross).^{[citation needed]} It is also prohibited to fire at a person or vehicle bearing a white flag, since that indicates an intent to surrender or a desire to communicate. In either case, the persons protected by the Red Cross or white flag are expected to maintain neutrality, and may not engage in warlike acts; in fact, engaging in war activities under a white flag or red cross is itself a violation of the laws of war known as perfidy. For other uses, see Ambulance (disambiguation). ... Red Cross redirects here. ... Red Cross redirects here. ... Red Cross redirects here. ... German troops after surrendering to the U.S. Third Army carry the white flag (WW2 photo). ... This article belongs in one or more categories. ...

Remedies for violations

During conflict, punishment for violating the laws of war may consist of a specific, deliberate and limited violation of the laws of war in reprisal. Look up Punishment in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... In warfare, a reprisal is a limited and deliberate violation of the laws of war to punish an enemy for breaking the laws of war. ...

Soldiers who break specific provisions of the laws of war lose the protections and status afforded as prisoners of war but only after facing a "competent tribunal" (GC III Art 5). At that point they become an unlawful combatant but they must still be "treated with humanity and, in case of trial, shall not be deprived of the rights of fair and regular trial", because they are still covered by GC IV Art 5. For example in 1976 foreign soldiers fighting for FNLA were captured by the MPLA in the civil war that broke out when Angola gained independence from Portugal in 1975. After "a regularly constituted court" found them guilty of being mercenaries, three Britons and an American were shot by a firing squad on July 10, 1976. Nine others were imprisoned for terms of 16 to 30 years. This article is about a military rank. ... Geneva Convention definition A prisoner of war (POW) is a soldier, sailor, airman, or marine who is imprisoned by an enemy power during or immediately after an armed conflict. ... Wikisource has original text related to this article: Third Geneva Convention The Third Geneva Convention (or GCIII) of 1949, one of the Geneva Conventions, is a treaty agreement that primarily concerns the treatment of prisoners of war (POWs), and also touched on other topics. ... The term unlawful combatant (also unlawful enemy combatant or unprivileged combatant/belligerent) denotes a person denied the privileges of prisoner of war (POW) designation, in accordance with the Geneva Conventions; one to whom protection is recognised as due is a lawful or privileged combatant. ... Wikisource has original text related to this article: Fourth Geneva Convention The Fourth Geneva Convention (or GCIV) relates to the protection of civilians during times of war in the hands of an enemy and under any occupation by a foreign power. ... Year 1976 (MCMLXXVI) was a leap year starting on Thursday (link will display full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... External links Party website Categories: Politics stubs | Angolan political parties ... The MPLA flag The Popular Movement for the Liberation of Angola (Movimiento Popular de Libertação de Angola) is an Angolan political party that has ruled the country since independence in 1975. ... Year 1975 (MCMLXXV) was a common year starting on Wednesday (link will display full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... For other uses, see Mercenary (disambiguation). ... Execution by firing squad is a method of capital punishment, especially in times of war. ... is the 191st day of the year (192nd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1976 (MCMLXXVI) was a leap year starting on Thursday (link will display full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ...

Spies and terrorists may be subject to civilian law or military tribunal for their acts and in practice have been subjected to torture and/or execution. The laws of war neither approve nor condemn such acts, which fall outside their scope. However, nations that have signed the UN Convention Against Torture have committed themselves not to use torture on anyone for any reason. Citizens and soldiers of nations which have not signed the Fourth Geneva Convention are also not protected by it (Article 4: "Nationals of a State which is not bound by the Convention are not protected by it".), whether they are spies or terrorists. Also, citizens and soldiers of nations which have not signed and do not abide by the Third and Fourth Geneva Conventions are not protected by them. (Article 2, of both Conventions: "[The High Contracting Parties] shall furthermore be bound by the Convention in relation to [a Power which is not a contracting party], if the latter accepts and applies the provisions thereof". note: emphasis added) Spy and Secret agent redirect here. ... Terrorist redirects here. ... For other uses, see Torture (disambiguation). ... The United Nations Convention Against Torture is an international human rights instrument, organized by the United Nations and intended to prevent torture and other similar activities. ...

If someone is (or is suspected to be) a citizen or soldier of a nation which has signed or abides by the Fourth Geneva Convention (see Art. 2 and Art. 4 citations above), or is (or is suspected to be) a "prisoner of war" (POW) per the definitions of such "protected persons" in the Third Geneva Convention (see Art. 4 and Art. 5), the following applies: A POW who breaks specific provisions of the laws of war may be penalized, but not penalized worse than the tribunal would penalize its own soldiers for the same offense (and usually a disciplinary, not judicial, punishment if its own soldiers normally wouldn't be brought to trial for a particular offense) and POW's may not be penalized based on rank or gender, nor with corporal punishment, collective punishments for individual acts, lack of daylight, or torture/cruelty (GC IV, Art. 82 through Art. 88). Geneva Convention definition A prisoner of war (POW) is a soldier, sailor, airman, or marine who is imprisoned by an enemy power during or immediately after an armed conflict. ...

After a conflict has ended, persons who have committed or ordered any breach of the laws of war, especially atrocities, may be held individually accountable for war crimes through process of law. Also, nations which signed the Geneva Conventions are required to search for, then try and punish, anyone who has committed or ordered certain "grave breaches" of the laws of war. (see GC III, Art. 129 and Art. 130) An atrocity (from the Latin atrox, atrocious, from Latin ater = matte black (as distinct from niger = shiny black)) is a term used to describe crimes ranging from an act committed against a single person to one committed against a population or ethnic group. ... In the context of war, a war crime is a punishable offense under International Law, for violations of the laws of war by any person or persons, military or civilian. ... For other uses, see Law (disambiguation). ...

History has shown that the laws of war are traditionally more strictly applied to those defeated, as the victorious faction are placed in the role of policing themselves. While it can be argued that the victors may be less strict on their own forces, it can also be argued that the signing of the treaties involved in the laws of war implies a good-faith promise to adhere to them equally. As with many facets of war, the aftermath and subsequent legal proceedings depend heavily on circumstance, and are different for each conflict.

There is an emerging trend in the US to hold private corporations civilly liable for aiding and abetting in war crimes, by knowingly providing substantial assistance in the commission of the crimes. Under international law, the mens rea element is knowledge, not intent that the crimes be carried out. This opens the door not only to hold private security contractors liable, but also other kinds of corporations which employ violent mercenary or terrorist groups as private security forces. Although conflict zones often lack functioning legal systems, and government may even have passed laws immunizing private mercenaries from criminal liability, aiding and abetting a war crime can still be the basis for civil liability in a foreign court with jurisdiction over the defendant corporation. The mens rea is the Latin term for guilty mind used in the criminal law. ...

International treaties on the laws of war

see also List of international declarations

List of declarations, conventions, treaties and judgements and on the laws of war:^[4][5][6] This page is an index list of articles describing various international declarations. ...

• 1856 Paris Declaration Respecting Maritime Law abolished privateering
• 1864 First Geneva Convention "for the Amelioration of the Condition of the Wounded and Sick in Armed Forces in the Field"
• 1868 St. Petersburg Declaration Renouncing the Use, in Time of War, of Explosive projectiles Under 400 Grammes Weight
• 1874 Project of an International Declaration concerning the Laws and Customs of War (Brussels Declaration).^[7] Signed in Brussels 27 August. This agreement never entered into force, but formed part of the basis for the codification of the laws of war at the 1899 Hague Peace Conference.^[8][9]
• 1880 Manual of the Laws and Customs of War at Oxford. At its session in Geneva in 1874 the Institute of International Law appointed a committee to study the Brussels Declaration of the same year and to submit to the Institute its opinion and supplementary proposals on the subject. The work of the Institute led to the adoption of the Manual in 1880 and it went on to form part of the basis for the codification of the laws of war at the 1899 Hague Peace Conference.^[9]
• 1899 Hague Conventions consisted of four main sections and three additional declarations (the final main section is for some reason identical to the first additional declaration):
  • I - Pacific Settlement of International Disputes
  • II - Laws and Customs of War on Land
  • III - Adaptation to Maritime Warfare of Principles of Geneva Convention of 1864
  • IV - Prohibiting Launching of Projectiles and Explosives from Balloons
  • Declaration I - On the Launching of Projectiles and Explosives from Balloons
  • Declaration II - On the Use of Projectiles the Object of Which is the Diffusion of Asphyxiating or Deleterious Gases
  • Declaration III - On the Use of Bullets Which Expand or Flatten Easily in the Human Body
• 1907 Hague Conventions had thirteen sections, of which twelve were ratified and entered into force and two declarations
  • I - The Pacific Settlement of International Disputes
  • II - The Limitation of Employment of Force for Recovery of Contract Debts
  • III - The Opening of Hostilities
  • IV - The Laws and Customs of War on Land
  • V - The Rights and Duties of Neutral Powers and Persons in Case of War on Land
  • VI - The Status of Enemy Merchant Ships at the Outbreak of Hostilities
  • VII - The Conversion of Merchant Ships into War-Ships
  • VIII - The Laying of Automatic Submarine Contact Mines
  • IX - Bombardment by Naval Forces in Time of War
  • X - Adaptation to Maritime War of the Principles of the Geneva Convention
  • XI - Certain Restrictions with Regard to the Exercise of the Right of Capture in Naval War
  • XII - The Creation of an International Prize Court [Not Ratified]*
  • XIII - The Rights and Duties of Neutral Powers in Naval War
  • Declaration I - extending Declaration II from the 1899 Conference to other types of aircraft
  • Declaration II - on the obligatory arbitration
• 1909 London Declaration concerning the Laws of Naval War largely reiterated existing law, although it showed greater regard to the rights of neutral entities. Never went into effect.
• 1922 The Washington Naval Treaty, also known as the Five-Power Treaty (6 February)
• 1923 Hague Draft Rules of Aerial Warfare^[10]
• 1925 Geneva protocol for the Prohibition of the Use in War of Asphyxiating, Poisonous or Other Gases, and of Bacteriological Methods of Warfare^[11]
• 1927-1930 Greco-German arbitration tribunal
• 1928 Kellogg-Briand Pact (also known as the Pact of Paris)
• 1928 League of Nations declaration for the "Protection of Civilian Populations Against Bombing From the Air in Case of War"^[12]
• 1928 Amsterdam Draft Convention for the Protection of Civilian Populations Against New Engines of War.^[13]
• 1929 Geneva Convention, Relative to the treatment of prisoners of war
• 1930 Treaty for the Limitation and Reduction of Naval Armament (London Naval Treaty 22 April)
• 1936 Second London Naval Treaty (25 March)
• 1945 United Nations Charter (entered into force on October 24, 1945)
• 1946 Judgment of the International Military Tribunal at Nuremberg
• 1947 Nuremberg Principles. formulated under UN General Assembly Resolution 177 21 November 1947
• 1948 United Nations Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide.
• 1949 Geneva Convention I for the Amelioration of the Condition of the Wounded and Sick in Armed Forces in the Field
• 1949 Geneva Convention II for the Amelioration of the Condition of Wounded, Sick and Shipwrecked Members of Armed Forces at Sea
• 1949 Geneva Convention III Relative to the Treatment of Prisoners of War
• 1949 Geneva Convention IV Relative to the Protection of Civilian Persons in Time of War
• 1954 Hague Convention for the Protection of Cultural Property in the Event of Armed Conflict
• 1971 Zagreb Resolution of the Institute of International Law on Conditions of Application of Humanitarian Rules of Armed Conflict to Hostilities in which the United Nations Forces May be Engaged
• 1977 United Nations Convention on the Prohibition of Military or Any Other Hostile Use of Environmental Modification Techniques
• 1977 Geneva Protocol I Additional to the Geneva Conventions of 12 August 1949, and Relating to the Protection of Victims of International Armed Conflicts
• 1977 Geneva Protocol II Additional to the Geneva Conventions of 12 August 1949, and Relating to the Protection of Victims of Non-International Armed Conflicts
• 1978 Red Cross Fundamental Rules of International Humanitarian Law Applicable in Armed Conflicts
• 1980 United Nations Convention on Prohibitions or Restrictions on the Use of Certain Conventional Weapons Which May be Deemed to be Excessively Injurious or to Have Indiscriminate Effects (CCW)
  • 1980 Protocol I on Non-Detectable Fragments
  • 1980 Protocol II on Prohibitions or Restrictions on the Use of Mines, Booby-Traps and Other Devices
  • 1980 Protocol III on Prohibitions or Restrictions on the Use of Incendiary Weapons
  • 1995 Protocol IV on Blinding Laser Weapons
  • 1996 Amended Protocol II on Prohibitions or Restrictions on the Use of Mines, Booby-Traps and Other Devices
  • Protocol on Explosive Remnants of War (Protocol V to the 1980 Convention), 28 November 2003, entered into force on 12 November 2006^[14]
• 1994 San Remo Manual on International Law Applicable to Armed Conflicts at Sea.^[15]
• 1994 ICRC/UNGA Guidelines for Military Manuals and Instructions on the Protection of the Environment in Time of Armed Conflict^[16]
• 1994 UN Convention on the Safety of United Nations and Associated Personnel^[17]
• 1996 The International Court of Justice advisory opinion on the Legality of the Threat or Use of Nuclear Weapons
• 1997 Convention on the Prohibition of the Use, Stockpiling, Production and Transfer of Anti-Personnel Mines and on their Destruction (Ottawa Treaty)
• 1998 Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court

The Paris Declaration Respecting Maritime Law of 16 April 1856 was issued to abolish privateering. ... This article is about the concept in naval history. ... Wikisource has original text related to this article: First Geneva Convention The First Geneva Convention is one of several Geneva Conventions. ... Upon the invitation of Alexander Gorchakov, for the purpose of considering the existing rules of war, a conference of delegates representing Austria-Hungary, Bavaria, Belgium, Denmark, France, Great Britain, Greece, Italy, the Netherlands, Persia, Portugal, the North German Confederation, Russia, Sweden, Norway, Switzerland, Turkey, and Württemberg met at Saint... is the 239th day of the year (240th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... The Hague Conventions were international treaties negotiated at the First and Second Peace Conferences at The Hague, Netherlands in 1899 and 1907, respectively, and were, along with the Geneva Conventions, among the first formal statements of the laws of war and war crimes in the nascent body of secular international... This article is about the city of Oxford in England. ... The Institut de droit international (Institute of International Law) is an organization devoted to the study and development of international law. ... The London Declaration concerning the Laws of Naval War is an international code of maritime law, especially as it relates to wartime activities, proposed in 1909 at the London Naval Conference by the leading European naval powers, as well as the United States and Japan, after a multinational conference that... The Washington Naval Treaty limited the naval armaments of its five signatories: the United States, the British Empire, the Empire of Japan, the French Third Republic, and Italy. ... is the 37th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... President Calvin Coolidge, Herbert Hoover, and Frank B. Kellogg, standing, with representatives of the governments who have ratified the Treaty for Renunciation of War (Kellogg-Briand Pact), in the East Room of the White House. ... 1939–1941 semi-official emblem Anachronous world map in 1920–1945, showing the League of Nations and the world Capital Not applicable¹ Language(s) English, French and Spanish Political structure International organization Secretary-general  - 1920–1933 Sir James Eric Drummond  - 1933–1940 Joseph Avenol  - 1940–1946 Seán Lester Historical... The Geneva Convention (1929) was signed at Geneva, July 27, 1929. ... The London Naval Treaty was an agreement between the United Kingdom, Japan, France, Italy and the United States, signed on April 22, 1930, which to regulate submarine warfare and limited military shipbuilding. ... is the 112th day of the year (113th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... The Second London Naval Disarmament Conference opened in England on December 9, 1935. ... is the 84th day of the year (85th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... This article or section does not cite any references or sources. ... is the 297th day of the year (298th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... The Süddeutsche Zeitung announces The Verdict in Nuremberg. ... The Nuremberg Principles were a set of guidelines for determining what constitues a war crime. ... UN redirects here. ... The Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide was adopted by the UN General Assembly in December 1948 and came into effect in January 1951. ... Wikisource has original text related to this article: First Geneva Convention The First Geneva Convention is one of several Geneva Conventions. ... Wikisource has original text related to this article: Second Geneva Convention The Second Geneva Convention of 1906, Convention for the Amelioration of the Condition of the Wounded in Armies in the Field (Geneva, 6 July 1906) extended the principles from the First Geneva Convention of 1864 on the treatment of... Wikisource has original text related to this article: Third Geneva Convention The Third Geneva Convention (or GCIII) of 1949, one of the Geneva Conventions, is a treaty agreement that primarily concerns the treatment of prisoners of war (POWs), and also touched on other topics. ... Wikisource has original text related to this article: Fourth Geneva Convention The Fourth Geneva Convention (or GCIV) relates to the protection of civilians during times of war in the hands of an enemy and under any occupation by a foreign power. ... The Hague Convention for the Protection of Cultural Property in the Event of Armed Conflict is an international treaty that was signed at The Hague, Netherlands, on May 14, 1954, and entered into force August 7, 1956. ... note - abbreviated as Environmental Modification opened for signature - December 10, 1976 entered into force - October 5, 1978 objective - to prohibit the military or other hostile use of environmental modification techniques in order to further world peace and trust among nations parties - (66) Afghanistan, Algeria, Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Australia, Austria... Protocol I: Additional to the Geneva Conventions of 12 August 1949, and relating to the Protection of Victims of International Armed Conflicts. ... Protocol II: Additional to the Geneva Conventions of 12 August 1949, and Relating to the Protection of Victims of Non-International Armed Conflicts. ... The United Nations Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons (CCW), concluded at Geneva on October 10, 1980 and entered into force in December 1983, seeks to prohibit or restrict the use of certain conventional weapons which are considered excessively injurious or that have indiscriminate effects. ... is the 316th day of the year (317th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... See also International Commission of Jurists Peace Palace, seat of the ICJ. Org type Principal Organ Acronyms ICJ, CIJ Head President of the ICJ Dame Rosalyn Higgins DBE Status Active Established 1945 Website www. ... An advisory opinion, in civil procedure, is an opinion issued by a court that does not have the effect of resolving a specific legal case, but merely advises on the constitutionality or interpretation of a law. ... The Legality of the Threat or Use of Nuclear Weapons[1] was an advisory opinion handed down by the International Court of Justice (ICJ) on 8 July 1996. ...  State Parties to the Ottawa Treaty The Ottawa Treaty or the Mine Ban Treaty, formally the Convention on the Prohibition of the Use, Stockpiling, Production and Transfer of Anti-Personnel Mines and on their Destruction, bans completely all anti-personnel landmines (AP-mines). ... The Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court (or Rome Statute) is the treaty which established the International Criminal Court (ICC). ... The official logo of the ICC The International Criminal Court (ICC or ICCt)[1] was established in 2002 as a permanent tribunal to prosecute individuals for genocide, crimes against humanity, war crimes, and the crime of aggression, although it cannot currently exercise jurisdiction over the crime of aggression. ...

See also

• Command responsibility
• Debellatio
• International law
• International Humanitarian Law
• Islamic military jurisprudence
• Just war
• Law of land warfare
• Law of occupation
• Lieber Code
• List of military scandals
• Right of conquest
• Total war

Peace Palace in The Hague Command responsibility, sometimes referred to as the Yamashita standard, or the Medina standard is the doctrine of hierarchical accountability in cases of war crimes. ... Debellatio (also debellation) (lat. ... Providing a constitution for public international law, the United Nations was conceived during World War II International law is the term commonly used for referring to the system of implicit and explicit agreements that binds together nation-states in adherence to recognized values and standards, differing from other legal systems... International humanitarian law (IHL), also known as the law of war, the laws and customs of war or the law of armed conflict, is the legal corpus comprised of the Geneva Conventions and the Hague Conventions, as well as subsequent treaties, case law, and customary international law. ... Islamic military jurisprudence consists of the basic religious laws governing warfare and the military conduct of those who participate in it. ... Just War theory is a doctrine of military ethics studied by moral theologians, ethicists and international policy makers which holds that a conflict can and ought to meet the criteria of philosophical, religious or political justice, provided it follows certain conditions. ... The Law of Land Warfare is that part of the Laws of War applicable to the conduct of warfare on land and to relationships between belligerents and neutral States. ... The portions of the law of war which particularly relate to military occupation may be called the law of occupation. ... The Lieber Code of 24th of April, 1863, also known as General Order Number 100 and named after Francis Lieber, was an instruction to the Union Forces of the USA during the Civil War that dictated how soldiers should conduct themselves in war time. ... The right of conquest is the purported right of a conqueror to territory taken by force of arms. ... Total war is a military conflict in which nations mobilize all available resources in order to destroy another nations ability to engage in war. ...

References

• Roberts, Adam and Guelff, Richard (Editors); Documents on the Laws of War; Third Edition; Oxford University press; ISBN 0-19-876390-5
• Texts and commentaries of 1949 Geneva Conventions & Additional Protocols

Further reading

• UN Charter
• A Brief History Of The Laws Of War
• Crimes, Trials and Laws
• The Yearbook of International Humanitarian Law and free access to a Documentation Database of primary source materials.
• Trial of Otto Skorzeny and Others, General Military Government Court of the U.S. Zone of Germany, 18th August to 9th September, 1947
• 1976: Death sentence for mercenaries(source BBC)
• When the Law of War Becomes Over-lawyered, JURIST
• For the Sake of Warriors: Accepting the Limits of the Law of War, JURIST
• Gene Dannen International Law on the Bombing of Civilians
• Nathaniel Burney A Brief Primer on International Law, 2007. With cases and commentary.
• Tarik Kafala What is a war crime? BBC online 31 July 2003
• Andrew Osborn Sharon cannot be tried in Belgium, says court The Guardian 15 February, 2002
• Irfan Khawaja, reviews of Michael Byers, War Law, and David Kennedy, Of War and Law, Democratiya, Autumn 2007.

A jurist is a professional who studies, develops, applies or otherwise deals with the law. ... A jurist is a professional who studies, develops, applies or otherwise deals with the law. ... is the 212th day of the year (213th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... For other uses, see Guardian. ... is the 46th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ...

Footnotes