The Geneva Conventions of 12 August 1949
The four Geneva Conventions of 12 August 1949 are international treaties, ratified or acceded to by virtually all States. They protect the wounded and sick in armed forces in the field; wounded, sick …
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Arms transfers to parties to armed conflict: what the law says
Today's conflicts are fuelled by a steady supply of arms, ammunition and replacement parts. To prevent the devastating harm that results from the widespread availability and misuse of weapons, …
A Call to Humanity: Reflecting on the 75th Anniversary of the Geneva Conventions
The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC),the Belgian Red Cross andthe Belgian EU Presidency, organised a high-level event to mark the 75th anniversary of the Geneva Conventions. The event …
Torture and ill treatment: The position of the ICRC
Torture and all other forms of cruel, inhuman, degrading or humiliating treatment are banned under international law. The ICRC strives to prevent these practices and put an end to them where they do …
China: Regional seminar held to empower military's operational legal advisors
The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) and the International College of Defense Studies (ICDS) at the National Defense University of the Chinese People's Liberation Army co-hosted the …
“I was afraid to tell anyone” – supporting survivors of sexual violence in the Democratic Republic of Congo
Far from the world’s attention, conflict is again shattering lives in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Alongside the fighting, sexual violence is rife. ‘Listening houses’ run by the Red Cross offer …
Bangladesh: 15th Henry Dunant Memorial Moot Court Competition 2024 — Call for Registration
The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), in partnership with the Independent University, Bangladesh (IUB), will organize the 15th Henry Dunant Memorial Moot Court Competition, Bangladesh …
Humanitarian Visa d’Or: Hugh Kinsella Cunningham wins for documenting the plight of civilians in the DRC
On 18 June 2024, for its 14th edition, the ICRC’s Humanitarian Visa d’Or was awarded to freelance photographer Hugh Kinsella Cunningham for his remarkable reporting on civilians caught up in the …
South Africa: The 6th Commonwealth Conference
Building a culture of IHL compliance in Commonwealth Nations and commemorating the 75th anniversary of the Geneva Conventions A platform for sharing best practices on IHL. From 15–19 April, 2024, …
Afghanistan: Wheelchair basketball empowers people with disability
The vibrant energy of Afghanistan's top six wheelchair basketball teams – Kabul, Mazar, Faizabad, Parwan, Herat, and Jalalabad – gathered for the Afghanistan National Wheelchair Basketball …
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ICRC library
Created in 1863, the ICRC library, alongside the ICRC archives, provides an indispensable documentary reference on the organization itself and international humanitarian law.
IHL treaties
International humanitarian law is based on a number of treaties, in particular the Geneva Conventions of 1949 and their Additional Protocols, and a series of other instruments.
Customary IHL
Customary international humanitarian law consists of rules that come from "a general practice accepted as law" and that exist independent of treaty law.