2008 Convention on Cluster Munitions
The Convention on Cluster Munitions is a response to the suffering caused by cluster munitions, which have killed and injured many thousands of civilians in countries where they have been used. In …
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National Committees for the implementation of international humanitarian law
The Geneva Conventions of 1949 and their Additional Protocols of 1977 are the principal treaties governing aid to and protection of the victims of armed conflict. In order to secure the guarantees …
1980 Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons
The 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 applies two general …
Cooperation in extradition and judicial assistance in criminal matters – Factsheet
In order to ensure respect for international humanitarian law (IHL), States must establish mechanisms to punish violations of that law. The repression of violations of IHL often requires the …
ICRC database on national measures implementing international humanitarian law
Fact sheet describing the objective and content of the ICRC database on national measures to implement international humanitarian law. Database -implementation of IHL ADVISORY SERVICE ON IHL ICRC …
1997 Anti-Personnel Mine Ban Convention
The Convention on the Prohibition of the Use, Stockpiling, Production and Transfer of Anti-Personnel Mines and on their Destruction (the Anti-Personnel Mine Ban Convention, or APMBC) is part of the …
General principles of international criminal law – Factsheet
International criminal law is the body of law that prohibits certain categories of conduct deemed to be serious crimes, regulates procedures governing investigation, prosecution and punishment of …
Command responsibility and failure to act – Factsheet
International humanitarian law (IHL) provides a system for repressing serious violations of its rules based on the individual criminal responsibility of those responsible. The violations can also …
Judicial guarantees and safeguards – Factsheet
The repression of war crimes, crimes against humanity and genocide, whatever the nationality of the offender and the place where they are committed, is crucial to ensuring respect for international …
1954 Convention on the protection of cultural property - Factsheet
Military operations have often resulted in the destruction of irreplaceable cultural property, a loss not only to the country of origin but also to the cultural heritage of all people. Recognizing …
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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.