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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 …

Legal factsheet

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 …

Legal factsheet

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 …

Legal factsheet

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 …

Legal factsheet

Universal jurisdiction over war crimes – Factsheet

Based on the notion that certain crimes are so grave that they affect the international community as a whole, the principle of universal jurisdiction, which entitles a State to prosecute offenders …

Legal factsheet

1993 Chemical Weapons Convention

The Convention on the Prohibition of the Development, Production, Stockpiling and Use of Chemical Weapons and on their Destruction belongs to the category of instruments of international law that …

Legal factsheet

Civil defence in international humanitarian law – Factsheet

Civil defence reflects the desire of those who made international humanitarian law to mitigate the loss, damage and suffering inflicted on civilians as a result of the dramatic development of the …

Legal factsheet

ICRC and IFRC adopt the Climate and Environment Charter for Humanitarian Organizations

The Climate and Environment Charter for Humanitarian Organizations is now opened for signature by all humanitarian organizations, following its adoption by the International Committee of the Red …

Article

Afghanistan: Mohammad Azam - A story of tragedy and hope

Mohammad Azam's childhood was joyful and simple. He lived with his parents, brother and two sisters in Zahir Abad high in the mountains of Faizabad, Badakhshan province. Mohammad and his friends …

Article

Sri Lanka: Taking on life with needle and thread

Armed with a needle and thread, Suntharalingam Saraswathi is ready to take on the world. Not long ago, her world was full of chaos. Life was hard for her family during the 30-year conflict. Her …

Article

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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.