Geneva Conventions Act 1957
Punishment of offenders against conventions
1 Grave breaches of scheduled conventions.
1A Trial and punishment of offences under s.1
Provisions as to certain legal proceedings
2 Notice of trial of protected persons to be served on protecting power, etc.
3 Legal representation of certain persons.
4 Appeals by protected persons.
5 Reduction of sentence and custody of protected persons.
Prevention of abuse of Red Cross and other emblems
6 Use of Red Cross and other emblems.
6A Regulations.
General
7 Interpretation.
8 Short title and extent.
SCHEDULES
FIRST SCHEDULE GENEVA CONVENTION FOR THE AMELIORATION OF THE CONDITION OF THE WOUNDED AND SICK IN ARMED FORCES IN THE FIELD
Geneva, 12th August, 1949
CHAPTER I.—GENERAL PROVISIONS
ARTICLE 1
ARTICLE 2
ARTICLE 3
1Persons taking no active part in the hostilities, including members...
2The wounded and sick shall be collected and cared for....
ARTICLE 4
ARTICLE 5
ARTICLE 6
ARTICLE 7
ARTICLE 8
ARTICLE 9
ARTICLE 10
ARTICLE 11
CHAPTER II.—WOUNDED AND SICK
ARTICLE 12
ARTICLE 13
1Members of the armed forces of a Party to the...
2Members of other militias and members of other volunteer corps,...
3Members of regular armed forces who profess allegiance to a...
4Persons who accompany the armed forces without actually being members...
5Members of crews including masters, pilots and apprentices, of the...
6Inhabitants of a non-occupied territory who on the approach of...
ARTICLE 14
ARTICLE 15
ARTICLE 16
ARTICLE 17
ARTICLE 18
CHAPTER III.—MEDICAL UNITS AND ESTABLISHMENTS
ARTICLE 19
ARTICLE 20
ARTICLE 21
ARTICLE 22
1That the personnel of the unit or establishment are armed,...
2That in the absence of armed orderlies, the unit or...
3That small arms and ammunition taken from the wounded and...
4That personnel and material of the veterinary service are found...
5That the humanitarian activities of medical units and establishments or...
ARTICLE 23
CHAPTER IV.—PERSONNEL
ARTICLE 24
ARTICLE 25
ARTICLE 26
ARTICLE 27
ARTICLE 28
ARTICLE 29
ARTICLE 30
ARTICLE 31
ARTICLE 32
CHAPTER V.—BUILDINGS AND MATERIAL
ARTICLE 33
ARTICLE 34
CHAPTER VI.—MEDICAL TRANSPORTS
ARTICLE 35
ARTICLE 36
ARTICLE 37
CHAPTER VII.—THE DISTINCTIVE EMBLEM
ARTICLE 38
ARTICLE 39
ARTICLE 40
ARTICLE 41
ARTICLE 42
ARTICLE 43
ARTICLE 44
CHAPTER VIII.—EXECUTION OF THE CONVENTION
ARTICLE 45
ARTICLE 46
ARTICLE 47
ARTICLE 48
CHAPTER IX.—REPRESSION OF ABUSES AND INFRACTIONS
ARTICLE 49
ARTICLE 50
ARTICLE 51
ARTICLE 52
ARTICLE 53
ARTICLE 54
FINAL PROVISIONS
ARTICLE 55
ARTICLE 56
ARTICLE 57
ARTICLE 58
ARTICLE 59
ARTICLE 60
ARTICLE 61
ARTICLE 62
ARTICLE 63
ARTICLE 64
SECOND SCHEDULE GENEVA CONVENTION FOR THE AMELIORATION OF THE CONDITION OF WOUNDED, SICK AND SHIPWRECKED MEMBERS OF ARMED FORCES AT SEA
Geneva, 12th August, 1949
CHAPTER I.—GENERAL PROVISIONS
ARTICLE 1
ARTICLE 2
ARTICLE 3
1Persons taking no active part in the hostilities, including members...
2The wounded, sick and shipwrecked shall be collected and cared...
ARTICLE 4
ARTICLE 5
ARTICLE 6
ARTICLE 7
ARTICLE 8
ARTICLE 9
ARTICLE 10
ARTICLE 11
CHAPTER II.—WOUNDED, SICK AND SHIPWRECKED
ARTICLE 12
ARTICLE 13
1Members of the armed forces of a Party to the...
2Members of other militias and members of other volunteer corps,...
3Members of regular armed forces who profess allegiance to a...
4Persons who accompany the armed forces without actually being members...
5Members of crews, including masters, pilots and apprentices, of the...
6Inhabitants of a non-occupied territory who, on the approach of...
ARTICLE 14
ARTICLE 15
ARTICLE 16
ARTICLE 17
ARTICLE 18
ARTICLE 19
ARTICLE 20
ARTICLE 21
CHAPTER III.—HOSPITAL SHIPS
ARTICLE 22
ARTICLE 23
ARTICLE 24
ARTICLE 25
ARTICLE 26
ARTICLE 27
ARTICLE 28
ARTICLE 29
ARTICLE 30
ARTICLE 31
ARTICLE 32
ARTICLE 33
ARTICLE 34
ARTICLE 35
1The fact that the crews of ships or sick-bays are...
2The presence on board of apparatus exclusively intended to facilitate...
3The discovery on board hospital ships or in sick-bays of...
4The fact that the humanitarian activities of hospital ships and...
5The transport of equipment and of personnel intended exclusively for...
CHAPTER IV.—PERSONNEL
ARTICLE 36
Article 37
CHAPTER V.—MEDICAL TRANSPORTS
ARTICLE 38
ARTICLE 39
ARTICLE 40
CHAPTER VI.—THE DISTINCTIVE EMBLEM
ARTICLE 41
ARTICLE 42
ARTICLE 43
ARTICLE 44
ARTICLE 45
CHAPTER VII.—EXECUTION OF THE CONVENTION
ARTICLE 46
ARTICLE 47
ARTICLE 48
ARTICLE 49
CHAPTER VIII.—REPRESSION OF ABUSES AND INFRACTIONS
ARTICLE 50
ARTICLE 51
ARTICLE 52
ARTICLE 53
FINAL PROVISIONS
ARTICLE 54
ARTICLE 55
ARTICLE 56
ARTICLE 57
ARTICLE 58
ARTICLE 59
ARTICLE 60
ARTICLE 61
ARTICLE 62
ARTICLE 63
THIRD SCHEDULE GENEVA CONVENTION RELATIVE TO THE TREATMENT OF PRISONERS OF WAR
Geneva, 12th August, 1949
PART I.—GENERAL PROVISIONS
ARTICLE 1
ARTICLE 2
ARTICLE 3
1Persons taking no active part in the hostilities, including members...
2The wounded and sick shall be collected and cared for....
ARTICLE 4
APrisoners of war, in the sense of the present Convention,...
1Members of the armed forces of a Party to the...
2Members of other militias and members of other volunteer corps,...
3Members of regular armed forces who profess allegiance to a...
4Persons who accompany the armed forces without actually being members...
5Members of crews, including masters, pilots and apprentices of the...
6Inhabitants of a non-occupied territory, who on the approach of...
Bhe following shall likewise be treated as prisoners of war...
1Persons belonging, or having belonged, to the armed forces of...
2The persons belonging to one of the categories enumerated in...
CThis Article shall in no way affect the status of...
ARTICLE 5
ARTICLE 6
ARTICLE 7
ARTICLE 8
ARTICLE 9
ARTICLE 10
ARTICLE 11
PART II.—GENERAL PROTECTION OF PRISONERS OF WAR
ARTICLE 12
ARTICLE 13
ARTICLE 14
ARTICLE 15
ARTICLE 16
PART III.—CAPTIVITY
SECTION 1.-BEGINNING OF CAPTIVITY
Section II.—Internment of Prisoners of War
Chapter I.—General Observations
Chapter II.—Quarters, Food and Clothing of Prisoners of War
Chapter III.—Hygiene and Medical Attention
Chapter IV.—Medical Personnel and Chaplains Retained to Assist Prisoners of War
Chapter V.—Religious, Intellectual and Physical Activities
Chapter VI—Discipline
Chapter VII.—Rank of Prisoner of War
Chapter VIII.—Transfer of Prisoners of War after their arrival in camp
Section III.—Labour of Prisoners of War
ARTICLE 49
ARTICLE 50
ARTICLE 51
ARTICLE 52
ARTICLE 53
ARTICLE 54
ARTICLE 55
ARTICLE 56
ARTICLE 57
Section IV.—Financial Resources of Prisoners of War
ARTICLE 58
ARTICLE 59
ARTICLE 60
ARTICLE 61
ARTICLE 62
ARTICLE 63
ARTICLE 64
1The amounts due to the prisoner or received by him...
2The payments made to the prisoner in cash, or in...
ARTICLE 65
ARTICLE 66
ARTICLE 67
ARTICLE 68
Section V.—Relations of Prisoners of War with the Exterior
ARTICLE 69
ARTICLE 70
ARTICLE 71
ARTICLE 72
ARTICLE 73
ARTICLE 74
ARTICLE 75
ARTICLE 76
ARTICLE 77
Section VI.—Relations between Prisoners of War and the Authorities
Chapter I.—Complaints of Prisoners of War respecting the Conditions of Captivity
Chapter II.—Prisoners of War Representatives
Chapter III.—Penal and Disciplinary Sanctions
1a fine which shall not exceed 50 per cent, of...
2discontinuance or privileges granted over and above the treatment provided...
3fatigue duties not exceeding two hours daily;
4confinement. The punishment referred to under (3) shall not be...
1he has joined the armed forces of the Power on...
2he has left the territory under the control of the...
3he has joined a ship flying the flag of the...
1surname and first names of the prisoner of war, his...
2place of internment or confinement;
3specification of the charge or charges on which the prisoner...
4designation of the court which will try the case, likewise...
1the precise wording of the finding and sentence;
2a summarised report of any preliminary investigation and of the...
3notification, where applicable, of the establishment where the sentence will...
PART IV.—TERMINATION OF CAPTIVITY
Section I.—Direct Repatriation and Accommodation in Neutral Countries
ARTICLE 109
ARTICLE 110
1incurably wounded and sick whose mental or physical fitness seems...
2wounded and sick who, according to medical opinion, are not...
3wounded and sick who have recovered, but whose mental or...
1wounded and sick whose recovery may be expected within one...
2prisoners of war whose mental or physical health, according to...
1those whose state of health has deteriorated so as to...
2those whose mental or physical powers remain, even after treatment,...
ARTICLE 111
ARTICLE 112
ARTICLE 113
1wounded and sick proposed by a physician or surgeon who...
2wounded and sick proposed by their prisoners’ representative;
3wounded and sick proposed by the Power on which they...
ARTICLE 114
ARTICLE 115
ARTICLE 116
ARTICLE 117
Section II.—Release and Repatriation of Prisoners of War at the close of Hostilities
ARTICLE 118
ARTICLE 119
Section III.—Death of Prisoners of War
ARTICLE 120
ARTICLE 121
PART V.—INFORMATION BUREAUX AND RELIEF SOCIETIES FOR PRISONERS OF WAR
ARTICLE 122
ARTICLE 123
ARTICLE 124
ARTICLE 125
PART VI.—EXECUTION OF THE CONVENTION
Section 1.—General Provisions
ARTICLE 126
ARTICLE 127
ARTICLE 128
ARTICLE 129
ARTICLE 130
ARTICLE 131
ARTICLE 132
SECTION II.—Final Provisions
ARTICLE 133
ARTICLE 134
ARTICLE 135
ARTICLE 136
ARTICLE 137
ARTICLE 138
ARTICLE 139
ARTICLE 140
ARTICLE 141
ARTICLE 142
ARTICLE 143
FOURTH SCHEDULE GENEVA CONVENTION RELATIVE TO THE PROTECTION OF CIVILIAN PERSONS IN TIME OF WAR
Geneva, 12th August, 1949
PART I.—GENERAL PROVISIONS
ARTICLE 1
ARTICLE 2
ARTICLE 3
1Persons taking no active part in the hostilities, including members...
2The wounded and sick shall be collected and cared for....
ARTICLE 4
ARTICLE 5
ARTICLE 6
ARTICLE 7
ARTICLE 8
ARTICLE 9
ARTICLE 10
ARTICLE 11
ARTICLE 12
PART II.—GENERAL PROTECTION OF POPULATIONS AGAINST CERTAIN CONSEQUENCES OF WAR
ARTICLE 13
ARTICLE 14
ARTICLE 15
ARTICLE 16
ARTICLE 17
ARTICLE 18
ARTICLE 19
ARTICLE 20
ARTICLE 21
ARTICLE 22
ARTICLE 23
ARTICLE 24
ARTICLE 25
ARTICLE 26
PART III.—STATUS AND TREATMENT OF PROTECTED PERSONS
Section I.—Provisions Common to the Territories of the Parties to the Conflict and to Occupied Territories
ARTICLE 27
ARTICLE 28
ARTICLE 29
ARTICLE 30
ARTICLE 31
ARTICLE 32
ARTICLE 33
ARTICLE 34
Section II.—Aliens in the Territory of a Party to the Conflict
ARTICLE 35
ARTICLE 36
ARTICLE 37
ARTICLE 38
1they shall be enabled to receive the individual or collective...
2they shall, if their state of health so requires, receive...
3they shall be allowed to practise their religion and to...
4if they reside in an area particularly exposed to the...
5children under fifteen years, pregnant women and mothers of children...
ARTICLE 39
ARTICLE 40
ARTICLE 41
ARTICLE 42
ARTICLE 43
ARTICLE 44
ARTICLE 45
ARTICLE 46
Section III.—Occupied Territories
ARTICLE 47
ARTICLE 48
ARTICLE 49
ARTICLE 50
ARTICLE 51
ARTICLE 52
ARTICLE 53
ARTICLE 54
ARTICLE 55
ARTICLE 56
ARTICLE 57
ARTICLE 58
ARTICLE 59
ARTICLE 60
ARTICLE 61
ARTICLE 62
ARTICLE 63
ARTICLE 64
ARTICLE 65
ARTICLE 66
ARTICLE 67
ARTICLE 68
ARTICLE 69
ARTICLE 70
ARTICLE 71
ARTICLE 72
ARTICLE 73
ARTICLE 74
ARTICLE 75
ARTICLE 76
ARTICLE 77
ARTICLE 78
Section IV.—Regulations for the Treatment of Internees
Chapter I.—General Provisions
Chapter II.—Places of Internment
Chapter III.—Food and Clothing
Chapter IV.—Hygiene and Medical Attention
Chapter V.—Religious, Intellectual and Physical Activities
Chapter VI.—Personal Property and Financial Resources
Chapter VII.—Administration and Discipline
Chapter VIII.—Relations with the Exterior
Chapter IX.—Penal and Disciplinary Sanctions
1a fine which shall not exceed 50 per cent. of...
2discontinuance of privileges granted over and above the treatment provided...
3fatigue duties, not exceeding two hours daily, in connexion with...
4confinement. In no case shall disciplinary penalties be inhuman, brutal...
Chapter X.—Transfers of Internees
Chapter XI.—Deaths
Chapter XII.—Release, Repatriation and Accommodation in Neutral Countries
Section V.—Information Bureaux and Central Agency
PART IV.—EXECUTION OF THE CONVENTION
Section I.—General Provisions
ARTICLE 142
ARTICLE 143
ARTICLE 144
ARTICLE 145
ARTICLE 146
ARTICLE 147
ARTICLE 148
ARTICLE 149
Section II.—Final Provisions
ARTICLE 150
ARTICLE 151
ARTICLE 152
ARTICLE 153
ARTICLE 154
ARTICLE 155
ARTICLE 156
ARTICLE 157
ARTICLE 158
ARTICLE 159
FIFTH SCHEDULE PROTOCOL I
Protocol Additional to the Geneva Conventions of 12 August 1949, and relating to the Protection of Victims of International Armed Conflicts (Protocol I)
PREAMBLE
PART I General Provisions
Article 1— General principles and scope of application
1The High Contracting Parties undertake to respect and to ensure...
2In cases not covered by this Protocol or by other...
3This Protocol, which supplements the Geneva Conventions of 12 August...
4The situations referred to in the preceding paragraph include armed...
Article 2— Definitions
Article 3— Beginning and end of application
Article 4— Legal status of the Parties to the conflict
Article 5— Appointment of Protecting Powers and of their substitute
1It is the duty of the Parties to a conflict...
2From the beginning of a situation referred to in Article...
3If a Protecting Power has not been designated or accepted...
4If, despite the foregoing, there is no Protecting Power, the...
5In accordance with Article 4, the designation and acceptance of...
6The maintenance of diplomatic relations between Parties to the conflict...
7Any subsequent mention in this Protocol of a Protecting Power...
Article 6— Qualified persons
1The High Contracting Parties shall, also in peacetime, endeavour, with...
2The recruitment and training of such personnel are within domestic...
3The International Committee of the Red Cross shall hold at...
4The conditions governing the employment of such personnel outside the...
Article 7— Meetings
PART II Wounded, Sick and Shipwrecked
SECTION I— GENERAL PROTECTION
Article 8— Terminology
Article 9— Field of application
1This Part, the provisions of which are intended to ameliorate...
2The relevant provisions of Articles 27 and 32 of the...
Article 10— Protection and care
1All the wounded, sick and shipwrecked, to whichever Party they...
2In all circumstances they shall be treated humanely and shall...
Article 11— Protection of persons
1The physical or mental health and integrity of persons who...
2It is, in particular, prohibited to carry out on such...
3Exceptions to the prohibition in paragraph 2(c) may be made...
4Any wilful act or omission which seriously endangers the physical...
5The persons described in paragraph 1 have the right to...
6Each Party to the conflict shall keep a medical record...
Article 12— Protection of medical units
1Medical units shall be respected and protected at all times...
2Paragraph 1 shall apply to civilian medical units, provided that...
3The Parties to the conflict are invited to notify each...
4Under no circumstances shall medical units be used in an...
Article 13— Discontinuance of protection of civilian medical units
1The protection to which civilian medical units are entitled shall...
2The following shall not be considered as acts harmful to...
Article 14— Limitations on requisition of civilian medical units
1The Occupying Power has the duty to ensure that the...
2The Occupying Power shall not, therefore, requisition civilian medical units,...
3Provided that the general rule in paragraph 2 continues to...
Article 15— Protection of civilian medical and religious personnel
1Civilian medical personnel shall be respected and protected.
2If needed, all available help shall be afforded to civilian...
3The Occupying Power shall afford civilian medical personnel in occupied...
4Civilian medical personnel shall have access to any place where...
5Civilian religious personnel shall be respected and protected. The provisions...
Article 16— General protection of medical duties
1Under no circumstances shall any person be punished for carrying...
2Persons engaged in medical activities shall not be compelled to...
3No person engaged in medical activities shall be compelled to...
Article 17— Role of the civilian population and of aid societies
1The civilian population shall respect the wounded, sick and shipwrecked,...
2The Parties to the conflict may appeal to the civilian...
Article 18— Identification
1Each Party to the conflict shall endeavour to ensure that...
2Each Party to the conflict shall also endeavour to adopt...
3In occupied territory and in areas where fighting is taking...
4With the consent of the competent authority, medical units and...
5In addition to the distinctive emblem, a Party to the...
6The application of the provisions of paragraphs 1 to 5...
7This Article does not authorise any wider use of the...
8The provisions of the Conventions and of this Protocol relating...
Article 19— Neutral and other States not Parties to the conflict
Article 20— Prohibition of reprisals
SECTION II— MEDICAL TRANSPORTATION
Article 21— Medical vehicles
Article 22— Hospital ships and coastal rescue craft
1The provisions of the Conventions relating to:
2The protection provided by the Conventions to vessels described in...
3Small craft described in Article 27 of the Second Convention...
Article 23— Other medical ships and craft
1Medical ships and craft other than those referred to in...
2The ships and craft referred to in paragraph 1 shall...
3The protection provided in paragraph 1 shall cease only under...
4A Party to the conflict may notify any adverse Party...
5The provisions of Article 37 of the Second Convention shall...
6The provisions of the Second Convention shall apply to the...
Article 24— Protection of medical aircraft
Article 25— Medical aircraft in areas not controlled by an adverse Party
Article 26— Medical aircraft in contact or similar zones
1In and over those parts of the contact zone which...
2“ Contact zone ” means any area on land where...
Article 27— Medical aircraft in areas controlled by an adverse Party
1The medical aircraft of a Party to the conflict shall...
2A medical aircraft which flies over an area physically controlled...
Article 28— Restrictions on operations of medical aircraft
1The Parties to the conflict are prohibited from using their...
2Medical aircraft shall not be used to collect or transmit...
3Medical aircraft shall not carry any armament except small-arms and...
4While carrying out the flights referred to in Articles 26...
Article 29— Notifications and agreements concerning medical aircraft
1Notifications under Article 25, or requests for prior agreement under...
2A Party which receives a notification given under Article 25...
3A Party which receives a request for prior agreement under...
4The Parties shall take the necessary measures to ensure that...
5The Parties shall also take the necessary measures to disseminate...
Article 30— Landing and inspection of medical aircraft
1Medical aircraft flying over areas which are physically controlled by...
2If such an aircraft lands or alights on water, whether...
3If the inspection discloses that the aircraft:
4If the inspection discloses that the aircraft:
Article 31— Neutral or other States not Parties to the conflict
1Except by prior agreement, medical aircraft shall not fly over...
2Should a medical aircraft, in the absence of an agreement...
3If a medical aircraft, either by agreement or in the...
4The wounded, sick and shipwrecked disembarked, otherwise than temporarily, from...
5Neutral or other States not Parties to the conflict shall...
SECTION III— MISSING AND DEAD PERSONS
Article 32— General principle
Article 33— Missing persons
1As soon as circumstances permit, and at the latest from...
2In order to facilitate the gathering of information pursuant to...
3Information concerning persons reported missing pursuant to paragraph 1 and...
4The Parties to the conflict shall endeavour to agree on...
Article 34— Remains of deceased
1The remains of persons who have died for reasons related...
2As soon as circumstances and the relations between the adverse...
3In the absence of the agreements provided for in paragraph...
4A High Contracting Party in whose territory the gravesites referred...
PART III Methods and Means of Warfare Combatant and Prisoner-of-War Status
SECTION I— METHODS AND MEANS OF WARFARE
Article 35— Basic rules
1In any armed conflict, the right of the Parties to...
2It is prohibited to employ weapons, projectiles and material and...
3It is prohibited to employ methods or means of warfare...
Article 36— New weapons
Article 37— Prohibition of perfidy
1It is prohibited to kill, injure or capture an adversary...
2Ruses of war are not prohibited. Such ruses are acts...
Article 38— Recognised emblems
1It is prohibited to make improper use of the distinctive...
2It is prohibited to make use of the distinctive emblem...
Article 39— Emblems of nationality
1It is prohibited to make use in an armed conflict...
2It is prohibited to make use of the flags or...
3Nothing in this Article or in Article 37, paragraph 1(d),...
Article 40— Quarter
Article 41— Safeguard of an enemy hors de combat
1A person who is recognised or who, in the circumstances,...
2A person is hors de combat if:
3When persons entitled to protection as prisoners of war have...
Article 42— Occupants of aircraft
1No person parachuting from an aircraft in distress shall be...
2Upon reaching the ground in territory controlled by an adverse...
3Airborne troops are not protected by this Article.
SECTION II— COMBATANT AND PRISONER-OF-WAR STATUS
Article 43— Armed forces
1The armed forces of a Party to a conflict consist...
2Members of the armed forces of a Party to a...
3Whenever a Party to a conflict incorporates a paramilitary or...
Article 44— Combatants and prisoners of war
1Any combatant, as defined in Article 43, who falls into...
2While all combatants are obliged to comply with the rules...
3In order to promote the protection of the civilian population...
4A combatant who falls into the power of an adverse...
5Any combatant who falls into the power of an adverse...
6This Article is without prejudice to the right of any...
7This Article is not intended to change the generally accepted...
8In addition to the categories of persons mentioned in Article...
Article 45— Protection of persons who have taken part in hostilities
1A person who takes part in hostilities and falls into...
2If a person who has fallen into the power of...
3Any person who has taken part in hostilities, who is...
Article 46— Spies
1Notwithstanding any other provision of the Conventions or of this...
2A member of the armed forces of a Party to...
3A member of the armed forces of a Party to...
4A member of the armed forces of a Party to...
Article 47— Mercenaries
1A mercenary shall not have the right to be a...
2A mercenary is any person who: (a) is specially recruited...
PART IV Civilian Population
SECTION I— GENERAL PROTECTION AGAINST EFFECTS OF HOSTILITIES
CHAPTER I— BASIC RULE AND FIELD OF APPLICATION
Article 48— Basic rule
Article 49— Definition of attacks and scope of application
1“ Attacks ” means acts of violence against the adversary,...
2The provisions of this Protocol with respect to attacks apply...
3The provisions of this Section apply to any land, air...
4The provisions of this Section are additional to the rules...
CHAPTER II— CIVILIANS AND CIVILIAN POPULATION
Article 50— Definition of civilians and civilian population
1A civilian is any person who does not belong to...
2The civilian population comprises all persons who are civilians.
3The presence within the civilian population of individuals who do...
Article 51— Protection of the civilian population
1The civilian population and individual civilians shall enjoy general protection...
2The civilian population as such, as well as individual civilians,...
3Civilians shall enjoy the protection afforded by this Section, unless...
4Indiscriminate attacks are prohibited. Indiscriminate attacks are:
5Among others, the following types of attacks are to be...
6Attacks against the civilian population or civilians by way of...
7The presence or movements of the civilian population or individual...
8Any violation of these prohibitions shall not release the Parties...
CHAPTER III— CIVILIAN OBJECTS
Article 52— General protection of civilian objects
1Civilian objects shall not be the object of attack or...
2Attacks shall be limited strictly to military objectives. In so...
3In case of doubt whether an object which is normally...
Article 53— Protection of cultural objects and of places of worship
Article 54— Protection of objects indispensable to the survival of the civilian population
1Starvation of civilians as a method of warfare is prohibited....
2It is prohibited to attack, destroy, remove or render useless...
3The prohibitions in paragraph 2 shall not apply to such...
4These objects shall not be made the object of reprisals....
5In recognition of the vital requirements of any Party to...
Article 55— Protection of the natural environment
1Care shall be taken in warfare to protect the natural...
2Attacks against the natural environment by way of reprisals are...
Article 56— Protection of works and installations containing dangerous forces
1Works or installations containing dangerous forces, namely dams, dykes and...
2The special protection against attack provided by paragraph 1 shall...
3In all cases, the civilian population and individual civilians shall...
4It is prohibited to make any of the works, installations...
5The Parties to the conflict shall endeavour to avoid locating...
6The High Contracting Parties and the Parties to the conflict...
7In order to facilitate the identification of the objects protected...
CHAPTER IV— PRECAUTIONARY MEASURES
Article 57— Precautions in attack
1In the conduct of military operations, constant care shall be...
2With respect to attacks, the following precautions shall be taken:...
3When a choice is possible between several military objectives for...
4In the conduct of military operations at sea or in...
5No provision of this Article may be construed as authorising...
Article 58— Precautions against the effects of attacks
CHAPTER V— LOCALITIES AND ZONES UNDER SPECIAL PROTECTION
Article 59— Non-defended localities
1It is prohibited for the Parties to the conflict to...
2The appropriate authorities of a Party to the conflict may...
3The presence, in this locality, of persons specially protected under...
4The declaration made under paragraph 2 shall be addressed to...
5The Parties to the conflict may agree on the establishment...
6The Party which is in control of a locality governed...
7A locality loses its status as a non-defended locality when...
Article 60— Demilitarised zones
1It is prohibited for the Parties to the conflict to...
2The agreement shall be an express agreement, may be concluded...
3The subject of such an agreement shall normally be any...
4The presence, in this zone, of persons specially protected under...
5The Party which is in control of such a zone...
6If the fighting draws near to a demilitarised zone, and...
7If one of the Parties to the conflict commits a...
CHAPTER VI— CIVIL DEFENCE
Article 61— Definitions and scope
Article 62— General protection
1Civilian civil defence organisations and their personnel shall be respected...
2The provisions of paragraph 1 shall also apply to civilians...
3Buildings and mategriel used for civil defence purposes and shelters...
Article 63— Civil defence in occupied territories
1In occupied territories, civilian civil defence organisations shall receive from...
2The Occupying Power shall not compel, coerce or induce civilian...
3The Occupying Power may disarm civil defence personnel for reasons...
4The Occupying Power shall neither divert from their proper use...
5Provided that the general rule in paragraph 4 continues to...
6The Occupying Power shall neither divert nor requisition shelters provided...
Article 64— Civilian civil defence organisations of neutral or other States not Parties to the conflict and international co-ordinating organisations
1Articles 62, 63, 65 and 66 shall also apply to...
2The Parties to the conflict receiving the assistance referred to...
3In occupied territories, the Occupying Power may only exclude or...
Article 65— Cessation of protection
1The protection to which civilian civil defence organisations, their personnel,...
2The following shall not be considered as acts harmful to...
3It shall also not be considered as an act harmful...
4The formation of civilian civil defence organisations along military lines,...
Article 66— Identification
1Each Party to the conflict shall endeavour to ensure that...
2Each Party to the conflict shall also endeavour to adopt...
3In occupied territories and in areas where fighting is taking...
4The international distinctive sign of civil defence is an equilateral...
5In addition to the distinctive sign, Parties to the conflict...
6The application of the provisions of paragraphs 1 to 4...
7In time of peace, the sign described in paragraph 4...
8The High Contracting Parties and the Parties to the conflict...
9The identification of civil defence medical and religious personnel, medical...
Article 67— Members of the armed forces and military units assigned to civil defence organisations
1Members of the armed forces and military units assigned to...
2Military personnel serving within civil defence organisations shall, if they...
3The buildings and major items of equipment and transports of...
4The mategriel and buildings of military units permanently assigned to...
SECTION II— RELIEF IN FAVOUR OF THE CIVILIAN POPULATION
Article 68— Field of application
Article 69— Basic needs in occupied territories
1In addition to the duties specified in Article 55 of...
2Relief actions for the benefit of the civilian population of...
Article 70— Relief actions
1If the civilian population of any territory under the control...
2The Parties to the conflict and each High Contracting Party...
3The Parties to the conflict and each High Contracting Party...
4The Parties to the conflict shall protect relief consignments and...
5The Parties to the conflict and each High Contracting Party...
Article 71— Personnel participating in relief actions
1Where necessary, relief personnel may form part of the assistance...
2Such personnel shall be respected and protected.
3Each Party in receipt of relief consignments shall, to the...
4Under no circumstances may relief personnel exceed the terms of...
SECTION III— TREATMENT OF PERSONS IN THE POWER OF A PARTY TO THE CONFLICT
CHAPTER I— FIELD OF APPLICATION AND PROTECTION OF PERSONS AND OBJECTS
Article 72— Field of application
Article 73— Refugees and stateless persons
Article 74— Reunion of dispersed families
Article 75— Fundamental guarantees
1In so far as they are affected by a situation...
2The following acts are and shall remain prohibited at any...
3Any person arrested, detained or interned for actions related to...
4No sentence may be passed and no penalty may be...
5Women whose liberty has been restricted for reasons related to...
6Persons who are arrested, detained or interned for reasons related...
7In order to avoid any doubt concerning the prosecution and...
8No provision of this Article may be construed as limiting...
CHAPTER II— MEASURES IN FAVOUR OF WOMEN AND CHILDREN
Article 76— Protection of women
1Women shall be the object of special respect and shall...
2Pregnant women and mothers having dependant infants who are arrested,...
3To the maximum extent feasible, the Parties to the conflict...
Article 77— Protection of children
1Children shall be the object of special respect and shall...
2The Parties to the conflict shall take all feasible measures...
3If, in exceptional cases, despite the provisions of paragraph 2,...
4If arrested, detained or interned for reasons related to the...
5The death penalty for an offence related to the armed...
Article 78— Evacuation of children
1No Party to the conflict shall arrange for the evacuation...
2Whenever an evacuation occurs pursuant to paragraph 1, each child’s...
3With a view to facilitating the return to their families...
CHAPTER III— JOURNALISTS
Article 79— Measures of protection for journalists
1Journalists engaged in dangerous professional missions in areas of armed...
2They shall be protected as such under the Conventions and...
3They may obtain an identity card similar to the model...
PART V Execution of the Conventions and of this Protocol
SECTION I— GENERAL PROVISIONS
Article 80— Measures for execution
1The High Contracting Parties and the Parties to the conflict...
2The High Contracting Parties and the Parties to the conflict...
Article 81— Activities of the Red Cross and other humanitarian organisations
1The Parties to the conflict shall grant to the International...
2The Parties to the conflict shall grant to their respective...
3The High Contracting Parties and the Parties to the conflict...
4The High Contracting Parties and the Parties to the conflict...
Article 82— Legal advisers in armed forces
Article 83— Dissemination
1The High Contracting Parties undertake, in time of peace as...
2Any military or civilian authorities who, in time of armed...
Article 84— Rules of application
SECTION II— REPRESSION OF BREACHES OF THE CONVENTIONS AND OF THIS PROTOCOL
Article 85— Repression of breaches of this Protocol
1The provisions of the Conventions relating to the repression of...
2Acts described as grave breaches in the Conventions are grave...
3In addition to the grave breaches defined in Article 11,...
4In addition to the grave breaches defined in the preceding...
5Without prejudice to the application of the Conventions and of...
Article 86— Failure to act
1The High Contracting Parties and the Parties to the conflict...
2The fact that a breach of the Conventions or of...
Article 87— Duty of commanders
1The High Contracting Parties and the Parties to the conflict...
2In order to prevent and suppress breaches, High Contracting Parties...
3The High Contracting Parties and Parties to the conflict shall...
Article 88— Mutual assistance in criminal matters
1The High Contracting Parties shall afford one another the greatest...
2Subject to the rights and obligations established in the Conventions...
3The law of the High Contracting Party requested shall apply...
Article 89— Co-operation
Article 90— International Fact-Finding Commission
1(a) An International Fact-Finding Commission (hereinafter referred to as “...
2(a) The High Contracting Parties may at the time of...
3(a) Unless otherwise agreed by the Parties concerned, all enquiries...
4(a) The Chamber set up under paragraph 3 to undertake...
5(a) The Commission shall submit to the Parties a report...
6The Commission shall establish its own rules, including rules for...
7The administrative expenses of the Commission shall be met by...
Article 91— Responsibility
PART VI Final Provisions
Article 92— Signature
Article 93— Ratification
Article 94— Accession
Article 95— Entry into force
1This Protocol shall enter into force six months after two...
2For each Party to the Conventions thereafter ratifying or acceding...
Article 96— Treaty relations upon entry into force of this Protocol
1When the Parties to the Conventions are also Parties to...
2When one of the Parties to the conflict is not...
3The authority representing a people engaged against a High Contracting...
Article 97— Amendment
1Any High Contracting Party may propose amendments to this Protocol....
2The depositary shall invite to that conference all the High...
Article 98— Revision of Annex I
1Not later than four years after the entry into force...
2The depositary shall convene a conference of the High Contracting...
3Amendments to Annex I may be adopted at such a...
4The depositary shall communicate any amendment so adopted to the...
5An amendment considered to have been accepted in accordance with...
6The depositary shall notify the High Contracting Parties and the...
Article 99— Denunciation
1In case a High Contracting Party should denounce this Protocol,...
2The denunciation shall be notified in writing to the depositary,...
3The denunciation shall have effect only in respect of the...
4Any denunciation under paragraph 1 shall not affect the obligations...
Article 100— Notifications
Article 101— Registration
1After its entry into force, this Protocol shall be transmitted...
2The depositary shall also inform the Secretariat of the United...
Article 102— Authentic texts
ANNEX I
REGULATIONS CONCERNING IDENTIFICATION
Article 1— General provisions
1The regulations concerning identification in this Annex implement the relevant...
2These rules do not in and of themselves establish the...
3The competent authorities may, subject to the relevant provisions of...
4The High Contracting Parties and in particular the Parties to...
CHAPTER I— IDENTITY CARDS
Article 2— Identity card for permanent civilian medical and religious personnel
1The identity card for permanent civilian medical and religious personnel...
2The identity card shall be uniform throughout the territory of...
3In no circumstances may permanent civilian medical and religious personnel...
Article 3— Identity card for temporary civilian medical and religious personnel
1The identity card for temporary civilian medical and religious personnel...
2When circumstances preclude the provision to temporary civilian medical and...
CHAPTER II— THE DISTINCTIVE EMBLEM
Article 4— Shape
Article 5— Use
1The distinctive emblem shall, whenever possible, be displayed on a...
2At night or when visibility is reduced, the distinctive emblem...
3The distinctive emblem may be made of materials which make...
4Medical and religious personnel carrying out their duties in the...
CHAPTER III— DISTINCTIVE SIGNALS
Article 6— Use
1All distinctive signals specified in this Chapter may be used...
2These signals, at the exclusive disposal of medical units and...
3In the absence of a special agreement between the Parties...
4Temporary medical aircraft which cannot, either for lack of time...
Article 7— Light signal
1The light signal, consisting of a flashing blue light as...
2In accordance with the provisions of Chapter XIV, para. 4...
3Medical vehicles should exhibit one or more flashing blue lights...
4The recommended blue colour is obtained when its chromaticity is...
Article 8— Radio signal
1The radio signal shall consist of the urgency signal and...
2The radio message preceded by the urgency and distinctive signals...
3In order to facilitate the communications referred to in paragraphs...
Article 9— Electronic identification
1The Secondary Surveillance Radar (SSR) system, as specified in Annex...
2Protected medical transports may, for their identification and location, use...
3It should be possible for medical transports to be identified...
4Parties to a conflict may, by special agreement between them,...
CHAPTER IV— COMMUNICATIONS
Article 10— Radiocommunications
1The urgency signal and the distinctive signal provided for in...
2The medical transports referred to in Articles 40 (Section II,...
Article 11— Use of international codes
Article 12— Other means of communication
Article 13— Flight plans
Article 14— Signals and procedures for the interception of medical aircraft.
CHAPTER V— CIVIL DEFENCE
Article 15— Identity card
1The identity card of the civil defence personnel provided for...
2The identity card for civil defence personnel may follow the...
3If civil defence personnel are permitted to carry light individual...
3If civil defence personnel are permitted to carry light individual...
Article 16— International distinctive sign
1The international distinctive sign of civil defence provided for in...
2It is recommended that: (a) if the blue triangle is...
3The international distinctive sign shall be as large as appropriate...
CHAPTER VI— WORKS AND INSTALLATIONS CONTAINING DANGEROUS FORCES
Article 17— International special sign
1The international special sign for works and installations containing dangerous...
2The sign shall be as large as appropriate under the...
3On a flag, the distance between the outer limits of...
4At night or when visibility is reduced, the sign may...
ANNEX II Identity Card for Journalists on Dangerous Professional Missions
SIXTH SCHEDULE PROTOCOL II
Protocol Additional to the Geneva Conventions of 12 August 1949, and relating to the Protection of Victims of Non-International Armed Conflicts (Protocol II)
PART I Scope of this Protocol
Article 1— Material field of application
1This Protocol, which develops and supplements Article 3 common to...
2This Protocol shall not apply to situations of internal disturbances...
Article 2— Personal field of application
1This Protocol shall be applied without any adverse distinction founded...
2At the end of the armed conflict, all the persons...
Article 3— Non-intervention
1Nothing in this Protocol shall be invoked for the purpose...
2Nothing in this Protocol shall be invoked as a justification...
PART II Humane Treatment
Article 4— Fundamental guarantees
1All persons who do not take a direct part or...
2Without prejudice to the generality of the foregoing, the following...
3Children shall be provided with the care and aid they...
Article 5— Persons whose liberty has been restricted
1In addition to the provisions of Article 4, the following...
2Those who are responsible for the internment or detention of...
3Persons who are not covered by paragraph 1 but whose...
4If it is decided to release persons deprived of their...
Article 6— Penal prosecutions
1This Article applies to the prosecution and punishment of criminal...
2No sentence shall be passed and no penalty shall be...
3A convicted person shall be advised on conviction of his...
4The death penalty shall not be pronounced on persons who...
5At the end of hostilities, the authorities in power shall...
PART III Wounded, Sick and Shipwrecked
Article 7— Protection and care
1All the wounded, sick and shipwrecked, whether or not they...
2In all circumstances they shall be treated humanely and shall...
Article 8— Search
Article 9— Protection of medical and religious personnel
1Medical and religious personnel shall be respected and protected and...
2In the performance of their duties medical personnel may not...
Article 10— General protection of medical duties
1Under no circumstances shall any person be punished for having...
2Persons engaged in medical activities shall neither be compelled to...
3The professional obligations of persons engaged in medical activities regarding...
4Subject to national law, no person engaged in medical activities...
Article 11— Protection of medical units and transports
1Medical units and transports shall be respected and protected at...
2The protection to which medical units and transports are entitled...
Article 12— The distinctive emblem
PART IV Civilian Population
Article 13— Protection of the civilian population
1The civilian population and individual civilians shall enjoy general protection...
2The civilian population as such, as well as individual civilians,...
3Civilians shall enjoy the protection afforded by this Part, unless...
Article 14— Protection of objects indispensable to the survival of the civilian population
Article 15— Protection of works and installations containing dangerous forces
Article 16— Protection of cultural objects and of places of worship
Article 17— Prohibition of forced movement of civilians
1The displacement of the civilian population shall not be ordered...
2Civilians shall not be compelled to leave their own territory...
Article 18— Relief societies and relief actions
1Relief societies located in the territory of the High Contracting...
2If the civilian population is suffering undue hardship owing to...
PART V Final Provisions
Article 19— Dissemination
Article 20— Signature
Article 21— Ratification
Article 22— Accession
Article 23— Entry into force
1This Protocol shall enter into force six months after two...
2For each Party to the Conventions thereafter ratifying or acceding...
Article 24— Amendment
1Any High Contracting Party may propose amendments to this Protocol....
2The depositary shall invite to that conference all the High...
Article 25— Denunciation
1In case a High Contracting Party should denounce this Protocol,...
2The denunciation shall be notified in writing to the depositary,...
Article 26— Notifications
Article 27— Registration
1After its entry into force, this Protocol shall be transmitted...
2The depositary shall also inform the Secretariat of the United...
Article 28— Authentic texts

Geneva Conventions Act 1957

1957 c.52

An Act to enable effect to be given to certain international conventions done at Geneva on the twelfth day of August, nineteen hundred and forty-nine, and for purposes connected therewith.

Whereas, with a view to the ratification by Her Majesty of the conventions set out in the Schedules to this Act, it is expedient to make certain amendments in the law:

Annotations:
Commencement Information
I1

Act wholly in force at Royal Assent