Questions tagged [geneva-convention]
Questions related to the 1949 Geneva Convention and the three Geneva Protocols that acted as amendments relating to the protection of victims of (non-)international armed conflicts, and the addition of the Red Crystal protective sign.
23
questions
9
votes
6
answers
11k
views
Why isn't bombing cities under any circumstance a war crime? Same applies to launching attacks from cities
While there are rules in place, I think within the Geneva Conventions, regarding the protection of civilian infrastructure, the legal interpretation and application can vary. Deliberately targeting ...
- 5,898
7
votes
1
answer
228
views
What is the status of civilians occupying territories in a war, under international conventions?
Consider wars in which civilian population of an occupying country move into occupied land. For example,
Russian population moving into Crimea, Mariupol or other Ukrainian territories.
Israeli ...
- 1,897
10
votes
1
answer
3k
views
What does the Geneva Convention suggest in a situation where the military is deliberately operating from heavily populated areas?
I don't think it's particularly controversial to claim that Hamas is operating various military infrastructure from within heavily populated areas in Gaza. In particular, they're using a hospital as ...
- 52.7k
11
votes
1
answer
1k
views
How can Israeli compliance with the Geneva Conventions be tracked in Gaza in the coming weeks?
Article 51 of Protocol I to the Geneva Convention, (protocol to which Israel is not a signatory) puts the following constraints on attacks in civilian areas:
Article 51 — Protection of the civilian ...
17
votes
2
answers
4k
views
Has there ever been an attempt to charge Israel, or its officials, with a war crime for changing the demography of the occupied Palestinian West Bank?
Under the Fourth Geneva Convention, changing the demographic composition of an occupied territory is considered a violation of international humanitarian law and classified as a war crime.
The ...
- 5,898
5
votes
2
answers
292
views
Is there a process for certifying that a signatory to Geneva conventions is a bad-faith signatory?
Geneva conventions create a different (greater) set of obligations, by signatory states, towards the other signatory states than they do towards the non-signatory ones.
This creates an incentive for ...
- 7,944
1
vote
3
answers
1k
views
Do the Geneva Conventions apply to terrorists or conflicts not of an international character?
Could terrorists and insurgents be considered unlawful combatants?
In such a case would the Geneva Conventions (even the third convention) not protect them?
user45449
14
votes
5
answers
6k
views
Would a tit-for-tat retaliation against Russian civilian infrastructure be a violation of the Geneva convention?
Ukraine is currently suffering from a series of Russian attacks against civilian infrastructure, which might soon result in the entire country not having access to electricity. Does the Geneva ...
- 52.7k
34
votes
4
answers
10k
views
Are power plants legitimate military targets under international law?
I've seen clips and articles stating that recent Russian attacks on Ukrainian power plants amount to "War Crimes". This seems right to me but I couldn't find any resource explicitly ...
- 451
4
votes
3
answers
364
views
Prisoner of war exchange against their will
In some conflicts exchanges of prisoners of war happen during the conflict, and this acts as an additional incentive for taking prisoners instead of killing enemy troops.
However, in certain cases ...
- 5,619
5
votes
3
answers
595
views
Do the republics of Donetsk and Luhansk consider themselves bound by the Geneva Conventions?
Have the authorities of the Russia-recognized republics of Donetsk and Luhansk commented on whether they consider themselves bound by the Geneva Conventions?
They didn't sign any of those. Do they (...
- 145k
18
votes
2
answers
4k
views
Does the Geneva Convention with respect to prisoners of war apply to mercenaries?
There are people of different nationalities fighting as part of the Ukrainian Armed Forces in the current ongoing conflict. If they are captured, would the Geneva Convention's principles on giving ...
- 4,401
7
votes
1
answer
390
views
What are the safeguards, set by the US military, to reduce the risk of committing war crimes?
I am talking here about war crimes committed by individuals or units (i.e., not representing a deliberate government/military policy), such as, e.g., the My Lai Massacre during the Vietnam war. One ...
- 12k
25
votes
4
answers
3k
views
Can a jet fighter "wave a white flag"?
If a group of soldiers is outpowered in combat, they can wave a white flag to signal that they surrender, and by this attempt to save their lives. It is an agreed symbol that, as far as I know, is ...
- 3,651
9
votes
2
answers
1k
views
According to the Geneva Conventions, when can a Prisoner Of War give an interview on camera?
There's been some debate online about footage of POWs talking to the camera to say more than name, rank, and serial number, but has there been any serious academic writing on the limits of the "...
20
votes
1
answer
4k
views
According to the Geneva Convention, what must a nation do to Prisoners of War if it doesn't have enough food for them?
During wars food is often in short supply, for both civilians and military members. What does the Geneva Convention suggest countries should do if there aren't enough food supplies for Prisoners of ...
- 52.7k
5
votes
0
answers
135
views
Is the Red Cross involved yet in checking up on prisoners of war in Ukraine?
Is the Red Cross involved yet in checking up on prisoners of war in Ukraine? I don't see it mentioned here or here.
- 1,717
7
votes
0
answers
210
views
Are prisoners of war paid by their captors today?
The Third Geneva Convention calls for all POWs to receive a monthly allowance from their captors, separate from anything they may be paid for working while imprisoned, “to enable prisoners to improve ...
- 307
3
votes
1
answer
550
views
Pakistan's obligation to return captured pilot, where in the Geneva Convention?
A couple of days ago an Indian pilot flying a MiG-21 was shot down by the Pakistani military. The pilot was captured and detained. Very recently the pilot has been returned to the Indian military. I'...
- 819
8
votes
1
answer
1k
views
Does Russia need to treat the captured Ukranian sailors as POWs?
Some of the Ukranian sailors that were captured/arrested on their way to the Sea of Azov in November 2018 have been shown on Russian state TV with recorded statements.
Ukraine demands that they are ...
- 1,331
2
votes
1
answer
212
views
How can U.N. or other international bodies stop a naval/land based blockade which might cause humanitarian crisis?
If you look at map of Yemen then you can easily find out that it's surrounded by Oman and Saudi Arabia. As Saudi Arabia led coalition is causing a naval and land based blockade to Yemen - which has to ...
user17709
21
votes
7
answers
3k
views
Why have no US government officials been charged under the Geneva convention?
US and NATO have been big advocates for human rights and international law around the globe. I'm only focusing on Iraq and current military missions in the Middle East and violations of the Geneva ...
- 4,797
14
votes
5
answers
9k
views
Does Geneva Convention apply to countries which aren't signatories?
In a hypothetical situation, if a country which is a signatory to a Geneva Convention is fighting a war against a country which is NOT a signatory, is the former country obligated to abide by Geneva ...
- 91.8k