Perspectives on the ICRC Study on Customary International Humanitarian Law

COVER......Page 1
HALF-TITLE......Page 3
TITLE......Page 5
COPYRIGHT......Page 6
CONTENTS......Page 7
PREFACE......Page 9
LIST OF CONTRIBUTORS......Page 13
International Court of Justice......Page 15
International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda......Page 17
Post-World War II cases......Page 18
European Court/Commission of Human Rights......Page 19
Domestic courts......Page 20
Eritrea–Ethiopia Claims Commission/Arbitral Tribunal......Page 23
Treaties and International Court Statutes......Page 24
Domestic laws......Page 29
Declarations......Page 30
ABBREVIATIONS......Page 31
PART 1 Setting the scene: Theoretical perspectives on international law in the ICRC Study......Page 35
1. Introduction......Page 37
2. The methodological framework......Page 38
2. The question of codification......Page 49
2. The Study’s exposition of the methodology employed......Page 57
3. Kirgis’ ‘sliding scale’......Page 61
4. The move towards Nicaragua......Page 63
5. The normative significance of the practice of States parties to treaties......Page 66
6. The identification of practice......Page 70
7. Some concluding observations......Page 81
1. Introduction......Page 84
International law and situations of conflict......Page 85
a. The compartmentalisation of rules......Page 88
b. Compartmentalisation of evidence......Page 91
The coexistence of international humanitarian law and human rights law......Page 92
a. Whether human rights law is expressly designed to apply in situations of conflict......Page 93
b. Lex specialis......Page 100
c. Persistent objection to the applicability of human rights law......Page 102
d. The use made of human rights law in the Study......Page 106
PART 2 The status of conflict and combatants: The ICRC Study......Page 109
1. Introduction......Page 111
2. Determining the status of armed conflicts......Page 113
International armed conflict......Page 114
Non-international armed conflict......Page 119
Internationalised non-international armed conflict......Page 123
Reclassification of armed conflicts......Page 128
The ‘global war on terrorism’......Page 129
3. Final remarks......Page 133
1. Introduction......Page 135
2. The development of combatant status......Page 137
Operative rules on combatant status......Page 142
4. Discussion of the combatant status rules in the Study......Page 143
5. Practical problems with combatant status and whether they are clarified by the Study......Page 147
Do members of the regular armed forces54 lose combatant status if they fail to comply with the various conditions for combatant status?......Page 148
What is the status of unqualified participants?......Page 149
Is combatant status lost through failure to comply with the rule of distinction?......Page 150
Do combatants have to wear uniform to distinguish themselves?......Page 152
Is unqualified participation by itself a war crime?......Page 153
Is the nationality of the captured person of significance?......Page 157
May an unqualified combatant be detained without trial?......Page 158
Does it make a di.erence if it is a non-international armed conflict?......Page 159
6. Final remarks......Page 160
PART 3 Commentary on selected Rules from the ICRC Study......Page 163
1. Introduction......Page 165
2. The Rules......Page 170
3. Final remarks......Page 202
1. Introduction......Page 203
Lieber code......Page 204
1899 and 1907 Hague regulations......Page 205
1949 Geneva conventions......Page 206
Medical and religious personnel and objects......Page 209
Humanitarian relief personnel and objects......Page 213
Personnel and objects involved in peacekeeping missions......Page 216
Journalists......Page 217
Protected zones......Page 219
Cultural property......Page 223
Works and installations containing dangerous forces......Page 229
Other persons afforded specific protection......Page 232
3. Final remarks......Page 236
1. Introduction......Page 238
2. The Rules......Page 241
3. Final remarks......Page 270
1. Introduction......Page 272
Denial of Quarter......Page 274
Destruction and Seizure of Property......Page 277
Starvation and Access to Humanitarian Relief......Page 280
Deception......Page 283
Communication with the Enemy......Page 288
3. Final remarks......Page 290
1. Introduction......Page 292
Methodology used in the Study to identify customary law on weapons......Page 296
General principles on the use of weapons......Page 297
Specific weapons, means and methods of warfare: Poison......Page 301
Specific weapons, means and methods of warfare: Biological weapons......Page 302
Specific weapons, means and methods of warfare: bullets......Page 305
Specific weapons, means and methods of warfare: Non-detectable fragments......Page 306
Specific weapons, means and methods of warfare: Booby traps......Page 307
Specific weapons, means and methods of warfare: Landmines......Page 308
Specific weapons, means and methods of warfare: Incendiary weapons......Page 309
Specific weapons, means and methods of warfare: Blinding laser weapons......Page 311
3. Final remarks......Page 312
1. Introduction......Page 316
a. General principles......Page 323
b. Killings......Page 324
c. Ill-treatment......Page 325
d. Slavery and forced labour......Page 327
f. ‘Enforced disappearances’......Page 328
g. Detention......Page 329
h. Due process guarantees......Page 332
3. Final remarks......Page 334
1. Introduction......Page 336
Prisoners of War......Page 337
Other persons deprived of their liberty......Page 342
2. The Rules......Page 349
A. Prisoner ofWar status......Page 350
B. Treatment – Persons deprived of liberty......Page 353
3. Final remarks......Page 368
1. Introduction......Page 371
Sources used......Page 373
2. The Rules......Page 375
3. Final remarks......Page 386
1. Introduction......Page 388
Compliance with international humanitarian law......Page 391
Enforcement of international humanitarian law......Page 398
Reprisals......Page 401
State responsibility......Page 406
3. Final remarks......Page 409
1. Introduction......Page 411
Individual Responsibility......Page 414
War Crimes......Page 418
3. Final remarks......Page 431
PART 4 Conclusions......Page 433
The methodology......Page 435
The Rules......Page 438
The value of the Study......Page 442
INDEX......Page 449