Humanitarian law and its role in the period of hostilities

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More recently, the war was extremely destructive and different excessive rigidity.Such a situation existed before the mid-19th century.However, society, fortunately, able to develop not only technically, but also mentally.In 1859, Henri Dunant of Switzerland, after he had seen the terrible pictures of the battlefield (of Solferino), with thousands of dead and doomed to death a soldier became the organizer of the help on a voluntary basis.Since beginning to emerge humanitarian law.

Since then, there have been many conferences on this issue, as well as a number of conventions:

  • Geneva (1864) - for assistance to soldiers and civilians injured in the fighting on land.
  • Hague (1899 and 1907) - they are assembled with the basic provisions of the regulations to be followed during military operations at sea.

However, let's understand that there are humanitarian law from a legal point of view:

  1. It is a system of legal norms and principles used during military conflicts.
  2. It is based on the legal traditions and customs that were formed as a result of warfare.
  3. contained in the contract (international).

Let us consider the basic rules of humanitarian law.Mainly, it is, of course, restrictions.

  • can not kill civilians, wounding them and used against them of terrorist activities.
  • The same applies to the fighters lay down their arms or left without him, as well as in captivity.
  • parlementaire and those who accompanied him - are inviolable.
  • humanitarian law prohibits the taking of hostages.
  • attack on the points where there are wounded as well as medical units and transport - banned.
  • person should not be forced to fight against his country, even if at the time of the outbreak of hostilities, he was not a citizen.
  • Never use weapons of mass destruction, as well as certain types of firearms, as, for example, a pistol with bullets tearing.In general, all methods of destruction, entailing a painful death, European humanitarian law prohibits apply.
  • not permitted to deliberately attack.The indiscriminate nature of hostilities entails a large number of victims.

This is not an exhaustive list of prohibitions.In the case of violations of humanitarian law (which does not entail an ordinary criminal liability) in respect of persons who do not respect the rules, the penalty under the Disciplinary Regulations of the Russian Federation (as a rule, liability).

Humanitarian law also provides for the rights of combatants and their responsibilities.

  • victims of the conflict must be protected by humanitarian law.
  • During hostilities and the end of their unit commanders are obliged to organize assistance to the wounded.
  • Prisoners of war shall retain all rights of the individual: unacceptably inhumane attitude towards them, torture, humiliation.In addition, prisoners are eligible for the first 7 days after the capture notify relatives.
  • Women and children should have special rights and defend against attacks, not only to life, but also the honor and dignity.

system of humanitarian law is supported by virtually all countries.