46 INTERNATIONAL LEGAL PROTECTION OF HUMAN RIGHTS IN ARMED CONFLICT law continues to apply to the whole territory under the control of a party, whether or not actual combat takes place there.51 The Tribunal later confirmed this interpretation. Its Trial Chamber held that if the conflict in Bosnia and Herzegovina was considered international “the relevant norms of international humanitarian law apply throughout its territory until the general cessation of hostilities, unless it can be shown that the conflicts in some areas were separate internal conflicts, unrelated to the larger international armed conflict.” If the conflict was considered internal then “the provisions of international humanitarian law applicable in such internal conflicts apply throughout those areas controlled by the parties to the conflict, until a peaceful settlement is reached.”52 C. LIMITATIONS ON THE APPLICATION OF INTERNATIONAL HUMAN RIGHTS LAW AND INTERNATIONAL HUMANITARIAN LAW PROTECTIONS As a general principle, the legal applicability of international human rights protections is not affected by conflicts. However, international human rights law is characterized by an exceptional regime, by which under certain strict conditions States may limit their fulfilment or their protection of certain rights. These conditions frequently take place in armed conflict, even if they are not limited to such situations. Specifically, under international human rights law it is possible for States to derogate from certain human rights obligations and to impose limitations on the exercise of certain rights. To a lesser extent, derogations from rules protecting civilians are admissible in some circumstances in international humanitarian law, and several of its rules allow exceptions for reasons of military necessity or security. States may also register reservations on the extent to which some provisions of a particular international humanitarian law or human rights instrument are applicable. Significant conditions apply to States that wish to use any   Prosecutor v. Duško Tadic´, paras. 68 and 70.   Prosecutor v. Zejnil Delalic´ et al., case No. IT-96-21-T, Judgement of 16 November 1998, para. 209. See also Prosecutor v. Tihomir Blaškic´, case No. IT-95-14-T, Judgement of 3 March 2000, para. 64. 51 52