Armed conflict
Sources
First Geneva Convention (arts. 3, 7, 8, 9, 10, 12, 46, 50 and 63)
Second Geneva Convention (arts. 3, 7, 8, 9, 10, 12, 47, 51 and 62)
Third Geneva Convention (arts. 3, 7, 8, 9, 10, 13, 14, 15, 16, 78, 126, 130 and 142)
Fourth Geneva Convention (arts. 3, 4, 8, 9, 10, 11, 13, 14, 27, 33, 54, 143, 147 and 158)
Protocol I (arts. 1, 10, 20, 43(3), 50(1,2), 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 75, 81 and 85)
Protocol II (arts. 1, 4, 7, 8, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17 and 18)
Standards
During armed conflicts and occupation, police are to be considered non-combatants
unless they are formally incorporated in the armed forces.128
Police have a right to abstain from fulfilling their functions under occupation for reasons of conscience, and this shall not result in an alteration of their status.129
Humanitarian law applies in all situations of armed conflict.130
Principles of humanity must be safeguarded in all situations.131
Non-combatants and persons put out of action by injury, sickness, capture or any other
cause must be respected and protected.132
Persons suffering from the effects of war must be aided and cared for without discrimination.133
Acts prohibited in all circumstances include:
- Murder
- Torture
- Corporal punishment
- Mutilation
- Outrages on personal dignity
- Hostage-taking
- Collective punishment
- Executions without regular trial
- Cruel and degrading treatment134
128
Geneva Convention for the Amelioration of the Condition of the Wounded and Sick in the Armed Forces in the Field (hereinafter “First Geneva
Convention”), Geneva Convention for the Amelioration of the Condition of Wounded, Sick and Shipwrecked Members of the Armed Forces at Sea
(hereinafter “Second Geneva Convention”), Geneva Convention relative to the Treatment of Prisoners of War (hereinafter “Third Geneva
Convention”), Geneva Convention relative to the Protection of Civilian Persons in Time of War (hereinafter “Fourth Geneva Convention”), common
article 3 (hereinafter the four Conventions taken together will be designated “The Geneva Conventions”); Protocol Additional to the Geneva
Conventions of 12 August 1949, and relating to the Protection of Victims of International Armed Conflict (Protocol I) (hereinafter “Protocol I”), articles 43(3) and 50(1,2).
129
Fourth Geneva Convention, articles 27 and 54.
130
The Geneva Conventions, article 3; Protocol I, article 1; Protocol Additional to the Geneva Conventions of 12 August 1949, and relating to the
Protection of Victims of Non-International Armed Conflict (Protocol II) (hereinafter “Protocol II”), article 1.
131
The Geneva Conventions, common article 3; First Geneva Convention, article 63; Second Geneva Convention, article 62; Third Geneva Convention,
article 142; Fourth Geneva Convention, article 158; Protocol I, article 1; Protocol II, article 4.
132
The Geneva Conventions, common article 3; First Geneva Convention, article 12; Second Geneva Convention, article 12; Third Geneva Convention,
articles 13 and 16; Fourth Geneva Convention, article 4; Protocol I, articles 10 and 75; Protocol II, articles 4, 7 and 8.
133
The Geneva Conventions, common article 3; First Geneva Convention, article 12; Second Geneva Convention, article 12; Third Geneva Convention,
articles 13-15; Fourth Geneva Convention, articles 13 and 14; Protocol I, article 10; Protocol II, article 7.
134
The Geneva Conventions, common article 3; First Geneva Convention, article 50; Second Geneva Convention, article 51; Third Geneva Convention,
articles 13 and 130; Fourth Geneva Convention, article 147; Protocol I, article 85; Protocol II, article 4.
117
Select target paragraph3
Connect to a paragraph
Connect to an entity
Disable highlights
Add to table of contents