What is acceptable and what is prohibited in armed conflict? The four Geneva Conventions of 1949 form the foundation of international humanitarian law and provide a framework setting out the answers to that question.
In the 1950s, the ICRC published a set of commentaries on these Conventions, giving practical guidance on their implementation. But to reflect the developments in law and practice since then, the ICRC commissioned a new set of commentaries that seek to reflect the current interpretations of the Conventions. The updated Commentaries on the First and Second Conventions were published in 2016 and 2017, respectively. Just this summer, the updated Commentary on the Third Geneva Convention related to the treatment of prisoners of war was launched after years of research and analysis.
In this episode of the podcast, we discuss the Commentary’s main findings on key humanitarian issues related to the treatment of prisoners of war. Guests include Jean-Marie Henckaerts, ICRC’s legal advisor and head of ICRC’s project to update the Commentaries on the 1949 Geneva Conventions and the Additional Protocols of 1977 and Colonel Richard B. “Dick” Jackson, Retired Army Judge Advocate and former Special Assistant to the Judge Advocate General for Law of War Matters. Hosted by Tracey Begley.
Related:
-
Follow Jean-Marie Henckaerts on Twitter, where he highlights Commentary-related content
*Intercross, the Podcast disclaimer: Just because something or someone is featured here, doesn’t mean we endorse or agree with the institutions they represent. Views expressed on the platforms we may highlight don’t necessarily represent those of the ICRC.*