Law and Conflict

Taking the high road in military operations

Taking the high road in military operations

October 19, 2016 7 mins read Events and highlights / Law and Conflict Andreas Kaufmann

Many of today’s armed conflicts involve opponents who significantly differ in terms of military capacity and resources. Military experts who recently gathered at ...

The establishment of courts by armed groups: what is the legal basis?

The establishment of courts by armed groups: what is the legal basis?

October 11, 2016 10 mins read Analysis / Law and Conflict Ezequiel Heffes

While the law of armed conflict is understood as granting armed groups the possibility to install judicial mechanisms in order to pass judgments ...

Legal review of new weapons: Scope of the obligation and best practices

Legal review of new weapons: Scope of the obligation and best practices

October 6, 2016 7 mins read Events and highlights / Law and Conflict / Weapons The editors

Article 36 of the Additional Protocol I to the Geneva Conventions (AP I) states that each State Party is required to determine whether ...

Back to basics: Enhancing African adherence to the rules of war

Back to basics: Enhancing African adherence to the rules of war

October 4, 2016 6 mins read Generating Respect for IHL / Law and Conflict Mutsa Mangezi

While many African countries continue to live with the daily consequences of armed conflict, the proper application and implementation of international humanitarian law ...

An unwarranted human sacrifice in the Middle East

An unwarranted human sacrifice in the Middle East

September 26, 2016 11 mins read Law and Conflict / Stories Omar Mekky

Earlier this month Muslims in the Middle East and across the world celebrated Eid al-Adha, the Feast of Sacrifice. Those holy days honor ...

Translating IHL into military operations

Translating IHL into military operations

September 15, 2016 5 mins read Events and highlights / Law and Conflict The editors

Most of today’s armed conflicts are characterized by asymmetry between the parties. When faced with opponents who significantly differ in terms of military ...

Clarifying the fate of missing persons

Clarifying the fate of missing persons

September 15, 2016 13 mins read Events and highlights / Humanitarian Action / Law and Conflict Raphaël Dallaire Ferland

How does looking at prisons’ laundry receipts or funeral documents help finding those who have ...

Launch of the ICRC handbook on IHL

Launch of the ICRC handbook on IHL

September 13, 2016 7 mins read Events and highlights / Law and Conflict Dr Nils Melzer, Human Rights Chair, Geneva Academy

Speech given by Dr Nils Melzer, author of International Humanitarian Law – a Comprehensive Introduction, at the International Institute for Humanitarian Law, Sanremo, ...

Generating respect for the law in Africa

Generating respect for the law in Africa

August 31, 2016 11 mins read Events and highlights / Law and Conflict Margherita D’Ascanio

The majority of armed conflicts being fought on the African continent are classified as non-international armed conflicts, and are characterized by the presence ...

Majority of governments vote for negotiations to prohibit nuclear weapons

Majority of governments vote for negotiations to prohibit nuclear weapons

August 29, 2016 3 mins read Law and Conflict Ellen Policinski

The UN’s open-ended working group on nuclear disarmament (OEWG) adopted a recommendation which may lead to the negotiation of a treaty to prohibit ...

Why educating students on humanitarian norms and values matters

Why educating students on humanitarian norms and values matters

July 29, 2016 10 mins read Events and highlights / Humanitarian Action / Law and Conflict Etienne Kuster & George Dvaladze

Apart from the renowned Jean-Pictet Competition, there are dozens of student competitions in international humanitarian ...

Nuclear weapons: Rising in defence of humanity

Nuclear weapons: Rising in defence of humanity

July 27, 2016 8 mins read Law and Conflict / Online publications Ellen Policinski & Vincent Bernard

Approximately 340,000 people died immediately and within the five years following the atomic bombs being dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki on 6 and ...