International Humanitarian Law (IHL)
- Rules -
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Introduction
Chapter Introduction
Introduction
Annex I. National research
Annex II. Research in the ICRC archives
Annex III. Expert consultations
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I. The Principle of Distinction
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Chapter 1. Distinction between Civilians and Combatants
Rule 1. The Principle of Distinction between Civilians and Combatants
Rule 2. Violence Aimed at Spreading Terror among the Civilian Population
Rule 3. Definition of Combatants
Rule 4. Definition of Armed Forces
Rule 5. Definition of Civilians
Rule 6. Civilians’ Loss of Protection from Attack
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Chapter 2. Distinction between Civilian Objects and Military Objectives
Rule 7. The Principle of Distinction between Civilian Objects and Military Objectives
Rule 8. Definition of Military Objectives
Rule 9. Definition of Civilian Objects
Rule 10. Civilian Objects’ Loss of Protection from Attack
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Chapter 3. Indiscriminate Attacks
Rule 11. Indiscriminate Attacks
Rule 12. Definition of Indiscriminate Attacks
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Chapter 4. Proportionality in Attack
Rule 14. Proportionality in Attack
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Chapter 5. Precautions in Attack
Rule 15. Principle of Precautions in Attack
Rule 17. Choice of Means and Methods of Warfare
Rule 18. Assessment of the Effects of Attacks
Rule 19. Control during the Execution of Attacks
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Chapter 6. Precautions against the Effects of Attacks
Rule 22. Principle of Precautions against the Effects of Attacks
Rule 23. Location of Military Objectives outside Densely Populated Areas
Rule 24. Removal of Civilians and Civilian Objects from the Vicinity of Military Objectives
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II. Specifically Protected Persons and Objects
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Chapter 7. Medical and Religious Personnel and Objects
Rule 30. Persons and Objects Displaying the Distinctive Emblem
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Chapter 8. Humanitarian Relief Personnel and Objects
Rule 31. Humanitarian Relief Personnel
Rule 32. Humanitarian Relief Objects
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Chapter 9. Personnel and Objects Involved in a Peacekeeping Mission
Rule 33. Personnel and Objects Involved in a Peacekeeping Mission
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Chapter 10. Journalists
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Chapter 11. Protected Zones
Rule 35. Hospital and Safety Zones and Neutralized Zones
Rule 37. Open Towns and Non-Defended Localities
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Chapter 12. Cultural Property
Rule 38. Attacks Against Cultural Property
Rule 39. Use of Cultural Property for Military Purposes
Rule 40. Respect for Cultural Property
Rule 41. Export and Return of Cultural Property in Occupied Territory
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Chapter 13. Works and Installations Containing Dangerous Forces
Rule 42. Works and Installations Containing Dangerous Forces
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Chapter 14. The Natural Environment
Rule 43. Application of General Principles on the Conduct of Hostilities to the Natural Environment
Rule 44. Due Regard for the Natural Environment in Military Operations
Rule 45. Causing Serious Damage to the Natural Environment
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III. Specific Methods of Warfare
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Chapter 15. Denial of Quarter
Rule 46. Orders or Threats that No Quarter Will Be Given
Rule 47. Attacks against Persons Hors de Combat
Rule 48. Attacks against Persons Parachuting from an Aircraft in Distress
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Chapter 16. Destruction and Seizure of Property
Rule 50. Destruction and Seizure of Property of an Adversary
Rule 51. Public and Private Property in Occupied Territory
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Chapter 17. Starvation and Access to Humanitarian Relief
Rule 53. Starvation as a Method of Warfare
Rule 54. Attacks against Objects Indispensable to the Survival of the Civilian Population
Rule 55. Access for Humanitarian Relief to Civilians in Need
Rule 56. Freedom of Movement of Humanitarian Relief Personnel
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Chapter 18. Deception
Rule 58. Improper Use of the White Flag of Truce
Rule 59. Improper Use of the Distinctive Emblems of the Geneva Conventions
Rule 60. Improper Use of the United Nations Emblem or Uniform
Rule 61. Improper Use of Other Internationally Recognized Emblems
Rule 62. Improper Use of the Flags or Military Emblems, Insignia or Uniforms of the Adversary
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Chapter 19. Communication with the Enemy
Rule 66. Non-Hostile Contacts between the Parties to Conflict
Rule 67. Inviolability of Parlementaires
Rule 68. Precautions while Receiving Parlementaires
Rule 69. Loss of Inviolability of Parlementaires
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IV. Weapons
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Chapter 20. General Principles on the Use of Weapons
Rule 70. Weapons of a Nature to Cause Superfluous Injury or Unnecessary Suffering
Rule 71. Weapons That Are by Nature Indiscriminate
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Chapter 21. Poison
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Chapter 22. Nuclear Weapons
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Chapter 23. Biological Weapons
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Chapter 24. Chemical Weapons
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Chapter 25. Expanding Bullets
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Chapter 26. Exploding Bullets
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Chapter 27. Weapons Primarily Injuring by Non-Detectable Fragments
Rule 79. Weapons Primarily Injuring by Non-Detectable Fragments
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Chapter 28. Booby-Traps
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Chapter 29. Landmines
Rule 81. Restrictions on the Use of Landmines
Rule 82. Recording of the Placement of Landmines
Rule 83. Removal or Neutralization of Landmines
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Chapter 30. Incendiary Weapons
Rule 84. The Protection of Civilians and Civilian Objects from the Effects of Incendiary Weapons
Rule 85. The Use of Incendiary Weapons against Combatants
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Chapter 31. Blinding Laser Weapons
Rule 86. Blinding Laser Weapons
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V. Treatment of Civilians and Persons Hors de Combat
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Chapter 32. Fundamental Guarantees
Introduction to Fundamental Guarantees
Rule 90. Torture and Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment
Rule 92. Mutilation and Medical, Scientific or Biological Experiments
Rule 93. Rape and Other forms of Sexual Violence
Rule 94. Slavery and Slave Trade
Rule 98. Enforced Disappearance
Rule 99. Deprivation of Liberty
Rule 100. Fair Trial Guarantees
Rule 101. The Principle of Legality
Rule 102. Individual Criminal Responsibility
Rule 103. Collective Punishments
Rule 104. Respect for Convictions and Religious Practices
Rule 105. Respect for Family Life
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Chapter 33. Combatants and Prisoner-of-War Status
Rule 106. Conditions for Prisoner-of-War Status
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Chapter 34. The Wounded, Sick and Shipwrecked
Rule 109. Search for, Collection and Evacuation of the Wounded, Sick and Shipwrecked
Rule 110. Treatment and Care of the Wounded, Sick and Shipwrecked
Rule 111. Protection of the Wounded, Sick and Shipwrecked against Pillage and Ill-Treatment
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Chapter 35. The Dead
Rule 112. Search for and Collection of the Dead
Rule 113. Treatment of the Dead
Rule 114. Return of the Remains and Personal Effects of the Dead
Rule 115. Disposal of the Dead
Rule 116. Accounting for the Dead
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Chapter 36. Missing Persons
Rule 117. Accounting for Missing Persons
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Chapter 37. Persons Deprived of Their Liberty
Rule 118. Provision of Basic Necessities to Persons Deprived of Their Liberty
Rule 119. Accommodation for Women Deprived of Their Liberty
Rule 120. Accommodation for Children Deprived of Their Liberty
Rule 121. Location of Internment and Detention Centres
Rule 122. Pillage of Personal Belongings of Persons Deprived of Their Liberty
Rule 123. Recording and Notification of Personal Details of Persons Deprived of their Liberty
Rule 124. ICRC Access to Persons Deprived of Their Liberty
Rule 125. Correspondence of Persons Deprived of Their Liberty
Rule 126. Visits to Persons Deprived of Their Liberty
Rule 127. Respect for Convictions and Religious Practices of Persons Deprived of Their Liberty
Rule 128. Release and Return of Persons Deprived of Their Liberty
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Chapter 38. Displacement and Displaced Persons
Rule 129. The Act of Displacement
Rule 130. Transfer of Own Civilian Population into Occupied Territory
Rule 131. Treatment of Displaced Persons
Rule 132. Return of Displaced Persons
Rule 133. Property Rights of Displaced Persons
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Chapter 39. Other Persons Afforded Specific Protection
Rule 136. Recruitment of Child Soldiers
Rule 137. Participation of Child Soldiers in Hostilities
Rule 138. The Elderly, Disabled and Infirm
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VI. Implementation
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Chapter 40. Compliance with International Humanitarian Law
Rule 139. Respect for International Humanitarian Law
Rule 140. Principle of Reciprocity
Rule 141. Legal Advisers for Armed Forces
Rule 142. Instruction in International Humanitarian Law within Armed Forces
Rule 143. Dissemination of International Humanitarian Law among the Civilian Population
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Chapter 41. Enforcement of International Humanitarian Law
Rule 144. Ensuring Respect for International Humanitarian Law Erga Omnes
Rule 146. Reprisals against Protected Persons
Rule 147. Reprisals against Protected Objects
Rule 148. Reprisals in Non-International Armed Conflicts
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Chapter 42. Responsibility and Reparation
Rule 149. Responsibility for violations of International Humanitarian Law
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Chapter 43. Individual Responsibility
Rule 151. Individual Responsibility
Rule 152. Command Responsibility for Orders to Commit War Crimes
Rule 153. Command Responsibility for Failure to Prevent, Repress or Report War Crimes
Rule 154. Obedience to Superior Orders
Rule 155. Defence of Superior Orders
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Chapter 44. War Crimes
Rule 156. Definition of War Crimes
Rule 157. Jurisdiction over War Crimes
Rule 158. Prosecution of War Crimes
Rule 160. Statutes of Limitation
Rule 161. International Cooperation in Criminal Proceedings
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Citation
This page can be referenced as ICRC Database, International Humanitarian Law Databases, International Humanitarian Law Databases - ICRC, https://ihl-databases.icrc.org/en (Last accessed on 03.08.2023)