Geneva Convention

Convention (I) for the

Amelioration of the
Condition of the Wounded
and Sick in Armed Forces
in the Field. Geneva, 12
August 1949.
Chapter I : General Provisio
  Art 1 - All parties to respect the Convention
  Art 2 - Applicable in peace time and war.
  Art 3 - To apply to all, without
discrimination. No violent acts, hostage-
taking, punishment without trial,
execution, outrage of personal dignity.
Must care for sick and wounded
  Art 4 - Neutral power to equally observe
  Art 5 - Protected persons are protected
until their repatriation
  Art 6 - No special agreement to restrict the rights
of sick and wounded, medical and religious
personnel
  Art 7 - Sick, wounded, medical and religious
personnel cannot renounce their rights
  Art 8 - Convention applies to Protecting Powers
agreed by parties of the conflict
  Art 9 - No obstacles to ICRC or other humanitarian
organizations activities
  Art 10 - Parties may entrust impartial
humanitarian organizations to carry out
humanitarian activities
  Art 11 - In case of disagreement between Parties –
Protecting Power to mediate to settle
disagreement
Chapter II : Wounded and S
  Art 12 - Members of the AF and other persons who are sick
must be respected. Treatment to be based on medical
priority
  Art 13 - Convention applicable to wounded and sick –
members of AF, volunteers, resistance movements,
members of other AF, accompanying persons, crew
members and resisting inhabitants of non-occupied
territories.
  Art 14 - Wounded and sick captured by the enemy
considered as POW
  Art 15 - Parties to quickly search wounded and sick, to
protect from pillage and ill-treatment
  Art 16 - Parties to record details of each wounded, sick or
dead person of the adverse party
  Art 17 - Burial / cremation of the dead, confirmation of death
and grave registration
  Art 18 - Appeal to the charity in the collection and care of the
wounded and sick
Chapter III : Medical Units and Est

  Art 19 - No medical units to be attacked

  Art 20 - Hospital ships not to be
attacked from the land
  Art 21 - Protection shall not cease unless
humanitarian duties violated and
warning given
  Art 22 - Conditions depriving medical
units protection by the Convention
  Art 23 - The creation of hospital zones
and localities
 Chapter IV : Personnel
  Art 24 - Medical and religious personnel to
be protected in all circumstances
  Art 25 - Members of the AF employed for
medical duties to be respected and
protected
  Art 26 - Staff of the Red Cross or Volunteer
Aid Societies placed under military laws to
receive similar treatment
  Art 27 - A recognized society of neutral
country can lend assistance to a party to
the conflict
  Art 28 - Personnel designated in Art 24 and
26 who fall into the hands of the adverse
party are not POWs
  Art 29 - Persons mentioned in Art
shall be POW, to be employed on
medical duties as needed
  Art 30 - Persons subject to Art 28
shall be returned as soon as military
requirements permits
  Art 31 - Selection of persons to be
returned shall not be subject to
discrimination
  Art 32 - Persons designated in Art 27
shall not be detained
Chapter V : Buildings and M

Art 33 - Material of medical mobile

units captured to be used for the
care of wounded and sick only
Art 34 - Resources of fixed medical
establishments may not be diverted
for other purpose. They shall not be
destroyed
 Chapter VI : Medical
Transports
  Art 35 - Transport of wounded and
sick to be respected and protected
  Art 36 - Medical aircraft flying under
prescribed condition and properly
marked are not to be attacked
  Art 37 - Medical aircraft may fly over
neutral Powers territory, subject to
conditions
 Chapter VII : The
Distinctive Emblem
  Art 38 - Red cross, red crescent and red lion and sun
  Art 39 - Emblems to be displayed under direction of
competent military authorities
 Art 40 - Personnel designated in Art 24, 26 and 27 shall
wear distinctive emblem armlet, have standard ID
card
  Art 41 - Personnel designated in Art 25 shall wear the
armlet only when performing medical duties
  Art 42 - Distinctive flag to be hoisted over medical units
and establishments
  Art 43 - Medical unit of neutral countries may fly flag of
the belligerent country if the facility is used by the
party
  Art 44 - The emblems are to be used to indicate and
protect medical establishments
 Chapter VIII : Execution of
the Convention
  Art 45 - Parties to the conflict shall
ensure conformity to the principles of
the Convention
  Art 46 - Reprisals against personnel,
building and equipment protected
under Convention are prohibited
  Art 47 - Parties to undertake
dissemination of the text of the
Convention
  Art 48 - Parties to communicate to Swiss
Federal Council the laws they adopted
to ensure the application of the
Chapter IX : Repression of Abu
  Art 49 - Parties to enact legislation to
provide penal sanction for breaches of the
Convention
  Art 50 - Acts constituting grave breaches
  Art 51 - No party can absolve itself of liability
  Art 52 - Inquiry to be instituted at the
request of a party of the conflict for alleged
violation of the Convention
  Art 53 -The use of distinctive emblems other
by those entitled is prohibited
  Art 54 - Parties to enact legislation to
prevent abuses referred to under Art 53
 Final Provisions
  Art 55 - The Convention is established in
English and French. Both versions are
authentic
  Art 56 - The Convention is open to signature
until 12 February 1950. Also open to parties
of 1864, 1906 Conventions or Convention
for the Relief of the Wounded and Sick in
Armies in the Field
  Art 57 - Convention to be ratified as soon as
possible
  Art 58 - Convention to come into force six
months after two instruments of ratification
deposited. Six months after ratification
deposit by parties
  Art 59 - The Convention replaces the 1864
and 1929 Conventions
  Art 60 - It is opened to any power who has
not signed to accede to the Convention
  Art 61 - Accession to be notified to the Swiss
Federal Council
  Art 62 - Situation in Art 2 and 3 shall give
immediate effect to ratifications
  Art 63 - Parties are at liberty to denounce
the Convention
  Art 64 - The Swiss Federal Council shall
register the Convention to the Secretariat of
the UN
Annex I : Draft Agreement Rel

  Art 1 – Hospital zones to be strictly observed

  Art 2 – No person within hospital zone are to be
connected with military operations
  Art 3 – The establishing Power to ensure access
prohibited to persons who have no right of
residence
  Art 4 – The zone shall fulfil the prescribed
conditions
  Art 5 – The zone shall be subject to the
prescribed obligations
  Art 6 – The zone shall be marked by red cross,
red crescent or red lion and sun
  Art 7 – The Power shall communicate the list of
hospital zone governed by them
  Art 8 – Power recognizing hospital zones
instituted by adverse party entitled to demand
control of the zone by Special Commissioner for
purpose of verification
  Art 9 – Special Commissioner shall draw the
attention of governing power of any violation.
Also shall notify power recognizing the zone
  Art 10 – Power establishing the zone and power
recognizing the zone shall nominate the
members of the Special Commission
  Art 11 – Hospital zones shall not be subjected to
attacks
  Art 12 – In the event of occupation it shall
continue to function and utilized as such
Art 13 – The agreement also applies to zone
utilized for similar purposes