Source: https://ihl-databases.icrc.org/customary-ihl/eng/docs/v2_rul_rule65_sectionc
Timestamp: 2019-04-24 01:00:18+00:00

Document:
Article 37(1)(b) of the 1977 Additional Protocol I lists “the feigning of an incapacitation by wounds or sickness” as an act of perfidy.
Protocol Additional to the Geneva Conventions of 12 August 1949, and relating to the Protection of Victims of International Armed Conflicts (Protocol I), Geneva, 8 June 1977, Article 37(1)(b). Article 37 was adopted by consensus. CDDH, Official Records, Vol. VI, CDDH/SR.39, 25 May 1977, p. 103.
Article 21(1) of the draft Additional Protocol II submitted by the ICRC to the CDDH provided that “when carried out in order to commit or resume hostilities, … the feigning of a situation of distress” was considered perfidy.
Australia, Law of Armed Conflict, Commanders’ Guide, Australian Defence Force Publication, Operations Series, ADFP 37 Supplement 1 – Interim Edition, 7 March 1994, § 826(b) (naval warfare) and § 902(b) (land warfare).
Australia, Law of Armed Conflict, Commanders’ Guide, Australian Defence Force Publication, Operations Series, ADFP 37 Supplement 1 – Interim Edition, 7 March 1994, § 503.
Australia, Manual on Law of Armed Conflict, Australian Defence Force Publication, Operations Series, ADFP 37 – Interim Edition, 1994, § 703(b).
Burundi’s Regulations on International Humanitarian Law (2007) states: “Perfidy consists of committing a hostile act under the cover of legal protection (e.g. … feigning being disabled by injuries or sickness …)”.
Burundi, Règlement n° 98 sur le droit international humanitaire, Ministère de la Défense Nationale et des Anciens Combattants, Projet “Moralisation” (BDI/B-05), August 2007, Part I bis, p. 32; see also Part I bis, p. 95.
Cameroon’s Instructor’s Manual (1992) provides that “feigning incapacitation by wounds or sickness” is an example of perfidy.
Likewise, “feigning being hors de combat” is qualified as an act of perfidy.
Cameroon’s Instructor’s Manual (2006) lists “feigning being hors de combat” as an “act of perfidy”.
Cameroon, Droit des conflits armés et droit international humanitaire, Manuel de l’instructeur en vigueur dans les forces de défense, Ministère de la Défense, Présidence de la République, Etat-major des Armées, 2006, p. 59, § 251; see also p. 85, § 341 and p. 183, § 494.A.
Canada, The Law of Armed Conflict at the Operational and Tactical Level, Office of the Judge Advocate General, 1999, p. 6-2, § 9(b) (land warfare), p. 7-2, § 17(b) (air warfare) and p. 8-11, § 81(c) (naval warfare).
Canada, The Law of Armed Conflict at the Operational and Tactical Levels, Office of the Judge Advocate General, 13 August 2001, §§ 603.2.b (land warfare), 706.2.b (air warfare) and 857.2.c (naval warfare).
- the feigning of being hors de combat.
Côte d’Ivoire, Droit de la guerre, Manuel d’instruction, Livre I: Instruction de base, Ministère de la Défense, Forces Armées Nationales, November 2007, p. 16.
- feigning of an incapacitation by wounds or sickness.
Côte d’Ivoire, Droit de la guerre, Manuel d’instruction, Livre III, Tome 1: Instruction de l’élève officier d’active de 1ère année, Manuel de l’élève, Ministère de la Défense, Forces Armées Nationales, November 2007, p. 41; see also Droit de la guerre, Manuel d’instruction, Livre IV: Instruction du chef de section et du commandant de compagnie, Manuel de l’élève, Ministère de la Défense, Forces Armées Nationales, November 2007, p. 48.
Under Germany’s Soldiers’ Manual (1991), “the feigning of being incapacitated for combat” constitutes a perfidious act.
Germany’s Soldiers’ Manual (2006) states that perfidious acts are those “by which the adversary is induced to believe that there is a situation affording protection under public international law, so that he may be attacked by surprise, e.g. the feigning of an incapacitation”.
Germany, Druckschrift Einsatz Nr. 03, Humanitäres Völkerrecht in bewaffneten Konflikten –Grundsätze, Erarbeitet nach ZDv 15/2, Humanitäres Völkerrecht in bewaffneten Konflikten – Handbuch, DSK SF009320187, Bundesministerium der Verteidigung, R II 3, August 2006, p. 2.
The Hellenic Navy’s International Law Manual (1995) provides that “the feigning of being wounded” constitutes perfidy.
Under Hungary’s Military Manual (1992), feigning incapacitation by wounds or sickness is an example of perfidy.
Pretending to be injured or ill for the purpose of achieving a military advantage. Here again, the purpose is to prevent a situation in which the soldiers of one side would fear getting medical help for the wounded of the other side.
Madagascar’s Military Manual (1994) states that feigning incapacitation because of wounds or sickness is prohibited.
The Military Manual (1993) of the Netherlands states that the 1977 Additional Protocol I “gives a number of examples of treacherous behaviour [including] feigning to be hors de combat by wounds or sickness”.
The Military Handbook (1995) of the Netherlands provides that it is a prohibited method of warfare “to perform treacherous acts (for example, feigning to have been killed or to be wounded … and then suddenly resume fighting)”.
It is forbidden to lead an adversary in battle to believe, by behaviour (moaning and groaning) that you are wounded and wish to surrender and then suddenly to open fire on those offering help. A combatant who feigns death on the battlefield to evade capture and then return to his own lines commits no act of perfidy. He only wants to mislead the enemy.
Netherlands, Humanitair Oorlogsrecht: Handleiding, Voorschift No. 27-412, Koninklijke Landmacht, Militair Juridische Dienst, 2005, §§ 0414–0415.
Nigeria’s Military Manual (1994) gives the following example of “perjury” (perfidy): “feigning incapacitation by wounds or sickness”.
Nigeria, International Humanitarian Law (IHL), Directorate of Legal Services, Nigerian Army, 1994, pp. 42 and 43, § 12(c).
Peru’s IHL Manual (2004) states that “the feigning of an incapacitation by wounds or sickness” is an example of perfidy.
Peru, Manual de Derecho Internacional Humanitario para las Fuerzas Armadas, Resolución Ministerial Nº 1394-2004-DE/CCFFAA/CDIH-FFAA, Lima, 1 December 2004, § 27.e.(9).(c).
Peru’s IHL and Human Rights Manual (2010) states that “the feigning of an incapacitation by wounds or sickness” is an example of perfidy.
Peru, Manual de Derecho Internacional Humanitario y Derechos Humanos para las Fuerzas Armadas, Resolución Ministerial No. 049-2010/DE/VPD, Lima, 21 May 2010, § 28(e)(2)(c), p. 239.
Under Romania’s Soldiers’ Manual (1991), “simulation of incapacity due to wound or sickness” is an act of perfidy.
When planning and conducting combat operations it is necessary to draw a clear distinction between perfidy and ruses of war. Perfidy means committing a hostile act under the cover of a right to protection by feigning: … incapacitation by wounds or sickness.
According to the manual, this is considered as an example of a perfidious act.
Spain’s LOAC Manual (2007) prohibits the act of perfidy and states that “the feigning of an incapacitation by wounds or sickness” is an example of such an act.
Spain, Orientaciones. El Derecho de los Conflictos Armados, Tomo 1, Publicación OR7–004, (Edición Segunda), Mando de Adiestramiento y Doctrina, Dirección de Doctrina, Orgánica y Materiales, 2 November 2007, § 2.3.b.(3); see also, §§ 3.3.b.(1).(b), 5.3.c and 7.3.c.
Under Sweden’s IHL Manual (1991), “the feigning of incapacitation by wounds or sickness” constitutes perfidious conduct. However, “if for example a soldier simulates injury or sickness only to avoid an adversary’s attack, this is not judged as perfidy”.
Sweden, International Humanitarian Law in Armed Conflict, with reference to the Swedish Total Defence System, Swedish Ministry of Defence, January 1991, Section 3.2.1.1.b), p. 29.
Switzerland’s Basic Military Manual (1987) provides that perfidy is forbidden and that: “It is notably prohibited … to feign incapacitation for combat by wounds or sickness”.
Ukraine’s IHL Manual (2004) states that an example of perfidy is “the feigning of an incapacitation by wounds or sickness”.
According to the UK Military Manual (1958), “it would be treachery for a soldier to sham wounded or dead and then to attack enemy soldiers who approached him without hostile intent”.
United Kingdom, The Law of War on Land being Part III of the Manual of Military Law, The War Office, HMSO, 1958, § 115, footnote 2; see also § 311, footnote 1.
According to the UK LOAC Manual (2004), “the feigning of an incapacitation by wounds or sickness” is an example of prohibited perfidy, “if done with intent to betray the enemy’s confidence”.
The Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia’s Military Manual (1988) states that “feigning incapacitation by wounds or sickness” is an act of perfidy.
Yugoslavia, Socialist Federal Republic of, Propisi o Primeri Pravila Medjunarodnog Ratnog Prava u Oruzanim Snagama SFRJ, PrU-2, Savezni Sekretarijat za Narodnu Odbranu (Pravna Uprava), 1988, § 104(2).
Colombia’s Penal Code (2000), in an article entitled “Perfidy”, imposes a criminal sanction on “anyone who, during an armed conflict and with intent to harm or attack the adversary, simulates the condition of a protected person”, including the wounded and sick.
International humanitarian law prohibits killing, injuring or capturing an adversary by resorting to perfidy. Acts of perfidy include any form of deception designed to win the confidence of an adversary and lead him to believe that he is entitled or obliged to accord protection under the rules of international humanitarian law, with the intention of betraying that confidence. An example of perfidy is to falsely lay claim to protected status through … feigning incapacitation on the grounds of injuries or sickness.
To fulfil its task of disseminating IHL, the ICRC has delegates around the world teaching armed and security forces that “to pretend being incapacitated by wounds or sickness” constitutes an act of perfidy.
Frédéric de Mulinen, Handbook on the Law of War for Armed Forces, ICRC, Geneva, 1987, § 409(c).

References: § 826
 § 902
 § 503
 § 703
 § 251
 § 341
 § 494
 § 9
 § 17
 § 81
 § 12
 § 27
 § 28
 § 2
 § 115
 § 311
 § 104
 § 409