Source: https://ihl-databases.icrc.org/customary-ihl/ara/docs/v2_cou_ca_rule92
Timestamp: 2020-08-03 18:16:07
Document Index: 517830880

Matched Legal Cases: ['§ 21', '§ 15', '§ 907', '§ 1135', '§ 1608', '§ 103', '§ 68', '§ 1']

Canada’s LOAC Manual (1999) provides that it is a violation of the 1949 Geneva Convention I to “subject the wounded, sick and shipwrecked, even with their consent, to physical mutilations, medical or scientific experiments, or the removal of tissue for transplantation, except where justified by their medical needs”.
Canada, The Law of Armed Conflict at the Operational and Tactical Level, Office of the Judge Advocate General, 1999, p. 9-2, § 21.
The manual prohibits similar acts with regard to persons protected by the 1949 Geneva Convention IV.
The manual further provides that it is a war crime and a grave breach of the 1977 Additional Protocol I to subject a person to a medical procedure that
is not indicated by the state of health of that person, and … is not consistent with generally accepted medical standards applicable in similar circumstances to persons who are nationals of the party conducting the procedure and who are in no way deprived of liberty [and to subject a person] to medical or scientific experiments, [or] the removal of tissue for transplantation, except for donations of blood or of skin for grafting given voluntarily and in conformity with generally accepted medical standards, unless justified by the medical needs of the person.
Canada, The Law of Armed Conflict at the Operational and Tactical Level, Office of the Judge Advocate General, 1999, p. 16-2, § 15(a)–(b).
2. Attempts upon their lives and violence against their persons are prohibited. They shall not be murdered or subjected to biological experiments, left without proper medical care and attention or exposed to conditions, which might result in contagion or infection. The term “wounded, sick and shipwrecked”, includes civilians.
909. Medical experiments
1. It is prohibited to subject the wounded, sick and shipwrecked, even with their consent, to physical mutilations, medical or scientific experiments, or the removal of tissue for transplantation, except where justified by their medical needs.
910. Blood transfusions and skin grafts
1. It is permitted to take donations of blood for transfusion or skin for grafting, provided this is done solely for therapeutic purposes and given voluntarily without coercion or inducement. The taking of blood or skin must be done in conditions consistent with standards and controls designed for the benefit of donor and recipient in accordance with generally accepted medical standards.
911. Right to refuse surgical operations
1. The wounded, sick and shipwrecked as well as any person detained as a PW [prisoner of war] or for any other purpose connected with the conflict is entitled to refuse any surgical operation. In such case, however, every endeavour should be made to secure from the PW a written and signed statement to this effect.
Canada, The Law of Armed Conflict at the Operational and Tactical Levels, Office of the Judge Advocate General, 13 August 2001, §§ 907 and 909–912.
(4) mutilation;
Canada, The Law of Armed Conflict at the Operational and Tactical Levels, Office of the Judge Advocate General, 13 August 2001, § 1135.1, 2.a.4 and e.
It is a grave breach of [the 1977 Additional Protocol II] to commit a wilful act or omission that seriously endangers the physical or mental health or integrity of any person who is in the power of a party other than the one on which that person depends. The wilful act or omission may consist of,
a. subjecting a person to a medical procedure that:
(1) is not indicated by the state of health of that person, and
(2) is not consistent with generally accepted medical standards applicable in similar circumstances to persons who are nationals of the party conducting the procedure and who are in no way deprived of liberty; or
b. subjecting a person, even with that person’s consent, to any of the following:
(1) physical mutilations,
(2) medical or scientific experiments,
(3) removal of tissue or organs for transplantation (except for donations of blood or of skin for grafting given voluntarily and in conformity with generally accepted medical standards), unless justified by the medical needs of the person.
Canada, The Law of Armed Conflict at the Operational and Tactical Levels, Office of the Judge Advocate General, 13 August 2001, § 1608.1.
i violence to life and person, in particular murder of all kinds, mutilation, cruel treatment and torture.
Grave breaches of the [1949 Geneva Conventions] and [the 1977 Additional Protocol I] include any of the following actions.
Canada, Prisoner of War Handling, Detainees, Interrogation and Tactical Questioning in International Operations, B-GJ-005-110/FP-020, National Defence Headquarters, 1 August 2004, § 103.2.a.
Canada’s Geneva Conventions Act (1985) as amended in 2007 provides: “Every person who, whether within or outside Canada, commits a grave breach [of the 1949 Geneva Conventions or of the 1977 Additional Protocol I] is guilty of an indictable offence.”
In 2009, in the Munyaneza case, Canada’s Superior Court of Québec found a Rwandan national who had been residing in Canada guilty of genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes committed in Rwanda in 1994. The Court stated:
Canada, Superior Court, Criminal Division, Province of Québec, Munyaneza case, Judgement, 22 May 2009, §§ 68 and 88.
The Government of Canada does not intend to be bound by the prohibitions contained in Article 11, sub-paragraph 2 (c), with respect to Canadian nationals or other persons ordinarily resident in Canada who may be interned, detained or otherwise deprived of liberty as a result of a situation referred to in Article 1, so long as the removal of tissue or organs for transplantation is in accordance with Canadian laws and applicable to the population generally and the operation is carried out in accordance with normal Canadian medical practices, standards or ethics.
Canada, Reservations and statements of understanding made upon ratification of the 1977 Additional Protocol I, 20 November 1990, § 1.
In 2012, in a statement before the UN Security Council during an open debate in connection with the agenda item “Children and Armed Conflict”, the permanent representative of Canada stated: “This year’s Secretary General’s report continues to document grave violations and abuses being committed against girls and boys – including the killing and maiming of children … These despicable actions must be stopped.”