Source: https://ihl-databases.icrc.org/customary-ihl/eng/docs/v2_cha_chapter7_rule25_sectionb
Timestamp: 2020-01-29 21:32:57
Document Index: 671553414

Matched Legal Cases: ['§ 170', '§ 4', '§ 9', '§ 4', '§ 3', '§ 7', '§ 179', '§ 67', '§ 45', '§ 563', '§ 76']

Article 8(1) of the 1906 Geneva Convention lists among the conditions not depriving mobile sanitary formations and fixed establishments of the protection guaranteed by Article 6 of the Convention the fact “that the personnel of a formation or establishment is armed and uses its arms in self defense or in defense of its sick and wounded”.
Convention for the Amelioration of the Condition of the Wounded and Sick in Armies in the Field, Geneva, 6 July 1906, Article 8(1).
Article 8(1) of the 1929 Geneva Convention lists among the conditions not depriving mobile medical formations and fixed establishments of the protection guaranteed by Article 6 of the Convention the fact “that the personnel of the formation or establishment is armed, and that they use the arms in their own defence or in that of the sick and wounded in charge”.
Convention for the Amelioration of the Condition of the Wounded and Sick in Armies in the Field, Geneva, 27 July 1929, Article 8(1)
Article 22(1) of the 1949 Geneva Convention I lists among the conditions not depriving fixed establishments and mobile medical units of the protection guaranteed by Article 19 of the 1949 Geneva Convention I the fact “that the personnel of the unit or establishment are armed, and that they use the arms in their own defence, or in that of the wounded and sick in their charge”.
Convention (I) for the Amelioration of the Condition of the Wounded and Sick in Armed Forces in the Field, Geneva, 12 August 1949, Article 22(1).
Under Article 13(2)(a) of the 1977 Additional Protocol I, the fact that “the personnel of the unit are equipped with light individual weapons for their own defence or for that of the wounded and sick in their charge” shall not be considered as an act harmful to the enemy, depriving a medical unit of its protected status.
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 13(2)(a). Article 13 was adopted by consensus. CDDH, Official Records, Vol. VI, CDDH/SR. 37, 24 May 1977, p. 70.
Article 17(2) and (3)(a) of the draft Additional Protocol II, adopted by consensus in Committee II of the CDDH, provided:
2.The protection to which medical units and transports are entitled shall not cease unless they are used to commit, outside their humanitarian function, acts harmful to the adverse Party.
3.The following shall not be considered as harmful acts:
(a) that the personnel of the unit or the transport are equipped with light individual weapons for their own defence or for that of the wounded and sick for whom they are responsible.
CDDH, Official Records, Vol. XIII, CDDH/221/Rev.1, 3 February–18 April 1975, p. 130, § 170 and p. 197.
Eventually, however, subparagraph (3) was deleted from Article 17 of the draft Additional Protocol II, which was then adopted by consensus in the plenary meeting of the CDDH.
CDDH, Official Records, Vol. VII, CDDH/SR.51, 3 June 1977, p. 113.
Benin’s Military Manual (1995) states: “The use of weapons by medical personnel and by sentries of military medical establishments and transports is subject to regulation (e.g. in case of self-defence).”
Kenya’s LOAC Manual (1997) states: “Medical personnel may carry and use small arms for their self-defence and for the defence of the wounded and sick in their care.”
Nigeria’s Manual on the Laws of War states that the protection of medical establishments is not forfeited “merely because medical personnel are armed for self-defence”.
[M]edical personnel may carry a Light Individual Weapon (LIW) for self-defence and for the protection of patients under their care from unlawful attack.
Authorized Use of Arms
… medical personnel may use their arms:
- When they or a patient under their care are attacked by marauders, bandits or other persons violating the law of war.
- Medical personnel would be allowed to use his weapon without losing their special protection, if, for example, an enemy soldier enters a medical facility and start killing medical staff or patients.
- Medical personnel may also use his light individual weapon when serving on special duties. For example, when serving on sentry, or guard duty. Such use should however be limited to protecting medical installations, personnel, wounded and sick.
- The Light Individual Weapon may also be used by medical personnel in self-defence; if, for example, the enemy has fired upon him, his medical unit or those under its care.
Unauthorized Use of Arms
Medical personnel should not use their weapon against enemy forces acting in accordance with the law of war … Medical personnel will forfeit their protected status and may be attacked if they unlawfully use their weapon.
Sierra Leone, The Law of Armed Conflict. Instructor Manual for the Republic of Sierra Leone Armed Forces (RSLAF), Armed Forces Education Centre, September 2007, pp. 57–58.
Spain’s LOAC Manual (1996) states that military medical personnel
may carry arms for self-defence and for the defence of the wounded, sick and shipwrecked. They may not use them to avoid being taken prisoner. Using these arms in combat will terminate the protection to which they are entitled.
Spain, Orientaciones. El Derecho de los Conflictos Armados, Publicación OR7-004, 2 Tomos, aprobado por el Estado Mayor del Ejército, División de Operaciones, 18 March 1996, Vol. I, § 4.5.b.(1)(b); see also § 9.6.b.(2).
Spain’s LOAC Manual (2007) states with regard to medical personnel of the armed forces:
Medical personnel can carry weapons to defend themselves and the wounded, sick and shipwrecked in their charge. They must not use these weapons to avoid being captured or taken prisoner. If they use these weapons in acts of war, they will lose their entitlement to protection.
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, § 4.5.b.(1).(b); see also §§ 3.2.a and 9.6.b.(2).
The following are not considered harmful to the adverse party: medical personnel equipped with light individual weapons for their own defence or for that of the wounded and sick in their charge; medical units guarded by pickets, sentries or escorts …
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, § 7.3.a.(10).
Switzerland’s Basic Military Manual (1987) states: “Medical personnel may be armed with light weapons for its own defence.”
Switzerland, Lois et coutumes de la guerre (Extrait et commentaire), Règlement 51.7/II f, Armée Suisse, 1987, Article 78(2); see also Article 83, commentary.
Switzerland, Bases légales du comportement à l’engagement (BCE), Règlement 51.007/IVf, Swiss Army, issued based on Article 10 of the Ordinance on the Organization of the Federal Department for Defence, Civil Protection and Sports of 7 March 2003, entry into force on 1 July 2005, § 179.
Sweden’s Total Defence Ordinance relating to IHL (1990) provides: “Those assigned in war time to the armed forces health and medical services may only carry light personal arms.”
Sweden, Total Defence Ordinance relating to IHL, 1990, Section 10, p. 181.
Article 9 Arming
1 In principle, members of the RCS carry out their tasks unarmed.
2 On request, the army can equip them with a pistol as an individual weapon and instruct them about their use.
Switzerland, Ordinance on the Red Cross Service, 2006, Articles 1(1)(a) and 9(1)–(2).
At the CDDH, Hungary stated: “The proposal that civilian medical units should be armed was a new one which his delegation was not prepared to endorse fully at that stage, although it did not wish to exclude it completely.”
Hungary, Statement at the CDDH, Official Records, Vol. XI, CDDH/SR.14, 7 March 1974, p. 128, § 67.
The Report on the Practice of India states: “Medical and religious personnel are also authorised to wear their personal arms for their individual safety.”
Report on the Practice of India, 1997, Answers to additional questions on Chapter 2.7.
The Report on the Practice of Kuwait states that medical personnel are authorized to defend themselves.
In a plenary meeting of the CDDH, the representative of the USSR stated that he:
thought the deletion of paragraph 3 [of Article 17 of the draft Additional Protocol II] would enormously complicate matters for medical personnel in actual combat conditions. If, for instance, an army doctor disarmed a wounded soldier and failed to throw away the weapon, would he thereby forfeit his right to protection? He appealed to the representative of Pakistan to restore paragraph 3.
USSR, Statement at the CDDH, Official Records , Vol. VII, CDDH/SR.51, 3 June 1977, p. 113, § 45.
The ICRC’s Commentary on the Additional Protocols, on the interpretation of the expression “light individual weapons”, states:
This expression was not defined, but it appears from the discussions in Committee II … that it refers to weapons which are generally carried and used by a single individual. Thus not only hand weapons such as pistols are permitted, but also rifles or even sub-machine guns. On the other hand, machine guns and any other heavy arms which cannot easily be transported by an individual and which have to be operated by a number of people are prohibited. Thus it is evident that the level of acceptance is quite high. However, this is the case above all to prevent the unit’s right to protection from being suppressed too easily.
Yves Sandoz et al. (eds.), Commentary on the Additional Protocols, ICRC, Geneva, 1987, § 563.
To fulfil its task of disseminating IHL, the ICRC has delegates around the world teaching armed and security forces that: “Medical personnel may be armed with light individual weapons for their own protection or for that of the wounded and sick in their charge.”
Frédéric de Mulinen, Handbook on the Law of War for Armed Forces, ICRC, Geneva, 1987, § 76.