CONVENTION WITH RESPECT TO THE LAWS AND CUSTOMS OF WAR ON LAND His Majesty the Emperor of Germany, King of Prussia; His Majesty the Emperor of Austria, King of Bohemia, etc., and Apostolic King of Hungary; His Majesty the King of the Belgians; His Majesty the King of Denmark; His Majesty the King of Spain and in His Name Her Majesty the Queen Regent of the Kingdom; the President of the United States of America; the President of the United Mexican States; the President of the French Republic; Her Majesty the Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, Empress of India; His Majesty the King of the Hellenes; His Majesty the King of Italy; His Majesty the Emperor of Japan; His Royal Highness the Grand Duke of Luxemburg, Duke of Nassau; His Highness the Prince of Montenegro; Her Majesty the Queen of the Netherlands; His Imperial Majesty the Shah of Persia; His Majesty the King of Portugal and of the Algarves, etc., His Majesty the King of Roumania; His Majesty the Emperor of all the Russias; His Majesty the King of Servia; His Majesty the King of Siam; His Majesty the King of Sweden and Norway; His Majesty the Emperor of the Ottomans and His Royal Highness the Prince of Bulgaria. Considering that, while seeking means to preserve peace and prevent armed conflicts among nations, it is likewise necessary to have regard to cases where an appeal to arms may be caused by events which their solicitude could not avert; Animated by the desire to serve, even in this extreme hypothesis, the interests of humanity and the ever increasing requirements of civilization; Thinking it important, with this object, to revise the laws and general customs of war, either with the view of defining them more precisely, or of laying down certain limits for the purpose of modifying their severity as far as possible; Inspired by these views which are enjoined at the present day, as they were twenty-five years ago at the time of the Brussels Conference in 1874, by a wise and generous foresight; Have, in this spirit, adopted a great number of provisions, the object of which is to define and govern the usages of war on land. Selon les vues des Hautes Parties contractantes, ces dispositions, dont la rédaction a été inspirée par le désir de diminuer les maux de la guerre, autant que les nécessités militaires le permettent, sont destinées à servir de règle générale de conduite aux belligérants, dans leurs rapports entre eux et avec les populations. Il n'a pas été possible, toutefois, de concerter dès maintenant des stipulations s'étendant à toutes les circonstances qui se présentent dans la pratique. D'autre part, il ne pouvait entrer dans les intentions des Hautes Parties contractantes que les cas non prévus fussent, faute de stipulation écrite, laissées à l'appréciation arbitraire de ceux qui dirigent les armées. En attendant qu'un code plus complet des lois de la guerre puisse être édicté, les Hautes Parties contractantes jugent opportun de constater que, dans les cas non compris dans les dispositions réglementaires adoptées par Elles, les populations et les belligèrants restent sous la sauveguarde et sous l'empire des principes du droit des gens, tels qu'ils résultent des usages établis entre nations civilisées, des lois de l'humanité et des exigences de la conscience publique. Elles déclarent que c'est dans ce sens que doivent s'entendre notamment les articles 1 et 2 du Règlement adopté. Les Hautes Parties contractantes, désirant conclure une Convention à cet effet, ont nommé pour Leurs Plénipotentiaires, savoir: [Noms] Lesquels, après s'être communiqué leurs pleins pouvoirs, trouvés en bonne et due forme, sont convenus de ce qui suit: ARTICLE 1 Les Hautes Parties contractantes donneront à leurs forces armées de terre des instructions qui seront conformes au Règlement concernant les lois et coutumes de la guerre sur terre, annexé à la présente Convention. In view of the High Contracting Parties, these provisions, the wording of which has been inspired by the desire to diminish the evils of war so far as military necessities permit, are destined to serve as general rules of conduct for belligerents in their relations with each other and with populations. It has not, however, been possible to agree forthwith on provisions embracing all the circumstances which occur in practice. On the other hand, it could not be intended by the High Contracting Parties that the cases not provided for should, for want of a written provision, be left to the arbitrary judgment of the military Commanders. Until a more complete code of the laws of war is issued, the High Contracting Parties think it right to declare that in cases not included in the Regulations adopted by them, populations and belligerents remain under the protection and empire of the principles of international law, as they result from the usages established between civilized nations, from the laws of humanity, and the requirements of the public conscience. They declare that it is in this sense especially that Articles 1 and 2 of the Regulations adopted must be understood; The High Contracting Parties, desiring to conclude a Convention to this effect, have appointed as their Plenipotentiaries, to wit: [Names] Who, after communication of their full powers, found in good and due form, have agreed on the following: ARTICLE 1 The High Contracting Parties shall issue instructions to their armed land forces, which shall be in conformity with the "Regulations Respecting the Laws and Customs of War on Land" annexed to the present Convention. ARTICLE 2 Les dispositions contenues dans le Règlement visé à l'article premier ne sont obligatoires que pour les Puissances contractantes, en cas de guerre entre deux ou plusieurs d'entre Elles. Ces dispositions cesseront d'être obligatoires du moment où, dans une guerre entre des Puissances contractantes, une Puissance non contractante se joindrait à l'un des belligérants. ARTICLE 3 La présente Convention sera ratifiée dans le plus bref délai possible. Les ratifications seront déposées à La Haye. Il sera dressé du dépôt de chaque ratification un procèsverbal, dont une copie, certifiée conforme, sera remise par la voie diplomatique à toutes les Puissances contractantes. ARTICLE 4 Les Puissances non signataires sont admises à adhérer à la présente Convention. Elles auront, à cet effet, à faire connaître leur adhesion aux Puissances contractantes, au moyen d'une notification écrite, adressé au Gouvernement des Pays-Bas et communiquée par celui-ci à toutes les autres Puissances contractantes. ARTICLE 5 S'il arrivait qu'une des Hautes Parties contractantes dénonçât la présente Convention, cette dénonciation ne produirait ses effets qu'un an après la notification faite par écrit au Gouvernement des Pays-Bas et communiquée immédiatement par celui-ci à toutes les autres Puissances contractantes. Cette dénonciation ne produira ses effets qu'à l'égard de la Puissance qui l'aura notifiée. En foi de quoi, les Plénipotentiaires ont signé le présente Convention et l'ont revêtue de leurs cachets. Fait à La Haye, le 29 Juillet, 1899, en un seul exemplaire qui restera déposé dans les archives du Gouvernement des PaysBas et dont des copies, certifiées conformes, seront remises par la voie diplomatique aux Puissances contractantes. ARTICLE 2 The provisions contained in the Regulation mentioned in Article 1 are only binding on the Contracting Powers, in case of war between two or more of them. These provisions shall cease to be binding from the time when, in a war between Contracting Powers, a non-Contracting Power joins one of the belligerents. ARTICLE 3 The present Convention shall be ratified as speedily as possible. The ratifications shall be deposited at The Hague. A procès-verbal shall be drawn up recording the receipt of each ratification, and a copy, duly certified, shall be sent, through the diplomatic channel, to all the Contracting Powers. ARTICLE 4 Non-Signatory Powers are allowed to adhere to the present Convention. For this purpose they must make their adhesions known to the Contracting Powers by means of a written notification, addressed to the Netherlands Government, and by it communicated to all the other Contracting Powers. ARTICLE 5 In the event of one of the High Contracting Parties denouncing the present Convention, such denunciation would not take effect until a year after the written notification made to the Netherlands Government, and by it at once communicated to all the other Contracting Powers. This denunciation shall affect only the notifying Power. In faith of which the Plenipotentiaries have signed the present Convention and affixed their seals thereto. Done at The Hague the 29th July, 1899, in a single copy, which shall be kept in the archives of the Netherlands Government, and copies of which, duly certified, shall be delivered to the Contracting Powers through the diplomatic channel. |