CONVENTION RESPECTING THE LAWS AND CUSTOMS OF WAR ON LAND1 His Majesty the German Emperor, King of Prussia, etc: Seeing that, while seeking means to preserve peace and prevent armed conflicts between nations, it is likewise necessary to bear in mind the case where the appeal to arms has been brought about by events which their care was unable to avert; Animated by the desire to serve, even in this extreme case, the interests of humanity and the ever progressive needs of civilization; Thinking it important, with this object, to revise the general laws and customs of war, either with a view to defining them with greater precision or to confining them within such limits as would mitigate their severity as far as possible; Have deemed it necessary to complete and explain in certain particulars the work of the First Peace Conference, which, following on the Brussels Conference of 1874, and inspired by the ideas dictated by a wise and generous forethought, adopted provisions intended to define and govern the usages of war on land. According to the views of the high contracting parties, these provisions, the wording of which has been inspired by the desire to diminish the evils of war, as far as military requirements permit, are intended to serve as a general rule of conduct for the belligerents in their mutual relations and in their relations with the inhabitants. It has not, however, been found possible at present to concert regulations covering all the circumstances which arise in practice; On the other hand, the high contracting parties clearly do not intend that unforeseen cases should, in the absence of a written undertaking, be left to the arbitrary judgment of military commanders. Until a more complete code of the laws of war has been issued, the high contracting parties deem it expedient to declare that, in cases not included in the regulations adopted by them, the 1 Articles and clauses in italics indicate the differences between the conventions of 1899 and 1907. positions réglementaires adoptées par Elles, les populations et les belligérants restent sous la sauvegarde 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 nouvelle Convention a cet effet, ont nommé pour Leurs Plénipotentiaires, savoir: [Dénomination des Plénipotentiaires] Lesquels, après avoir déposé leurs pleins pouvoirs, trouvés en bonne et due forme, sont convenus de ce qui suit: ARTICLE 1 Les Puissances 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. ARTICLE 2 Les dispositions contenues dans le Règlement visé à l'article 1er ainsi que dans la présente Convention, ne sont applicables qu'entre les Puissances contractantes et seulement si les belligérants sont tous parties à la Convention. ARTICLE 3 La Partie belligérante qui violerait les dispositions dudit Règlement sera tenue à indemnité, s'il y a lieu. Elle sera responsable de tous actes commis par les personnes faisant partie de sa force armée. ARTICLE 4 La présente Convention dûment ratifiée remplacera, dans les rapports entre les Puissances contractantes, la Convention du 29 juillet 1899 concernant les lois et coutumes de la guerre sur terre. inhabitants and the belligerents remain under the protection and the rule of the principles of the law of nations, as they result from the usages established among civilized peoples, from the laws of humanity, and the dictates 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, wishing to conclude a fresh convention to this effect, have appointed the following as their plenipotentiaries: [Names of plenipotentiaries] Who, after having deposited their full powers, found in good and due form, have agreed upon the following: ARTICLE 1 The contracting powers 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 The provisions contained in the regulations referred to in Article 1, as well as in the present convention, do not apply except between contracting powers, and then only if all the belligerents are parties to the convention. ARTICLE 3 A belligerent party which violates the provisions of the said regulations shall, if the case demands, be liable to pay compensation. It shall be responsible for all acts committed by persons forming part of its armed forces. ARTICLE 4 The present convention, duly ratified, shall, as between the contracting powers, be substituted for the convention of the 29th July, 1899, respecting the laws and customs of war on land. Puissances qui ratifieront ultérieurement ou qui adhéreront, soixante jours après que la notification de leur ratification ou de leur adhésion aura été reçue par le Gouvernement des Pays-Bas ARTICLE 8 S'il arrivait qu'une des Puissances contractantes voulût dénoncer la présente Convention, la dénonciation sera notifiée par écrit au Gouvernement des Pays-Bas qui communiquera immédiatement copie certifiée conforme de la notification à toutes les autres Puissances en leur faisant savoir la date à laquelle il l'a reçue. La dénonciation ne produira ses effets qu'à l'égard de la Puissance qui l'aura notifiée et un an après que la notification en sera parvenue au Gouvernement des Pays-Bas. ARTICLE 9 Un registre tenu par le Ministère des Affaires Étrangères des Pays-Bas indiquera la date du dépôt de ratifications effectué en vertu de l'article 5 alinéas 3 et 4 ainsi que la date à laquelle auront été reçues les notifications d'adhésion (article 6 alinéa 2) ou de dénonciation (article 8 alinéa 1). Chaque Puissance contractante est admise à prendre connaissance de ce registre et à en demander des extraits certifiés conformes. En foi de quoi, les Plénipotentiaires ont revêtu la présente Convention de leurs signatures. Fait à La Haye, le dix-huit octobre mil neuf cent sept, en un seul exemplaire qui restera déposé dans les archives du Gouvernement des Pays-Bas et dont des copies, certifiées conformes, seront remises par la voie diplomatique aux Puissances qui ont été conviées à la Deuxième Conférence de la Paix. of the powers which ratify subsequently or which adhere, sixty days after the notification of their ratification or of their adhesion has been received by the Netherland Government. ARTICLE 8 In the event of one of the contracting powers wishing to denounce the present convention, the denunciation shall be notified in writing to the Netherland Government, which shall at once communicate a duly certified copy of the notification to all the other powers, informing them of the date on which it was received. The denunciation shall only have effect in regard to the notifying power, and one year after the notification has reached the Netherland Government. ARTICLE 9 A register kept by the Netherland Ministry for Foreign Affairs shall give the date of the deposit of ratifications made in virtue of Article 5, paragraphs 3 and 4, as well as the date on which the notifications of adhesion (Article 6, paragraph 2) or of denunciation (Article 8, paragraph 1) were received. Each contracting power is entitled to have access to this register and to be supplied with duly certified extracts. In faith whereof the plenipotentiaries have appended their signatures to the present convention. Done at The Hague, the 18th October, 1907, in a single copy, which shall remain deposited in the archives of the Netherland Government, and duly certified copies of which shall be sent, through the diplomatic channel, to the powers which have been invited to the Second Peace Conference. |