Human Rights Law: Human Rights in Armed Conflict

The Geneva Convention is a series of four treaties that set out the standards of international law for humanitarian treatment in war.

The principle of distinction requires that parties to a conflict distinguish between combatants and civilians, and between military objectives and civilian objects.

The principle of proportionality requires that the harm caused to civilians or civilian objects must not be excessive in relation to the concrete and direct military advantage anticipated.

The principle of military necessity allows parties to a conflict to take actions that are necessary to achieve their military objectives, even if those actions may cause harm to civilians or civilian objects.

The principle of humanity prohibits the use of weapons or tactics that are intended to cause unnecessary suffering or injury to combatants or civilians.

The crime of genocide is the intentional killing of a group of people based on their national, ethnic, racial, or religious identity.

The crime of war crimes are serious violations of the laws and customs of war, such as killing or torturing prisoners of war, attacking civilians, or using prohibited weapons.

The crime of crimes against humanity are serious violations of human rights, such as murder, torture, rape, or forced displacement, committed as part of a widespread or systematic attack against a civilian population.

The crime of aggression is the planning, preparation, initiation, or execution of an act of aggression by a state against another state.

The ICC is a permanent international court that tries individuals accused of genocide, war crimes, crimes against humanity, and the crime of aggression.

The Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court is the treaty that established the International Criminal Court.

All of the above are principles of international humanitarian law.

All of the above are war crimes.

All of the above are crimes against humanity.

The crime of aggression is the planning, preparation, initiation, or execution of an act of aggression by a state against another state.