Section 81p. 81

PUBLIC INTERNATIONAL LAW COMPENDIUM VOLUME II

3. Civilians shall enjoy the protection afforded by this part,

unless and for such time as they take a direct part in

hostilities.

Art 14. Protection of objects indispensable to the survival

of the civilian population

Starvation

of

civilians

as

a

method

of

combat

is

prohibited. It is therefore prohibited to attack, destroy,

remove

or

render

useless

for

that purpose, objects

indispensable to the survival of the civilian population

such as food-stuffs, agricultural areas for the production

of food-stuffs, crops, livestock, drinking water installations

and supplies and irrigation works.

Art 15. Protection of works and installations containing

dangerous forces

Works

or

installations

containing

dangerous

forces,

namely dams, dykes and nuclear electrical generating

stations, shall not be made the object of attack, even

where these objects are military objectives, if such attack

may

cause

the

release

of

dangerous

forces

and

consequent severe losses among the civilian population.

Art 16. Protection of cultural objects and of places of

worship

Without

prejudice

to

the

provisions

of

the

Hague

Convention for the Protection of Cultural Property in the

Event of Armed Conflict of 14 May 1954, it is prohibited to

commit any acts of hostility directed against historic

monuments, works of art or places of worship which

constitute the cultural or spiritual heritage of peoples,

and to use them in support of the military effort.

Art 17. Prohibition of forced movement of civilians

1. The displacement of the civilian population shall not be

ordered for reasons related to the conflict unless the

security of the civilians involved or imperative military

reasons so demand. Should such displacements have to

be carried out, all possible measures shall be taken in

order that the civilian population may be received under

satisfactory conditions of shelter, hygiene, health, safety

and nutrition.

2. Civilians shall not be compelled to leave their own

territory for reasons connected with the conflict.

Art 18. Relief societies and relief actions

1. Relief societies located in the territory of the High

Contracting Party, such as Red Cross (Red Crescent, Red

Lion and Sun) organizations may offer their services for

the performance of their traditional functions in relation

to

the

victims

of

the

armed

conflict.

The

civilian

population may, even on its own initiative, offer to collect

and care for the wounded, sick and shipwrecked.

2. If the civilian population is suffering undue hardship

owing to a lack of the supplies essential for its survival,

such as food-stuffs and medical supplies, relief actions for

the

civilian

population

which

are

of

an

exclusively

humanitarian

and

impartial

nature

and

which

are

conducted

without

any

adverse

distinction

shall be

undertaken

subject

to

the

consent

of

the

High

Contracting Party concerned.

Part V. Final Provisions

Art 19. Dissemination

This Protocol shall be disseminated as widely as possible.

Art 20. Signature

This Protocol shall be open for signature by the Parties to

the Conventions six months after the signing of the Final

Act and will remain open for a period of twelve months.

Art 21. Ratification

This Protocol shall be ratified as soon as possible. The

instruments of ratification shall be deposited with the

Swiss Federal Council, depositary of the Conventions.

Art 22. Accession

This Protocol shall be open for accession by any Party to

the Conventions which has not signed it. The instruments

of accession shall be deposited with the depositary.

Art 23. Entry into force

1. This Protocol shall enter into force six months after two

instruments

of

ratification

or

accession

have

been

deposited.

2. For each Party to the Conventions thereafter ratifying

or acceding to this Protocol, it shall enter into force six

months after the deposit by such Party of its instrument

of ratification or accession.

Art 24. Amendment

1. Any High Contracting Party may propose amendments

to this Protocol. The text of any proposed amendment

shall be communicated to the depositary which shall

decide, after consultation with all the High Contracting

Parties and the International Committee of the Red Cross,

whether a conference should be convened to consider

the proposed amendment.

2. The depositary shall invite to that conference all the

High Contracting Parties as well as the Parties to the

Conventions, whether or not they are signatories of this

Protocol.

Art 25. Denunciation

1. In case a High Contracting Party should denounce this

Protocol,

the denunciation shall only take effect six

months after receipt of the instrument of denunciation. If,

however, on the expiry of six months, the denouncing

Party is engaged in the situation referred to in Article 1,

the denunciation shall not take effect before the end of

the armed conflict. Persons who have been deprived of

liberty, or whose liberty has been restricted, for reasons

related to the conflict shall nevertheless continue to

benefit from the provisions of this Protocol until their

final release.

2. The denunciation shall be notified in writing to the

depositary,

which

shall

transmit

it

to

all

the

High

Contracting Parties.

Art 26. Notifications

The depositary shall inform the High Contracting Parties

as well as the Parties to the Conventions, whether or not

they are signatories of this Protocol, of:

(a) signatures affixed to this Protocol and the deposit of

instruments of ratification and accession under Articles 21

and 22;

(b) the date of entry into force of this Protocol under

Article 23; and

(c)

communications and declarations received under

Article 24.

Art 27. Registration

1.

After

its

entry

into

force,

this

Protocol

shall

be

transmitted by the depositary to the Secretariat of the

United

Nations

for

registration

and

publication,

in

accordance with Article 102 of the Charter of the United

Nations.

2. The depositary shall also inform the Secretariat of the

United

Nations

of

all

ratifications,

accessions

and

denunciations received by it with respect to this Protocol.

Art 28. - Authentic texts

The original of this Protocol, of which the Arabic, Chinese,

English, French, Russian and Spanish texts are equally

authentic, shall be deposited with the depositary, which

shall transmit certified true copies thereof to all the

Parties to the Conventions.

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