Geneva Convention

What is the Geneva convention?

The Geneva convention and their additional Protocols are the international treaties that contain the most important rules limiting the barbarity of war. They were first detailed in the 1929 Geneva convention and later on was amended in the third 1949 Geneva convention following the lessons of the world war 2

The Geneva Convention is a series of treaties on the treatment of civilian, prisoners of war (POWs) and soldiers. In total, 196 countries have signed and ratified the 1949 convention. There are some other countries that haven't signed to date. These countries include Angola, Bangladesh, and Iran. 

The Four Geneva Convention:

Convention 1: The first Geneva convention protects wounded and sick soldiers on land during war. This convention is the updated version of the Geneva convention on the wounded and sick following those adapted in 1864, 1906 and 1929. It contains 64 articles. The convention prohibits torture assaults upon personal dignity and execution without judgment. It also grants the right to proper medical treatment and care. 

Convention 2:  The second Geneva convention protects the shipwrecked, soldiers and other naval forces at sea during the war. It closely follows the provisions of the first Geneva convention in structure and contents. It has 63 articles. It also provides a model identity card for medical and religious personnel. 

Convention 3: The third Geneva convention applies to prisoners of war. This convention replaced the Prisoners of War Convention of 1929. It contains 143 articles where 1929 has only 97 articles.

The categories of the person entitled to prisoner of war status were broadened in the convention I and convention 2nd. The conditions and places of Captivity were more precisely defined. The convention establishes the principle that prisoners of war shall be released and repatriated without any delay after the cessation of active hostilities. The Convention has five annexes containing various model regulations and identity and other cards.
Convention 4: The fourth convention of Geneva provides the same protections to the civilians from inhumane treatment and attack afforded to sick and wounded soldiers in the first convention.

Applicability of the Geneva Convention:

1. The Geneva conventions apply to all cases of declared war between signatory nations. 
2. The convention applies to all the cases of armed conflict between the two or more signatory nations, even if the war is declared or not.
3. The convention applies to a signatory nation even if the opposing nation has not signed the convention, but only if the opposing nation 'accepts and applies the provisions' of the conventions.