Humanitaarõiguse

Humanitaarõigus, also known as the law of armed conflict or international humanitarian law, is a body of law that governs the conduct of parties engaged in armed conflict. Its primary purpose is to limit the effects of armed conflict by protecting persons who are not or are no longer participating in hostilities and by restricting the means and methods of warfare. The core principles of humanitaarõigus include distinction, whereby parties must distinguish between combatants and civilians, and between military objectives and civilian objects; proportionality, which prohibits attacks that may cause incidental loss of civilian life, injury to civilians, damage to civilian objects, or a combination thereof, which would be excessive in relation to the concrete and direct military advantage anticipated; and precaution, requiring parties to take all feasible precautions in the choice of means and methods of attack with a view to avoiding, and in any event to minimizing, incidental loss of civilian life, injury to civilians and damage to civilian objects.

Humanitaarõigus is derived from various sources, including treaties such as the Geneva Conventions of 1949 and their Additional Protocols, and customary international law. It applies to all parties in any armed conflict, regardless of whether it is international or non-international. Violations of humanitaarõigus are considered war crimes and can be prosecuted by national and international courts. The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) plays a significant role in promoting and ensuring respect for humanitaarõigus worldwide.