Book

The 1949 Geneva Conventions : a commentary

ed. by Andrew Clapham, Paola Gaeta, Marco Sassòli ; assistant ed. Julia Grignon... [et al.]

Oxford : Oxford University Press, 2015

XCIX, 1651 p. ; 25 cm

978-0-19-967544-9

English

Index

The context in which the four Geneva Conventions are to be applied and interpreted has changed considerably since they were first written. The borderline between international and non-international armed conflicts is not as clear-cut as was once thought, and is complicated further by the use of armed force mandated by the United Nations and the complex mixed and transnational nature of certain non-international armed conflicts. The influence of other developing branches of international law, such as human rights law and refugee law has been considerable. The development of international criminal law has breathed new life into multiple provisions of the Geneva Conventions. Prepared under the auspices of the Geneva Academy of International Humanitarian Law and Human Rights, this commentary adopts a thematic approach to provide detailed analysis of each key issue dealt with by the Conventions, taking into account both judicial decisions and state practice. Cross-cutting chapters on issues such as transnational conflicts and the geographical scope of the Conventions also give readers a full understanding of the meaning of the Geneva Conventions in their contemporary context.

• Full text : restricted access (ICRC)