“The 189 signatory states to these conventions have the primary responsibility for their application.
They have the obligation to respect these conventions and to ensure respect for them — in all circumstances...
It is up to the signatory states, having drafted and signed the conventions, to assume the responsibility
for applying them, and — while taking into account past experience and present or
future needs — to ensure their continued applicability.”
– Joseph Deiss, New York Times
They have the obligation to respect these conventions and to ensure respect for them — in all circumstances...
It is up to the signatory states, having drafted and signed the conventions, to assume the responsibility
for applying them, and — while taking into account past experience and present or
future needs — to ensure their continued applicability.”
– Joseph Deiss, New York Times
Rights & Responsibilities
On October 24, 1945, the United Nations Charter was created with 51 members to establish international cooperation and prevent future wars.
In 2002 they took the responsibility to protect the rights created by the Geneva Conventions, by establishing the International Criminal Court in Rome. “It is the first global permanent court with jurisdiction to prosecute individuals for crimes of greatest concern to the international community: genocide; crimes against humanity; and war crimes.”
– United Nations |
The Geneva Conventions are always changing to keep up with the development
of warfare. Three additional Protocols were added to make
the laws more complete and universal.
of warfare. Three additional Protocols were added to make
the laws more complete and universal.
Largest controversy is responsibility
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“Individuals misunderstand, individuals interpret the rules to their own satisfaction, individuals get caught up in the heat of things. They're scared, they're tired, they're hungry, and they make bad decisions. That happens all the time. When it becomes a
problem, is when you give instructions that are vague and allow for that type of thing to happen, and that’s a huge difference.” – LTC James Fischer |
Interview of POW Jeremiah Denton, who was held prisoner during the Vietnam War in Hanoi for almost eight years.
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Denton spells out the word TORTURE by blinking in morse code. – – – – • – • – • • – • – • • T O R T U R E |
Denton took responsibility for himself, and fellow prisoners, to warn the US that POWs were being tortured.