2nd Geneva Convention
The Second Geneva Convention, formally titled "Geneva Convention for the Amelioration of the Condition of Wounded, Sick and Shipwrecked Members of Armed Forces at Sea," applies the core principles of the First Geneva Convention to naval warfare. It provides a legal framework for the protection of individuals in armed conflicts at sea.
Key Provisions
The main clauses and principles of the Second Geneva Convention include:
Protection of the Wounded, Sick, and Shipwrecked: It requires that members of the armed forces who are wounded, sick, or shipwrecked at sea must be respected, protected, and cared for. This includes both naval and air forces that have been disabled at sea. They must be treated humanely and without discrimination.
Protection of Hospital Ships and Medical Transport: This is a central component of the convention. Hospital ships are granted neutrality and protection from attack and capture. They are to be respected and cannot be used for any military purpose. The convention provides detailed rules for their identification, including specific markings with the Red Cross or Red Crescent emblem.
Protection of Medical and Religious Personnel: As with land-based conflicts, medical and religious personnel on board a warship or hospital ship are to be respected and protected. They cannot be captured, and they must be allowed to continue their work of caring for the wounded and sick.
Obligation to Search and Rescue: Parties to a conflict have a duty to search for and collect the wounded, sick, and shipwrecked after an engagement. They must provide medical care and ensure these individuals are protected from pillage and ill-treatment.
Role of Neutral Vessels: The convention allows neutral vessels, including merchant ships and yachts, to assist in the collection and care of the wounded, sick, and shipwrecked. Once they take on this humanitarian role, they cannot be captured or subjected to attack, provided they maintain their neutrality.
In essence, the Second Geneva Convention takes the humanitarian principles established for land warfare and adapts them to the unique and challenging environment of naval warfare, ensuring that the same protections are extended to victims of conflict at sea.