The protection of medical personnel in armed forces under international humanitarian law (IHL)

Abstract

The Geneva Conventions and their Additional Protocols are the epitome of International Humanitarian Law (IHL), which puts limits as to what happens in an armed conflict. Furthermore, there are specific laws within IHL which grant protection to medical personnel in armed forces, military medical transport and military medical establishments/facilities/units in any given war zone. However, such protection will seize to be in effect if military medical personnel engage in hostilities illegally. Nonetheless, violation of such laws by parties to a conflict is not a rare occurrence, which result in illicit attacks against the military medical services, which are known as war crimes. Furthermore, although the International Criminal Court does put effort to bring alleged perpetrators of such acts to justice, it does not come without certain lacunae both within the legal process and the legal framework.