By entering this website you agree that we use cookies in order to understand visitor preferences and keep improving our service.
Learn more
I accept
International Committee of the Red Cross
French
Contact
Resource centre
International Committee of the Red Cross
English
Français
Toggle navigation
Donate
Home
Who we are
What we do
Where we work
War & Law
Support us
Home
Who we are
What we do
Where we work
War & Law
Support us
Donate
Treaties, States Parties and Commentaries
Advanced Search
Treaties and Documents
Geneva Conventions of 1949 and Additional Protocols, and their Commentaries
By date
By topic
By State
Historical Treaties and Documents
By date
By topic
By State
Convention (IV) relative to the Protection of Civilian Persons in Time of War. Geneva, 12 August 1949.
Central Agency
ARTICLE 140
A Central Information Agency for protected persons, in particular for internees, shall be created in a neutral country. The International Committee of the Red Cross shall, if it deems necessary, propose to the Powers concerned the organization of such an Agency, which may be the same as that provided for in Article 123
of the Geneva Convention relative to the Treatment of Prisoners of War of August 12, 1949.
The function of the Agency shall be to collect all information of the type set forth in Article 136
which it may obtain through official or private channels and to transmit it as rapidly as possible to the countries of origin or of residence of the persons concerned, except in cases where such transmissions might be detrimental to the persons whom the said information concerns, or to their relatives. It shall receive from the Parties to the conflict all reasonable facilities for effecting such transmissions.
The High Contracting Parties, and in particular those whose nationals benefit by the services of the Central Agency, are requested to give the said Agency the financial aid it may require.
The foregoing provisions shall in no way be interpreted as restricting the humanitarian activities of the International Committee of the Red Cross and of the relief Societies described in Article 142
.
<< Previous
Up
Next >>
Commentaries
Commentary of 1958
GVALNWB1/ICRC
Share on Twitter
Share on Facebook
Share on Google+
Share on LinkedIn
Print this page