Related Rule
Switzerland
Practice Relating to Rule 16. Target Verification
Switzerland’s Basic Military Manual (1987) states: “Only specific and duly identified military objectives may be attacked.”
Switzerland, Lois et coutumes de la guerre (Extrait et commentaire), Règlement 51.7/II f, Armée Suisse, 1987, Article 28.
Switzerland’s Regulation on Legal Bases for Conduct during an Engagement (2005) states:
12.5 Precautionary measures
165 The following precautionary measures must be taken into consideration when making decisions, when issuing orders and in particular when conducting military operations.
166 Anyone who attacks:
1 must make sure that the objectives of the attack are neither civilians nor civilian objects.
Switzerland, Bases légales du comportement à l’engagement (BCE), Règlement 51.007/IVf, Swiss Army, issued based on Article 10 of the Ordinance for the Organization of the Federal Department for Defence, Civil Protection and Sports of March 2003, entry into force on 1 July 2005, §§ 165–166(1). The German language version notes in § 166(1): “must do everything feasible … [“hat alles praktisch Mögliche zu tun …”]”.
[emphasis in original]In 2005, Switzerland withdrew its reservations to Articles 57 and 58 of the 1977 Additional Protocol I.
Switzerland, Withdrawal of reservations to the 1977 Additional Protocol I, 17 June 2005.
