Related Rule
Côte d’Ivoire
Practice Relating to Rule 72. Poison and Poisoned Weapons
Côte d’Ivoire’s Teaching Manual (2007) provides in Book III, Volume 2 (Instruction of second-year trainee officers):
I.3. War crimes
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War crimes are also violations of the laws and customs of war such as:
- employment of poisonous weapons or other weapons calculated to cause unnecessary suffering.
Côte d’Ivoire, Droit de la guerre, Manuel d’instruction, Livre III, Tome 2: Instruction de l’élève officier d’active de 2ème année, Manuel de l’instructeur, Ministère de la Défense, Forces Armées Nationales, November 2007, pp. 44–45.
In Book IV (Instruction of heads of division and company commanders), the Teaching Manual provides:
II.1.2. Prohibited munitions
The following types of munitions are prohibited:
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- bullets dipped in poison.
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II.1.4. Poison
Poison and poisoned weapons are unlawful due to the possibility that they strike without distinction. Thus, poisoning or contamination of any source of drinking water is prohibited. Putting up notices that water has been contaminated or poisoned does not render that practice lawful, because civilians as well as combatants can drink from that source of water and be equally affected.
Côte d’Ivoire, Droit de la guerre, Manuel d’instruction, Livre IV: Instruction du chef de section et du commandant de compagnie, Manuel de l’élève, Ministère de la Défense, Forces Armées Nationales, November 2007, pp. 52 and 53.
Côte d’Ivoire’s Penal Code (1981), as amended in 2015, states:
Article 139
Whoever commits a war crime is punished with life imprisonment.
War crimes are:
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2 - other serious violations of the laws and customs applicable in international armed conflict, within the established framework of international law, namely, any of the following acts:
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- employing poison or poisoned weapons;
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4 - other serious violations of the laws and customs applicable in armed conflicts not of an international character, within the established framework of international law, namely, any of the following acts:
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- employing poison or poisoned weapons;
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Article 139-1
The provisions of paragraphs 3 and 4 of the above article 139 do not apply to situations of internal disturbances and tensions, such as riots, isolated and sporadic acts of violence or other acts of a similar nature.
Côte d’Ivoire, Penal Code, 1981, as amended in 2015, Articles 139–139-1.
