Brazil
Practice Relating to Rule 144. Ensuring Respect for International Humanitarian Law Erga Omnes
In 2005, Brazil’s Minister of Foreign Relations stated at the International Conference on Iraq:
A timetable has been set for the election of a constitutional government in Iraq by the end of this year. It is important that Iraqi forces be in a position to take full responsibility for the maintenance of peace and security. Strict respect for human rights and humanitarian law is imperative.
In 2009, on the occasion of the 60th anniversary of the 1949 Geneva Conventions, Brazil’s Ministry of Foreign Relations stated:
Today, August 12, 2009, the 60th anniversary of the Geneva Conventions on International Humanitarian Law is celebrated. The Conventions, which are the main legal instrument in this area, lay down universal rules on the treatment of the wounded, prisoners of war and the protection of civilian persons. Brazil ratified the four Conventions in 1957.
On the occasion of the 60th Anniversary of the Conventions, the Brazilian Government reaffirms its commitment to upholding International Humanitarian Law and calls on the international community to fully comply with the principles of the Conventions, in favor of the protection of life and human dignity in the midst of armed conflicts.