Canada
Practice Relating to Rule 146. Reprisals against Protected Persons
Section B. Wounded, sick and shipwrecked in the power of the adversary
Canada’s LOAC Manual (1999), in a section dealing with the treatment of the wounded, sick and shipwrecked, states: “Reprisals against the wounded, sick, and shipwrecked are forbidden.”
In a section dealing with enforcement measures, the manual further provides: “Reprisals are permitted against combatants and against objects constituting military objectives.”
The manual also states:
Reprisals against the following categories of persons and objects are prohibited:
a. the wounded, sick … protected by [the 1949 Geneva Convention I];
b. the wounded, sick and shipwrecked persons … protected by [the 1949 Geneva Convention II].
Canada’s LOAC Manual (2001) states in its chapter on the treatment of the wounded, sick and shipwrecked: “Reprisals against the wounded, sick and shipwrecked are forbidden.”
In its chapter entitled “Preventative and enforcement measures and the role of protecting powers”, the manual states:
4. Reprisals against the following categories of persons and objects are prohibited.
a. the wounded, sick, medical personnel, medical buildings or equipment protected by [the 1949 Geneva Convention I];
b. the wounded, sick and shipwrecked persons, the personnel, the vessels and equipment protected by [the 1949 Geneva Convention II];
…
5. Reprisals are permitted against combatants and against objects constituting military objectives.