Switzerland
Practice Relating to Rule 80. Booby-Traps
Switzerland’s Military Manual (1984) states: “It is prohibited to use a booby-trap which functions unexpectedly when one moves or touches an apparently harmless object.”
Switzerland’s Basic Military Manual (1987) states:
It is forbidden to use booby-traps wherever they can be expected directly to endanger the physical integrity and the lives of civilians. They must not be set up in a perfidious manner, that is be attached or connected in some way to protective signs or signals, protected persons, animals, food or protected installations.
It refers to the 1980 Protocol II to the Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons.
Switzerland’s Teaching Manual (1986) provides: “It is prohibited to use booby-traps which can be triggered unexpectedly.” It gives the example of a transistor radio.
Switzerland’s Aide-Memoire on the Ten Basic Rules of the Law of Armed Conflict (2005) states:
Rule 8
I remain fair:
…
- I shall deploy neither anti-personnel mines, poison nor booby traps[.]
Switzerland’s Regulation on Legal Bases for Conduct during an Engagement (2005) states:
16.1 Prohibited means of warfare
228 Prohibited are:
…
2 anti-personnel mines and booby-traps;*
…
(* = Convention not yet ratified by all States)
229 The production, stockpiling, import, export, transit and use of such means of combat are notably prohibited.