Croatia
Practice Relating to Rule 28. Medical Units
Croatia’s Commanders’ Manual (1992) states that “specifically protected objects may not become military objectives and may not be attacked”, including units of the military and civilian medical service.
Croatia’s Soldiers’ Manual (1992) instructs soldiers to respect medical objects.
Under Croatia’s Criminal Code (1997), “the launching of an attack against objects under special protection of international law” is a war crime.
Croatia’s Criminal Code (1997), as amended to 2006, states that a war crime is committed by “whoever violates the rules of international law in time of war, armed conflict or occupation by ordering [or committing] an attack against objects protected by international law”.
The Criminal Code further states that a war crime is committed by:
Whoever, in violation of the rules of international law, in time of war or armed conflict, orders [or commits] … an illegal and wanton, large-scale destruction or appropriation of … medical institutions or units when there is no justification by military necessity.