Cameroon
Practice Relating to Rule 87. Humane Treatment
Cameroon’s Disciplinary Regulations (1975) instructs combatants to “treat humanely … all persons
hors de combat”.
Cameroon’s Instructor’s Manual (1992) instructs combatants to “treat humanely … all regular combatants
hors de combat”.
Cameroon’s Instructor’s Manual (2006) states that members of the armed forces are obliged “to treat humanely … all regular combatants
hors de combat”.
The manual, in a section entitled “Safeguarding the enemy
hors de combat”, also states: “The fundamental principle consists of preserving the human dignity of each victim of war in accordance with the Geneva Conventions and their Additional Protocols.”
The manual, under the heading “Responsibility for Acts or Omissions of Which Subordinates Are Accused”, further states that a commander may be held responsible for any “inhuman treatment” committed by his subordinates.
The manual also states:
The following acts constitute grave breaches [of IHL]:
a) … inhuman treatment;
b) intentionally causing great suffering or grave infringements of physical or psychological integrity;
c) inhuman or degrading practices which result in outrages upon personal dignity.
Cameroon’s Disciplinary Regulations (2007) states:
Article 31: Humanitarian rules
…
Every soldier must:
- treat humanely, without distinction, all persons placed
hors de combat.