Croatia
Practice Relating to Rule 87. Humane Treatment
Croatia’s Instructions on Basic Rules of IHL (1993) instructs soldiers to treat humanely and show respect for persons and their property.
Croatia’s Defence Act (2002), as amended to 2007, states:
Members of the Armed Forces shall, under each and every circumstance when in battle … adhere to the rules of international humanitarian law regarding the humane treatment of enemy soldiers … in accordance with the Constitution, international treaties and laws.
Croatia’s Commanders’ Manual (1992) provides that civilians must be respected and treated humanely.
Croatia’s Instructions on Basic Rules of IHL (1993) requires soldiers to treat captured civilians with humanity.
Croatia’s Defence Act (2002), as amended to 2007, states:
Members of the Armed Forces shall, under each and every circumstance when in battle … adhere to the rules of international humanitarian law regarding the humane treatment of enemy soldiers … and the protection of the civilian population … in accordance with the Constitution, international treaties and laws.
Croatia’s Commanders’ Manual (1992) provides that prisoners of war and captured medical and religious personnel must be respected and treated humanely.
Croatia’s Soldiers’ Manual (1992) states that captured combatants must be treated humanely.
Croatia’s Instructions on Basic Rules of IHL (1993) requires soldiers to treat captured combatants with humanity.
Croatia’s Criminal Code (1997), as amended in 2006, imposes a criminal sanction on whoever “in violation of the rules of international law, brutally treats … prisoners of war or restricts or prevents the realization of the rights granted to them under these rules”.
Croatia’s Defence Act (2002), as amended to 2007, states:
Members of the Armed Forces shall, under each and every circumstance when in battle … adhere to the rules of international humanitarian law regarding the humane treatment of … prisoners of war … in accordance with the Constitution, international treaties and laws.
In 2001, in its third periodic report to the Committee against Torture, Croatia stated: “Arrested and convicted persons should be treated humanely with respect for their personal dignity.”