Italy
Practice Relating to Rule 15. The Principle of Precautions in Attack
Italy’s LOAC Elementary Rules Manual (1991) states: “Constant care shall be taken to spare the civilian population, civilian persons and civilian objects.”
Italy’s LOAC Elementary Rules Manual (1991) states: “The commander shall consider all precautions in order to avoid and, at least, to minimize civilian casualties and damage to civilian objects.”
At the CDDH, Italy stated that the term “feasible” in Article 57 of the 1977 Additional Protocol I “indicates that the obligations it imposes are conditional on the actual circumstances really allowing the proposed precautions to be taken, on the basis of the available information and the imperative needs of national defence”.
Upon ratification of the 1977 Additional Protocol I, Italy declared: “The word ‘feasible’ means that which is practicable or practically possible, taking into account all circumstances ruling at the time, including humanitarian and military considerations.”
Italy’s LOAC Elementary Rules Manual (1991) states: “The commander shall keep himself informed on concentrations of civilian persons, important civilian objects and specifically protected establishments.”
Upon ratification of the 1977 Additional Protocol I, Italy declared:
In relation to Articles 51 to 58 inclusive, the Italian Government understands that military commanders and others responsible for planning, deciding upon or executing attacks necessarily have to reach decisions on the basis of their assessment of the information from all sources which is available to them at the relevant time.