Yugoslavia, Socialist Federal Republic of
Practice Relating to Rule 65. Perfidy
The Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia’s Military Manual (1988) prohibits perfidy and defines it as “confidence-betraying ruses”.
In 1991, in a document entitled “Examples of violations of the rules of international law committed by the so-called armed forces of Slovenia”, the Ministry of Defence of the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia included the following example: “Faithless behaviour. Throughout the overall armed conflict members of the so-called armed forces of Slovenia have applied faithless and perfidious behaviour.”
The Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia’s Military Manual (1988) states: “It is prohibited to kill or wound members of the enemy armed forces and enemy civilians by means of treachery.”
The manual adds that it is prohibited to put a price on someone’s head, whether State or military commander or any other person.
Under Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia’s the Penal Code (1976), as amended in 2001, if the killing of an enemy who has laid down arms or has surrendered, or has no means of defence, has been committed in a “perfidious manner”, this constitutes an aggravating circumstance of the war crime.
Generally speaking, the Code provides that the use of a prohibited method of combat is a war crime, including the “perfidious killing or wounding of members of the enemy army”.
The Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia’s Military Manual (1988) states that “feigning incapacitation by wounds or sickness” is an act of perfidy.
According to the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia’s Military Manual (1988), “feigning an intention to … surrender” is an act of perfidy.
The Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia’s Military Manual (1988) states that “feigning an intention to negotiate under a flag of truce” is an act of perfidy.
The Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia’s Military Manual (1988) states that feigning protected status by using UN symbols, emblems, signs or uniforms is an act of perfidy.
The Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia’s Military Manual (1988) states that feigning a protected status by the use of symbols, signs, emblems or uniforms of neutral States or other States not parties to the conflict is an act of perfidy.