Côte d’Ivoire
Practice Relating to Rule 52. Pillage
Côte d’Ivoire’s Teaching Manual (2007) provides in Book I (Basic instruction):
Lesson 3. Rules of behaviour in combat
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I.1 Basic rules
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[Basic Rule No. 10]:
Respect the possessions of others. Pillage is prohibited.
[Observation]:
Destruction, theft and pillage are acts of vandalism which dishonour the military institution.
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I.2 Specific rules
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Civilians
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13. Respect their possessions
- Theft and pillage are prohibited.
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Lesson 4. Breaches and repression of violations of IHL
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I. Grave violations
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In Côte d’Ivoire, the Penal Code has provided for the repression of certain violations:
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- article 464 [punishes] acts of pillage.
In Book III, Volume 2 (Instruction of second-year trainee officers), the Teaching Manual further provides:
Lesson 2. Protection
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Geneva Convention IV prohibits using the civilian population as a shield to protect certain regions or installations (militarily generally important) against attacks by the enemy … Pillage, hostage-taking and reprisal measures against civilians are equally prohibited.
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Lesson 4. Violations and repression
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I.3. War crimes
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War crimes are equally violations of the laws and customs of war such as:
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- plunder of public or private property.
In Book IV (Instruction of heads of division and company commanders), the Teaching Manual provides: “Pillage, acquisition of objects by force for private purposes, is prohibited. It is regarded as a war crime.”
Côte d’Ivoire’s Penal Code (1981), as amended in 1998, punishes pillage and damage to commodities, goods or belongings committed by soldiers as a group.
Côte d’Ivoire’s Penal Code (1981), as amended in 2015, states:
Article 139
Whoever commits a war crime is punished with life imprisonment.
War crimes are:
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2 - other serious violations of the laws and customs applicable in international armed conflict, within the established framework of international law, namely, any of the following acts:
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- pillaging a town or place, even when taken by assault;
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4 - other serious violations of the laws and customs applicable in armed conflicts not of an international character, within the established framework of international law, namely, any of the following acts:
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- pillaging a town or place, even when taken by assault;
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Article 139-1
The provisions of paragraphs 3 and 4 of the above article 139 do not apply to situations of internal disturbances and tensions, such as riots, isolated and sporadic acts of violence or other acts of a similar nature.