France
Practice Relating to Rule 29. Medical Transports
Section A. Respect for and protection of medical transports
France’s Disciplinary Regulations (1975), as amended, provides that soldiers in combat must respect and protect medical transports.
France’s LOAC Summary Note (1992) states: “Medical transports must not be used to collect military information.”
France’s LOAC Manual (2001), with reference to Article 12 of the 1977 Additional Protocol I, includes medical means of transportation among objects which are specifically protected by the law of armed conflict.
France’s Penal Code (1992), as amended in 2010, states in its section on war crimes common to both international and non-international armed conflicts:
Intentionally launching attacks against … medical transports displaying, in conformity with international law, the distinctive emblems provided for in the [1949 Geneva Conventions] or their [1977] Additional Protocols is punishable by 20 years’ imprisonment.
Under the instructions given to the French armed forces for the conduct of Opération Mistral, simulating a military operation under the right of self-defence or a mandate of the UN Security Council, medical transports and material shall be protected.