Netherlands
Practice Relating to Rule 147. Reprisals against Protected Objects
The Military Manual (1993) of the Netherlands, in the chapter dealing with reprisals and referring to,
inter alia, Article 52 of the 1977 Additional Protocol I, states: “No reprisals may be undertaken against civilian property.”
The Military Manual (2005) of the Netherlands states:
In the history of warfare, reprisals carried out have often exceeded the set limits. This has led to the current prohibition, in the humanitarian law of war and specifically in AP I [1977 Additional Protocol I], of reprisals against several groups of people and objects.
The following are now forbidden as reprisals:
…
- attacks on civilian objects.
In its chapter on behaviour in battle, the manual states: “Civilian objects must not be the subject of reprisals.”
In its chapter on the protection of the civilian population, the manual states that “reprisals against protected persons and their property are prohibited”.
At the CDDH, the Netherlands introduced an amendment to draft Additional Protocol I which read “attacks against civilian objects by way of reprisals are prohibited” on behalf of its sponsors (Austria, Egypt, Mexico, Netherlands, Norway, Philippines, USSR).
The Netherlands stated:
In fact, reprisals could rarely be confined to civilian objects alone and the infliction of suffering on the civilian population would be virtually inevitable … The sponsors of the amendment were in favour of extending [the prohibition of reprisals against civilians] to a complete ban on all reprisals against the civilian population and civilian objects alike.
At the CDDH, the Netherlands, during discussions on the protection of civilian objects, stated that “reprisals on civilian populations were prohibited by international law”.
The Military Manual (1993) of the Netherlands, in the chapter dealing with the protection of the wounded and sick and referring to Article 20 of the 1977 Additional Protocol I, states: “Measures of reprisal are prohibited against … medical units and medical means of transportation, in short against all protected persons and objects.”
The Military Manual (2005) of the Netherlands states that “reprisals against protected persons and their property are prohibited”.
The manual further states that “[r]eprisal measures against … medical units and medical means of transport … are prohibited”.
The Military Manual (1993) of the Netherlands, in a chapter dealing with reprisals and referring,
inter alia, to Article 53 of the 1977 Additional Protocol I, states: “No reprisals may be undertaken against cultural objects (historical monuments, works of art, places of worship, etc.).”
The Military Handbook (1995) of the Netherlands states: “Reprisals against cultural property are prohibited.”
The Military Manual (2005) of the Netherlands states:
In the history of warfare, reprisals carried out have often exceeded the set limits. This has led to the current prohibition, in the humanitarian law of war and specifically in AP I [1977 Additional Protocol I], of reprisals against several groups of people and objects.
The following are now forbidden as reprisals:
…
- attacks on cultural property (historic monuments, works of art, places of worship, etc.).
In its chapter on behaviour in battle, the manual states: “No reprisals may be made against cultural property and buildings for religious worship.”
In its chapter on the protection of the civilian population, the manual states that “reprisals against protected persons and their property are prohibited”.
The Military Manual (1993) of the Netherlands, in a chapter dealing with reprisals and referring,
inter alia, to Article 54 of the 1977 Additional Protocol I, states: “No reprisals may be undertaken against objects indispensable for the survival of the civilian population (
inter alia, foodstuffs, crops, livestock and drinking water installations).”
The Military Manual (2005) of the Netherlands states:
In the history of warfare, reprisals carried out have often exceeded the set limits. This has led to the current prohibition, in the humanitarian law of war and specifically in AP I [1977 Additional Protocol I], of reprisals against several groups of people and objects.
The following are now forbidden as reprisals:
…
- attacks on objects essential to the survival of the civilian population (including foodstuffs, crops, livestock and drinking water installations).
In its chapter on behaviour in battle, the manual states: “Reprisals may not be undertaken against objects essential to the survival of the civilian population.”
In its chapter on the protection of the civilian population, the manual states that “reprisals against protected persons and their property are prohibited”.
The Military Manual (1993) of the Netherlands, in the chapter dealing with reprisals and referring,
inter alia, to Article 55 of the 1977 Additional Protocol I, states: “Attacks against the natural environment by way of reprisal are prohibited.”
The Military Manual (2005) of the Netherlands states:
In the history of warfare, reprisals carried out have often exceeded the set limits. This has led to the current prohibition, in the humanitarian law of war and specifically in AP I [1977 Additional Protocol I], of reprisals against several groups of people and objects.
The following are now forbidden as reprisals:
…
- attacks against the natural environment.
In its chapter on the protection of the civilian population, the manual states that “reprisals against protected persons and their property are prohibited”.
The Military Manual (1993) of the Netherlands, in the chapter dealing with reprisals and referring,
inter alia, to Article 56 of the 1977 Additional Protocol I, states: “Reprisals against dams, dikes and nuclear power plants are forbidden.”
The Military Manual (2005) of the Netherlands states:
In the history of warfare, reprisals carried out have often exceeded the set limits. This has led to the current prohibition, in the humanitarian law of war and specifically in AP I [1977 Additional Protocol I], of reprisals against several groups of people and objects.
The following are now forbidden as reprisals:
…
- attacks on dams, dikes and nuclear power stations.
In its chapter on behaviour in battle, the manual states: “It is prohibited to undertake reprisals against dams, dikes and power stations.”
In its chapter on the protection of the civilian population, the manual states that “reprisals against protected persons and their property are prohibited”.