articles

  • UN Charter Article 2(4)

    • Prohibits the use of force against the territorial integrity or political independence of any state

      • Russia violated this by annexing Crimea and invading Ukraine

  • Hague Regulations

    • Set rules for military conduct during occupation.

    • Article 23(b)

      • Prohibits the employment of arms, projectiles, or material calculated to cause unnecessary suffering

        • Russia violated this via cluster munitioins and thermobaric weapons in civilan areas

    • Article 25

      • Prohibits attacks or bombardments of towns, villages, dwellings, or buildings that are undefended

        • Russia’s bombing of hospitals, schools, and residential areas (ex: Mariupol and Kharkiv)

    • Article 27

      • Protection of buildings dedicated to religion, art, science, or charitable purposes, and historic monuments, provided they are not being used for military purposes.

        • Russia violated this by bombing cultural landmarks and churches that were not used for military purposes.

    • Article 46

      • Protects private property, prohibiting its confiscation

        • Russia violated this through widespread looting of Ukrainian homes, businesses, and cultural artifacts.

  • Geneva Conventions

    • Protects civilians during conflict

    • Common Article 3 (Applicable in Non-International Armed Conflicts)

      • Prohibits violence to life and person, including murder, mutilation, cruel treatment, and torture

        • Russia violated this by executing and torturing civilians in Bucha and other areas under its occupation.

    • Article 32

      • Prohibits measures causing physical suffering or extermination of protected persons, including murder, torture, or inhuman treatment

        • Russia deliberately targets and mistreats civilians in occupied areas

    • Article 33

      • Prohibits collective punishment, pillage, and reprisals against protected persons and property

    • Article 34

      • Prohibits the taking of hostages

        • Reports of Russian forces holding civilians as hostages during evacuations

    • Article 49

      • Prohibits forcible transfers and deportations of civilians from occupied territory

        • Forced deportation of Ukrainian children to Russia

    • Article 48

      • Must distinguish between civilian and military objects

        • Indiscriminate attacks on civilian areas and infrastructure

    • Article 51(2)

      • Prohibits acts or threats of violence aimed at spreading terror among the civilian populations

        • Missile strikes on populated urban centers and critical civilian infrastructure

    • Article 52(1)

      • Provides general protection to civilian objects, prohibiting their targeting

        • Systematic targeting of schools, hospitals, and powergrids

    • Article 85(3)

      • Defines grave breaches, including attacks on the civilian population or objects.

    • Art 55 of UN Charter

      • Peace + Security = Human Right

        • Mandates UN to encourage universal respect for HR and universal freedoms, linking peace and security to HR

UNSC Resolution 688

  • Condemned the repression of Iraqi Kurds

  • Internal human rights violations = violating international peace and security