New from the International Committee of the Red Cross

In 1996, the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), in consultation with experts from around the world, embarked on a major study to identify rules of customary international humanitarian law (IHL). The resulting publication, which appeared in 2005, has been hailed as a landmark document seeking to identify the common core of IHL binding on all parties to all types of armed conflict. 

The ICRC has launched a FREE online version of the study with 50 per cent more content than the original printed version (http://www.icrc.org/customary-ihl/eng/docs/home). The new database makes the material available for the first time in a single online source accessible worldwide. It is divided into two parts. Part One offers a comprehensive analysis of the customary rules of IHL deemed applicable in international and non-international armed conflict. Part Two contains a summary of State practice relating to most aspects of IHL, as expressed in national legislation, military manuals, official statements, and case law, and the practice of entities such as international organizations and international courts and tribunals. 

The database is easy to navigate and Part Two will be updated regularly by the ICRC in cooperation with the British Red Cross. It will be an essential resource for anyone interested in the application and interpretation of IHL and for any further review of State practice carried out to assess customary IHL.