Laws Protecting Human Rights
Human rights law is a developing area of international law. Human rights law is concerned with guaranteeing human rights laws are applied even across the world. Human rights law is often used in war crime tribunals. The development of human rights law has seen several forums under which its development has been guided. The first was the Nuremberg trials following the Second World War. Human rights laws have also developed through various declarations made by member nations of regional organizations as well as through the United Nations.
There are two historical origins which have shaped modern understanding of human rights law. These origins are The Law of Geneva and The Law of The Hague. The Law of Geneva concerns itself with investigation violations of internationally agreed upon and established human rights laws during times of war. These human rights laws are codified in the Geneva Conventions. The first human rights law as laid on in the Geneva Convention is concerned with the “Amelioration of the Condition of the Wounded and Sick in Armed Forces in the Field.” the second human rights law is “for the Amelioration of the Condition of Wounded, Sick and Shipwrecked Members of Armed Forces at Sea.” The third set of human rights laws are “relative to the Treatment of Prisoners of War,” while the forth area of human rights laws worry about “Protection of Civilian Persons in Time of War.” Two additional human rights laws have been amended to the Geneva Conventions, which deal with ensuing human rights laws provide protection to the victims of both international and non-international armed conflict. The Law of the Hague serves as a background source of human rights laws by governing acceptable actions which militaries may utilize while in conflict.
Human rights laws are also known as international humanitarian laws. Common human rights law include the idea that persons not engaged in hostilities and that soldiers unable to engage in combat due to injury be treated humanely and protected. Human rights law also prohibits killing or injuring a surrendered combatant or one who is already injured. The sick and wounded in an occupied area must be provided with care and protection by the occupying force, and human rights law also obliges the occupier to recognize the red cross as a sign of protection. Anyone captured, whether a civilian on soldier, is to be provided with the means to communicate with their family members, receive relief, and be protected from reprisals, or the army which has captured them is considered to have violated the internationally accepted human rights law. Human rights law specifically outlaw all forms of torture. Armed forces not seeking to break human rights laws will also attempt to limit their military actions to a reasonable extent, and will only attack targets which represent military objectives.
Anyone found violating human rights laws face very strong international repercussions. The most common of these is to be placed on trial at the International court in The Hague in Switzerland for crimes against humanity.
