Protocol II
Quick Summary
Protocol II, adopted in 1977, is an international treaty that extends human rights protections to individuals involved in severe civil conflicts. It was created as an addition to the 1949 Geneva Conventions, which primarily addressed international armed conflicts. Protocol II specifically prohibits acts such as collective punishment, torture, hostage-taking, terrorism, slavery, and humiliating or degrading treatment. It applies to situations where dissident armed forces control a part of a state's territory, enabling sustained military operations and the implementation of the protocol's provisions. This protocol aims to provide a baseline of humane treatment even in non-international armed conflicts, where the broader Geneva Conventions might not fully apply.12
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