An arms race is underway in the development and deployment of new technologies in warfare, including artificial intelligence (AI). Rather than making battlefields safer for civilians, these technologies often increase risks and cause significant harm.

Associate for the ICRC Legal Division

Call for Papers: “Protection of Civilians and International Humanitarian Law in the Age of Artificial Intelligence” Deadline for submission of abstracts: 1 September 2026 Decision whether abstract has...

Exploring how international humanitarian law applies to ICT activities in armed conflict, and how civilians can be protected in digital warfare.

In large-scale conflicts, IHL helps limit displacement, protect civilians and preserve family links through advance planning and safeguards.

[Vanessa Murphy and Helen Obregón Gieseken are Legal Advisers at the Legal Division of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) in Geneva] At the 34th International Conference of the Red…

As international lawyers debate the resilience of international law in the face of its most serious breaches, including aggression and mass atrocities against civilians, the International Committee of...

As international lawyers debate the resilience of international law in the face of its most serious breaches, including aggression and mass atrocities against civilians, the International Committee of...

The 2025 ICRC GC IV Commentary integrates technology into its analysis, and raises concerns about its treatment of data as property.

International humanitarian law (IHL) treaties use a range of terms to denote deprivation of liberty, one of which is internment. While there is no legal definition, internment is understood to mean th...

Preventing disappearances in war: what non-state armed groups can do to protect families and treat the dead with dignity under IHL.

New Commentary on Geneva Convention IV describes Article 23 as "significantly diminished" in importance in today's legal context.

The updated ICRC Commentary of the Fourth Geneva Convention (GCIV) is a monumental, if not timely, achievement. At its core, it provides a set of very useful legal interpretations on an enormous body ...

This post explores the ICRC Commentary on Common Article 3, highlighting key updates and what they reveal about modern armed conflict law.

When law is read in good faith, it becomes a shield. GC IV’s purpose is simple: protect human beings in war.

From the ocean floor to cyberspace, modern naval warfare is reshaping risk, law, and life far beyond the waves.

On 17 January 1996, the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) opened its general archives to the public, marking a turning point in the possibility of analysing the history of the ICRC, huma...

Civilian hackers in war: The limits that international humanitarian law imposes on volunteer IT armies, hacktivists, and other civilian hackers

On the 17th of October, the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) published the updated Commentary on the Fourth Geneva Convention relative to the Protection…

How the ICRC's 2005 study on customary IHL clarified gaps left by the treaties, and helped to strengthen the practical application of IHL.

The ICRC's Arjun Claire and Matthew Bamber-Zryd present five key insights to help strengthen humanitarian responses in contested territories.

Does IHL create an obligation to ensure that medical facilities receive adequate supplies? If so, what practical measures are required?

Call for Papers: “Before War: Prepare to Comply with International Humanitarian Law” Deadline for Submission of Abstract: 01 December 2025 Decision whether Abstract has been selected: 20 December 2025...

Helen Obregón Gieseken: Senior Legal Adviser, International Committee of the

Whether lawful or unlawful, death is an inherent part of war - and has been throughout history. Yet, until now, IHL rules on the protection of the dead have received relatively little attention in sch...