Defending the Civil Objects as a Principle of International Humanitarian Law

Abstract

In the present-day world the aggressive war is an international crime but still armed conflicts still persist in the world. The parties involved in the armed confrontation have to adhere to the fundamental principles of international humanitarian law, which plays an important role in international relations.

In spite of the variety of points of view of Russian scholars and jurists of the western countries concerning the question of classification of principles of international humanitarian law, all scholars point out as one of the principles of the law of an armed conflict the principle of defending the civil objects in the period of armed conflicts though different authors offer different interpretations of this principle. So, I.P. Blishenko names this principle as the principle of defending the "peace objects" (those used in peaceful aims), I.I. Kotlyarov in his works mentions the principle of defending the civil objects and cultural valuables, L.I. Savinskiy in his turn adverts to the common principle of "defending the casualties of war and civil objects", and I.N. Artsibasov reveals the principle of differentiation between military and civil objects in the period of armed conflicts.

At the same time the author of an article makes a suggestion of considering the principle of defending the civil objects as an independent principle of the law of an armed conflict, which should be called the principle of defending the civil objects in the period of armed conflicts.