Ellen Policinski

Complying with IHL in large-scale conflicts: How should states prepare to allow and facilitate delivery of humanitarian relief? How states can proactively shape laws and administrative systems to facilitate humanitarian relief in the event of large-scale armed conflict.

🌐 Many barriers to life-saving aid come not from conflict, but from peacetime rules

This post shows how customs, regulations and administrative hurdles delay relief, and why enabling access requires preparation long before crises begin

Read more → bit.ly/4pTJykp
@icrc.org @epolicinski.bsky.social

It is possible to protect civilians in war:

👥 Meet the panelists for: “Launch of the Updated Commentary on the Fourth Geneva Convention.”

The panelists will come together for a dynamic discussion on the Commentary’s key findings and their practical implications.

Register now: bit.ly/49Ei3Gi
@icrc.org #GenevaConventions #GCIV

EVENT: Launch of the Updated Commentary on the Fourth Geneva Convention

📝 The updated Commentary on the Fourth Geneva Convention is now available.

Join us on 27 Nov 2025 for a launch event exploring key findings & their implications for protecting civilians in war.
Sign up & read here → bit.ly/49Ei3Gi

#GenevaConventions #IHL #LawOfWar #GCIV

This is a must-have guide for practitioners. The updated Commentary on the 4th Geneva Convention helps align the interpretation of international humanitarian law with 75 years of legal evolution, new technologies, and modern State practice.
Read it here👉🏽 ihl-databases.icrc.org/en/ihl-treat...

YouTube video by International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) How should the Geneva Conventions be interpreted in today’s wars?

@icrc.org has updated our Commentary to the Fourth Geneva Convention, translating 1949 protections into today’s realities.
Protecting civilians in the hands of the enemy, in occupied territory - the 4th Geneva Convention remains more relevant than ever.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yXd41pXzQuY

Protecting civilians in good faith: the updated Commentary on the Fourth Geneva Convention Good faith interpretation means reading GC IV in a way that realizes its object and purpose - to protect human beings in times of war.

📜 “It is possible to protect civilians in war.”

After five years of research and consultations, the @icrc.org has released the updated Commentary on GC IV, the cornerstone of civilian protection in armed conflict and occupation.

Read more → bit.ly/4ovsaSf
#IHL #GenevaConventions

Transmission of info by ICRC Central Tracing Agency in int'l armed conflicts Read about the transmission of information by the ICRC's Central Tracing Agency in international armed conflicts.

🕯️As #EnforcedDisappearancesDay nears, we reflect not only on lives missing, but also on legal protections that must not be forgotten. This article shows why IHL, in particular #GCIV, still matters today.

🔗 Read more: blogs.icrc.org/law-and-poli...

#ICRC #GCIV #GenevaConventions

YouTube video by International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) Coming soon: ICRC Commentary on the 4th Geneva Convention

🕊️ 76 years since the adoption of the #GenevaConventions

To mark this anniversary, the #ICRC will soon release the updated GCIV Commentary.

Watch the teaser to learn more about why this remains essential in today’s conflicts.

🎥 www.youtube.com/watch?v=q8Ng...

Did you know the @icrc.org's first president was a General? Swiss General Dufour died exactly 150 years ago. The ICRC’s humanitarian mission was grounded in battlefield experience from the start.
🔗Today’s military perspectives in the Intl Review of the Red Cross: library.icrc.org/library/sear...

Joint series: Locating the Geneva Conventions Commentaries in the international legal landscape - Humanitarian Law & Policy Blog Where do the ICRC Commentaries fit into the legal landscape? What are the rules governing treaty interpretation and how do they operate in the area of IHL? Where does the ICRC’s legitimacy to interpre...

📝 “All laws, no matter how detailed they are, have to be interpreted when being applied.”

The #ICRC is proud to announce that its GCIV Commentary will be available soon. Explore how the ICRC approaches this task and why it matters: bit.ly/3U25tbc

#GenevaConventions

Come work with the ICRC legal division! We're now hiring associates for next year. Deadline to apply is 1 June: careers.icrc.org/job/Geneva-%...

Starting over with a starter pack of people who work at the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), particularly but not exclusively on international humanitarian law ( #IHL ).

(My earlier 'IHL & humanitarians' pack was becoming a challenge to manage, sorry!)

Book Launch - The Authority of the International Committee of the Red Cross: Determining What International Humanitarian Law Is - The Geneva Academy of International Humanitarian Law and Human Rights <p>In his book launch, Linus Mührel will discuss his book’s main findings with experts from academia and the ICRC.</p>

Looking forward to discussing Linus Muehrel's book The Authority of the ICRC: Determining What IHL Is with Marco Sassoli and Fuad Zarbiyev tomorrow. If you're in Geneva, come join us at 12:30 at the Villa Moynier! www.geneva-academy.ch/event/all-ev...

The brochure provides a general introduction to IHL and highlights specific rules and protections that are particularly important for private business entities and their personnel.

Informal portrait of ICRC staff responsible for the updated commentary to the Geneva Conventions, and members of the Editorial Committee.

Another successful Editorial Committee meeting this week in Geneva, discussing draft commentaries on the Fourth Geneva Convention for the updated ICRC commentary. We expect online publication in 2025. Existing commentaries available here: ihl-databases.icrc.org/en/ihl-treat...
#IHL #IntLaw #ICRC

The internment of protected persons and the Fourth Geneva Convention International Humanitarian Law governs the grounds and procedures for civilian internment. How are these rules implemented in practice?

⚖️Understanding internment in international conflicts: How does the Fourth Geneva Convention protect civilians?

Mickey Orkin discusses the rules & their impact in the first of a new blog series at @icrclawpolicy.bsky.social.

#IHL #IntLaw #ICRC

Photograph of ICRC commentaries team and editorial committee members

Another successful meeting of the Editorial Committee overseeing the updated ICRC commentary on the Fourth Geneva Convention!
For the already-published updated commentaries on GCI-GCIII, and much much more, access our IHL database: ihl-databases.icrc.org/en/ihl-treat... #IntLaw #IHL #ICRC

Papers now online from the 2022 Bruges colloquium on International Humanitarian Law, "Who is Who on the Battlefield? The Actors Engaged in Contemporary Armed Conflicts".

Organized by the ICRC & College of Europe. Includes my contribution on 'IHL & Private Military & Security Companies'.

IntLaw

Regina George saying "Stop trying to make fetch happen. It's not going to happen."

Because I really want to make #IHLTok happen

Does moving to a new platform mean we get to pretend there is a new audience? Is this finally my chance to make #IHLTok happen? Or is this a continuation of all my conversations from the bird app?

Cyberspace is not a lawless space; accountability is important to prevent and prosecute violations of IHL -Cordula Droege
Read the article here: digitalfrontlines.io/2023/08/20/k...

Global call for papers: “Military Perspectives on International Humanitarian Law” Call for Papers: “Military Perspectives on International Humanitarian Law” Deadline for Proposals: 30 September 2023 Confirmation of the status of your proposal: 31 October 2023 Deadline for Full ...

ICRC's International Review of the Red Cross is seeking papers discussing military perspectives on IHL. Contributions from those with current or former military experience particularly encouraged. Deadline Sept 30th.

international-review.icrc.org/call-for-pap...

In times of war, #neutrality is not indifference.
✅It is a deliberate way of working to help without taking sides, allowing ICRC to reach those who need it most.
⏩Artist Vaskange reflects on the role of neutrality in protecting lives: bit.ly/3EQgzYV