In advance of the final season of Game of Thrones, the Australian Red Cross has taken the opportunity to educate viewers about International Humanitarian Law (IHL) by cataloguing the many war crimes committed by the show’s characters.
IHL is a specialist branch of international law that aims to minimise the humanitarian effects of wars and armed conflict. These laws are known more commonly as the ‘laws of war’ which originate in the Geneva Conventions. Some examples of the laws that apply in war include:
- Civilians, medical personnel and aid workers must not be targeted
- Prisoners of War must be treated humanely
- The sick and wounded must be cared for (no matter which side they’re on)
- Weapons that are indiscriminate or cause unnecessary suffering must not be used
- Historic buildings and cultural treasures must be protected
Breaches of the Geneva Conventions may amount to war crimes. The character that takes the top spot as the show’s worst war criminal will come as no surprise to the show’s fans…
— About the Author —
Monique Cormier
Lecturer, UNE Law School
Academic Member Australian Red Cross IHL Advisory Committee (NSW Branch)
