International humanitarian law provides for the appointment of an International Fact-Finding Commission in cases of international armed conflict, at the request of one of the parties to the conflict. The Commission must be composed of members of high moral standing and acknowledged impartiality and is competent to:

  1. enquire into any facts alleged to be a grave breach or any other serious violation of the 1949 Conventions or of Protocol I;
  2. facilitate through its good offices the restoration of an attitude of respect for international law.

For the Commission to function the parties to the conflict must fully recognize its competence or accept it in casu.

 OUTLINE

Chapter 14, 1. b) the International Humanitarian Fact-Finding Commission

 LEGAL SOURCE

PI, 90

 DOCUMENT

ICRC, The International Humanitarian Fact-Finding Commission

 CASES

UN, Resolutions and Conference on the Respect of the Fourth Convention (D. II. 3.)

Case Study, Armed Conflicts in the former Yugoslavia (7)

Afghanistan, Attack on Kunduz Trauma Centre

 BIBLIOGRAPHIC RESOURCES

Suggested readings:   CONDORELLI Luigi, “La Commission internationale humanitaire d’établissement des faits : un outil obsolète ou un moyen utile de mise en oeuvre du droit international humanitaire ?”, in IRRC, No. 842, June 2001, pp. 393-406.   HAMPSON Françoise, “Fact-finding and the International Fact-Finding Commission”, in FOX Hazel & MEYER Michael A. (eds), Armed Conflict and the New Law, Vol. II, Effecting Compliance, London, The British Institute of International and Comparative Law, 1993, pp. 53-82.   KRILL Françoise, “The International Fact-Finding Commission: The ICRC’s Role”, in IRRC, No. 281, March-April 1991, 19 pp.   KUSSBACH Erich, “Commission internationale d’établissement des faits en droit international humanitaire”, in RDMDG, Vol. 20/1-2, 1981, pp. 89-111.   MIKOS-SKUZA Elzbieta, “The International Humanitarian Fact-Finding Commission: an Awakening Beauty?”, in Frieden in Freiheit = Peace in Liberty = Paix en liberté: Festschrift für Michael Bothe zum 70 Geburtstag, Baden-Baden, Nomos; Zürich, Dike, 2008, pp. 481-492.   MOKHTAR Aly, “To Be or not to Be: The International Humanitarian Fact-Finding Commission”, in Italian Yearbook of International Law, Vol. 12, 2002, pp. 69-94.   ROACH John A., “The International Fact-Finding Commission: Article 90 of Protocol I Additional to the 1949 Geneva Conventions”, in IRRC, No. 281, March-April 1991, pp. 167-189.   VITÉ Sylvain, Les procédures internationales d’établissement des faits dans la mise en oeuvre du droit international humanitaire, Brussels, Bruylant, 1999, 485 pp.   Further readings:   KUSSBACH Erich, “The International Humanitarian Fact-Finding Commission”, in ICLQ, 1994, pp. 174-185.   REINISCH August, “The International Fact-Finding Commission to Article 90 Additional Protocol I to the Geneva Conventions and its Potential Enquiry Competence in the Yugoslav Conflict”, in Nordic Journal of International Law, Vol. 65, 1996, pp. 241-255.