The systematic and violent appropriation of movable public or private property belonging to the enemy State, to civilians, wounded, sick or shipwrecked persons, or to prisoners of war.
Pillage is a war crime.
When movable property belonging to civilians, wounded, sick or shipwrecked persons, prisoners of war or the dead on the battlefield is removed by non-violent means, the term “spoliation” is sometimes used. Spoliation is prohibited.

 OUTLINE

Chapter 8, IV. 7. b) prohibition of pillage

 LEGAL SOURCE

prohibition of

HR, 28, 47 and 56

GCI, 15/1 (see ICRC updated Commentary)

GCII, 18/1 (see ICRC updated Commentary)

GCIV, 16/2 and 33/2

PII, 4/2g and 8

CIHL, 52

 CASES

United States Military Tribunal at Nuremberg, United States v. Alfried Krupp et al.

ICJ, Democratic Republic of the Congo/Uganda, Armed Activities on the Territory of the Congo (Paras. 240-245, 250)

Georgia/Russia, Human Rights Watch’s Report on the Conflict in South Ossetia (Paras. 75, 79, 82-83, 87-89)

Georgia/Russia, Independent International Fact-Finding Mission on the Conflict in South Ossetia (Paras. 94-100)

Democratic Republic of Congo, Involvement of MONUSCO

Mali, Conduct of Hostilities

Central African Republic, Coup d’Etat

The armed conflict in Syria

Syria, Report by UN Commission of Inquiry (March 2017)

Switzerland: Gold Looting Case

ICC, Confirmation of Charges against LRA Leader

International Criminal Court, Trial Judgment in the Case of the Prosecutor V. Jean-Pierre Bemba Gombo

Iraq, Crimes by Militia Groups

 BIBLIOGRAPHIC RESOURCE

STEWART James G., Corporate War Crimes: Prosecuting the Pillage of Natural Resources, New York, The Open Society Institute, 2010, 157 pp.