Welcome

The International Humanitarian Fact-Finding Commission – dedicated to facilitating respect for international humanitarian law

 

The IHFFC is the dedicated expert body established by Additional Protocol I to the Geneva Conventions to respond to incidents in relation to international humanitarian law. It stands at the service of parties to an armed conflict to conduct enquiries into alleged violations and to facilitate, through its good offices, the restoration of an attitude of respect for that body of law.

 

 

 

 

In order to secure the guarantees afforded to the victims of armed conflicts, Article 90 of the First Additional Protocol to the Geneva Conventions of 1949 (AP I) provides for the establishment of an International Fact-Finding Commission. The International Humanitarian Fact-Finding Commission (IHFFC) was subsequently established in 1991. It is a permanent body of 15 independent experts, acting in their personal capacity, elected by the States having made a declaration of recognition under Article 90 of AP I. The Commission's essential purpose is to contribute to implement and ensure respect for International Humanitarian Law (IHL) in armed conflict situations.

 

The Commission fulfills its mandate notably by:

 

· Enquiring into any facts alleged to be grave breaches or serious violations of IHL.

· Facilitating through its good offices the restoration of an attitude of respect for the Conventions and AP I.

· Reporting its findings to the States involved and making such recommendations as it deems appropriate.

 

In the fulfillment of its mandate, the Commission observes the principles of neutrality, independence, impartiality, and confidentiality.

In its capacity as the depositary of the Geneva Conventions and their Additional Protocols, Switzerland runs the Secretariat of the Commission.

 

Each State which has recognized the competence of the Commission has the right to refer for investigation situations of armed conflict to the Commission on condition that all Parties involved have equally recognized the Commission's competence. A State Party to the First Additional Protocol may make a comprehensive declaration, thereby recognizing the Commission's competence, or it may consent to an investigation into the facts of a particular dispute. A comprehensive declaration can be made at any time.

 

Today, 76 States have made a comprehensive declaration under Article 90.

 

Should you have any questions please do not hesitate to contact us.

 

Yours sincerely,

 

Thilo Marauhn

President

 

 
 
 

News from the IHFFC

IHFFC Annual Meeting 2023 [06/06/2023]
The International Humanitarian Fact-finding Commission (IHFFC) held its annual meeting from 5 to 7 June 2023 in Geneva. Based on Article 90 of the First Additional Protocol to the Geneva Conventions, the IHFFC is at the disposal of any parties to armed conflicts to support them restoring an attitude of respect for IHL. [...]
Meeting with Polish Ministry of Foreign Affairs [10/11/2022]
The delegation of the IHFFC, composed of the members of its Bureau, visited the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Poland on 10 November 2022. The delegation was received by: Mr Marcin Przydacz - Undersecretary of State for Security, the Americas, Asia and Eastern Policy, Mr Konrad Marciniak - Director of the Legal and Treaty Department and Mr Sławomir Majszyk - Deputy Director of the Legal and Treaty Department. [...]
IHFFC Annual Meeting 2022 [17/05/2022]
The International Humanitarian Fact-finding Commission (IHFFC) held its annual meeting in two parts on 28 March and 16/17 May 2022 online and in Geneva. This was the first meeting of the IHFFC members since their election, held last November, by the 76 States parties to the First Protocol additional to the Geneva Conventions that have recognised the Commission's competence. [...]
Statement [25/04/2022]
The International Humanitarian Fact-Finding Commission, the only treaty-based standing body addressing compliance with the Geneva Conventions of 1949 and Additional Protocol I of 1977, in light of its mission to Eastern Ukraine in 2017 undertaken at the request of the OSCE, having offered its good offices to Russia and Ukraine in March 2022, calls upon both parties to the conflict to maintain and, where necessary, restore an attitude of respect for the Geneva Conventions and Additional Protocol I. The Commission reiterates its offer of good offices, in order to protect the victims of the ongoing armed conflict, indicating the importance of an impartial, independent and expert-based analysis of the current hostilities.
 
 
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IHFFC International Humanitarian Fact-Finding Commission
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