Art. 12. The laws of war do not allow to belligerents an unlimited power as to the choice of means of injuring the enemy.
Art. 13. According to this principle are strictly forbidden—
- a. The use of poison or poisoned weapons.
- b. Murder by treachery of individuals belonging to the hostile nation or army.
- c. Murder of an antagonist who, having laid down his arms, or having no longer the means of defending himself, has surrendered at discretion.
- d. The declaration that no quarter will be given.
- e. The use of arms, projectiles, or substances which may cause unnecessary suffering, as well as of those prohibited by the Declaration of St. Petersburg in 1868.
- f. Abuse of the flag of truce, the national flag, or the military insignia or uniform of the enemy, as well as the distinctive badges of the Geneva Convention.
- g. All destruction or seizure of the enemy’s property which is not imperatively required by the necessity of war.
Art. 15. Fortified places are alone liable to be besieged. Towns, agglomerations of houses or villages which are open or undefended, cannot be attacked or bombarded.
Art. 17. ... All necessary steps should be taken to spare as far as possible buildings devoted to religion, arts, sciences, and charity, hospitals and places where sick and wounded are collected, on condition that they are not used at the same time for military purposes.
Art. 18. A town taken by storm shall not be given up to the victorious troops for plunder.
Art. 23. Prisoners of war ... should be treated with humanity.... All their personal effects except their arms are to be considered their own property.
Arts. 36, 37. The population of an occupied territory cannot be compelled to take part in military operations against their own country, nor to swear allegiance to the enemy’s power.
Art. 38. The honour and rights of the family, the life and property of individuals, as well as their religious convictions and the exercise of their religion, should be respected.