Today is an important day in international humanitarian law

Today is an important day in international humanitarian law (IHL). 18 years ago, on December 8, 2005 Additional Protocol III to the Geneva Conventions established an additional distinctive emblem, the red crystal.

The red cross, red crescent and red crystal are internationally recognized under the Geneva Conventions as symbols of neutrality and protection in times of armed conflict that only can be used by authorized persons and entities to make their protection visible, including the armed forces’ medical and religious personnel as well as to indicate persons and objects belonging to the International Movement of the Red Cross and Red Crescent.

During the ongoing war in Ukraine, the Ukrainian Red Cross has observed more than 100 cases of cross-border misuse of the emblem. Any misuse can weaken the emblem’s protective value, thus endangering the lives of those providing healthcare and humanitarian assistance during armed conflicts.

On this day, the Ukrainian Red Cross with 12 National Societies appeals to everybody to respect the fundamental value of the distinctive emblems and help us prevent their misuse