Protocol II was signed in the year 1977. It is concerned with the security of the victims of internal (non-international) armed conflicts. It gives the superior safety for the sufferers of non-international armed conflicts that occur within the country territory. It had been legally approved by 163 countries until 2007. The number of Articles enclosed in both the Protocols is known as international law.International law is valid for all the countries that had signed the Protocol II.International law of armed conflicts means affirmation of confrontation between two nations. The delegate wanted to define certain laws to the situation that had all the uniqueness of war, without being an international war.Common Article 3 written in the Geneva Conventions also applies to the armed conflicts that are of internal (non-international) character, but that occur within the country territory.
According to this Article:
- Persons (including military persons) taking no part in warfare should be treated humanely.
- Proper treatment should be provided for the injured and sick persons.
The debate over this protocol was only for two reasons-
- First it is artificial to distinguish between the internal and international armed conflicts for a victim.
- Second, international law of treatment of combatant regardless of their identity does not apply to internal conflicts
