Second Geneva Convention was signed at Geneva, Switzerland, on 6 July 1906. It added some principles to the First Geneva Convention on treatment of combat zone casualties. It was made to protect human rights of shipwrecked, injured and sick soldiers that were found at sea. It was made because of naval fleets being created and the number of wars occurring at sea. The only difference between the First and Second Geneva Convention is The First Geneva Convention covered only the wars on land and the Second Geneva Convention covered the wars at sea. This Convention makes sure that no cruelties were occurring over the deep blue sea.
There are 63 Articles written in the treaty.
The most important provisions written in the Second Geneva Convention are :
- According to Article 12 and 18, all parties should guard and care for injured, sick and shipwrecked soldiers at sea, regardless of nationality.
- According to Article 21, the parties may appeal for neutral merchant vessels to help collect and care for injured, sick and shipwrecked soldiers at sea. The neutral merchant vessels should not be captured.
- According to Article 36 and 37, every religious and medical personnel should be protected and respected.
- According to Article 22, hospital ships cannot be used for any military operations, and it should not be captured.
Second Geneva Convention was needed and without it, there would have been thousands of more sufferers during Second World War.
