Lecture summary: The Geneva Conventions were adopted more than 70 years ago. How has their interpretation evolved over time? This lecture will look at the application of the rules on treaty interpretation to ‘older’ treaties, such as the 1949 Geneva Conventions. It draws upon the experience the speaker has gained in updating the commentaries on the Geneva Conventions.
Jean-Marie Henckaerts is head of the ICRC project to update the Commentaries on the Geneva Conventions of 1949 and their Additional Protocols of 1977. So far, three commentaries have been published:
2016 - updated Commentary on the First Geneva Convention
2017 - updated Commentary on the Second Geneva Convention
2020 - updated Commentary on the Third Geneva Convention
He and his team are currently updating the ICRC Commentary on the Fourth Geneva Convention. Prior to this, he was the head of the ICRC’s project on customary international humanitarian law. He holds the degrees of Doctor of Juridical Science from The George Washington University Law School, Master of Laws from the University of Georgia School of Law and Bachelor of Laws from the University of Brussels.
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