Protocol I (also Additional Protocol I and AP I)[4] is a 1977 amendment protocol to the Geneva Conventions concerning the protection of civilian victims of international war, such as "armed conflicts in which peoples are fighting against colonial domination, alien occupation or racist regimes".[5] In practice, Additional Protocol I updated and reaffirmed the international laws of war stipulated in the Geneva Conventions of 1949 to accommodate developments of warfare since the Second World War (1937–1945).
As of February 2020, it had been ratified by 174 states,[6] with the United States, Israel, Iran, Pakistan, India, and Turkey being notable exceptions. However, the United States, Iran, and Pakistan signed it on 12 December 1977.
On 16 October 2019, President Vladimir Putin signed an executive order[7] and submitted a State Duma bill to revoke the statement accompanying Russia's ratification of the Protocol I, accepting the competence of the Article 90(2) International Fact-Finding Commission.[8][9][10] The bill was supplied with the following warning:[8][10]
Exceptional circumstances affect the interests of the Russian Federation and require urgent action. ... In the current international environment, the risks of abuse of the commission's powers for political purposes by unscrupulous states who act in bad faith have increased significantly.
Protocol I is an extensive document, containing 102 articles. The following is a basic overview of the protocol.[11] For a comprehensive listing of all provisions, consult the text[12] and the commentary.[13] In general, the protocol reaffirms the provisions of the original four Geneva Conventions. However, the following additional protections are added.