The protection of cultural property in non-international armed conflicts

In her article, the author points out that contemporary armed conflicts are often of a non-international nature. She provides the example of the ongoing conflict in Syria and Iraq as one in which cultural property of universal importance has been at risk of destruction. Based on the definition of non-international armed conflict, she notes that only a limited number of treaties belonging to the field of international humanitarian law include provisions aimed at protecting cultural property during an armed conflict. She praises the inclusion of rules concerning the safeguarding of cultural property to the general body of international customary law. She also notes that the introduction of the concept of individual responsibility for violations of international humanitarian law may pave the way for a more efficient exercise of rules concerning the safeguarding of cultural property in armed conflicts.