The humanity principle in regard to coup de grâce in armed conflicts reviewed from the perspective of international humanitarian law

Eliza Fanyeeteng; Anak Agung Sri Utari

doi:10.55942/pssj.v6i3.975

Authors

Eliza Fanyeeteng Faculty of Law, Udayana University https://orcid.org/0009-0003-9998-2859
Anak Agung Sri Utari Faculty of Law, Udayana University

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.55942/pssj.v6i3.975

Keywords:

armed conflict, coup de grâce, humanity principle, international humanitarian law

Abstract

Coup de grâce is a practice that has been deeply ingrained throughout military history. Although this practice has been prohibited by various conventions, violations still occur because of differences in views between soldiers and legal scholars. The purpose of this study is to analyze and examine the practice of euthanasia or coup de grâce that occurs on the battlefield during armed conflict, based on the principle of humanity from the perspective of International Humanitarian Law. This study employs the normative legal research method with statute and conceptual approaches. The result of this study shows that coup de grâce cannot be justified in the eyes of International Humanitarian Law even with the knowledge that it is done based on mercy towards an excessively injured combatant, remembering the principle of humanity and differentiation as the basis of International Humanitarian Law. Therefore, coup de grâce can be classified without a doubt as a war crime.

Author Biographies

Eliza Fanyeeteng, Faculty of Law, Udayana University

Eliza Fanyeeteng is currently a student in the Faculty of Law at Udayana University where she chooses the concentration of International Law with a focus on Public International Law. With an interest in armed conflict and human rights, her work centers on examining legal frameworks that protect individuals during wartime, exploring the limits of International Humanitarian Law, and working to bridge legal norms to real world impacts, contributing to the advancing human rights protection through academic research and legal analysis.

Anak Agung Sri Utari, Faculty of Law, Udayana University

Anak Agung Sri Utari is a lecturer, affiliated with the Faculty of Law at Udayana University with works that focus in various fields of law, mainly International Humanitarian Law, Private International Law, Child Protection Law, Law of Treaties, and Consumer Protection Law. Her research covers both theoretical and applied aspects of these areas, contributing significantly to legal scholarship and knowledge at the university.

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