0031-0330 irl.qxd
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FOURTH GENEVA CONVENTION OF 1949
Protecting Power and when occasion arises the Power of origin of
the persons to be visited, may agree that compatriots of the
internees shall be permitted to participate in the visits.
The delegates of the International Committee of the Red Cross
shall also enjoy the above prerogatives. The appointment of such
delegates shall be submitted to the approval of the Power governing
the territories where they will carry out their duties.
Dissemination
of the
Convention
ART. 144. — The High Contracting Parties undertake, in time of
peace as in time of war, to disseminate the text of the present
Convention as widely as possible in their respective countries, and,
in particular, to include the study thereof in their programmes of
military and, if possible, civil instruction, so that the principles
thereof may become known to the entire population.
Any civilian, military, police or other authorities, who in time of
war assume responsibilities in respect of protected persons, must
possess the text of the Convention and be specially instructed as to
its provisions.
Translations.
Rules of
application
ART. 145. — The High Contracting Parties shall communicate to
one another through the Swiss Federal Council and, during
hostilities, through the Protecting Powers, the official translations of
the present Convention, as well as the laws and regulations which
they may adopt to ensure the application thereof.
Penal
sanctions
ART. 146. — The High Contracting Parties undertake to enact
any legislation necessary to provide effective penal sanctions for
persons committing, or ordering to be committed, any of the grave
breaches of the present Convention defined in the following Article.
Each High Contracting Party shall be under the obligation to
search for persons alleged to have committed, or to have ordered to
be committed, such grave breaches, and shall bring such persons,
regardless of their nationality, before its own courts. It may also, if it
prefers, and in accordance with the provisions of its own legislation,
hand such persons over for trial to another High Contracting Party
concerned, provided such High Contracting Party has made out a
prima facie case.
Each High Contracting Party shall take measures necessary for
the suppression of all acts contrary to the provisions of the present
Convention other than the grave breaches defined in the following
Article.
In all circumstances, the accused persons shall benefit by
safeguards of proper trial and defence, which shall not be less
favourable than those provided by Article 105 and those following
I.
General
observations