CYIL vol. 11 (2020)

DALIBOR JÍLEK CYIL 11 (2020) One of them was the Convention (II) with Respect to the Laws and Customs of War on Land with its annex Regulations concerning the Laws and Customs of War on Land. 35 The rules concerning the protection of cultural property contained in the Brussels Declaration and in the Regulations of the War on Land of 1899 are characterized by descriptive and prescriptive closeness. Their normative content is not utterly the same. 36 Telos of this rule coming from Article 27 is identical to the purpose of the rule resulting from the Brussels draft. Property of a cultural character should not be used for military purposes and thus protected from destruction or damage. The normative equilibrium between the responsibilities of defenders and attackers persists. Likewise, the different nature of the duties stayed. The Regulations imposes the duty on the besieging troops to take all necessary measures to spare buildings devoted to religion, art, science, and charity, hospitals, and places where the sick and wounded are collected. The second duty burdens the besieged to indicate these buildings and places and notify it to the assailants. Article 56 of the Regulations corresponds to Article 8 of the Brussels project. 37 The first paragraph of the provision obliges the belligerent to protect the property of the communes, that of religious, charitable, and educational institutions, and those of arts and science, in the same manner as private property. According to the logical argument a minori ad maius , it might be argued that in case of a negative duty, the property of higher territorial units, such as districts, regions, or provinces, enjoys protection too. The property of cultural character shall not be used for military operations. All these objects are defined by their specific public function. Therefore, during the occupation, the belligerents grant them a different treatment than public (state) property, which may be used directly or indirectly for military purposes. During hostilities, those societal institutions are focused on meeting social needs and serving the public as distinct res in usu publico . These public institutions own or administer both immovable and movable assets. Temples, churches, chapels, shrines, mosques, synagogues, or places of worship, regardless of religion, belong to the consistent empire of immovable things. They demonstrate the spirituality of various cultural communities. In addition, immovable objects are also edifices where scientific, technical, natural, or art collections are located. Obviously, museum and gallery collections are movables. 35 Convention (II) with Respect to the Laws and Customs of War on Land and its annex: Regulations concerning the Laws and Customs of War on Land. The Hague, 29 July 1899. Annex to the Convention: Regulations Respecting the Laws and Customs of War on Land. SCHINDLER, D. and TOMAN, J. (eds.), op. cit. 1, pp. 69-93. 36 Article 27 states in French: “Dans les sièges et bombardements, toutes les mesures nécessaires doivent être prises pour épargner, autant que possible, les édifices consacrés aux cultes, aux arts, aux sciences et à la bienfaisance, les hôpitaux et les lieux de rassemblement de malades et de blessés, à condition qu’ils ne soient pas employés en même temps à un but militaire. Le devoir des assiégés est de désigner ces édifices ou lieux de rassemblement par des signes visibles spéciaux qui seront notifiés d’avance à l’assiégeant.” 37 Article 56 states in French: “Les biens des communes, ceux des établissements consacrés aux cultes, à la charité et à l’instruction, aux arts et aux sciences, même appartenant à l’Etat, seront traités comme la propriété privée. Toute saisie, destruction ou dégradation intentionnelle de semblables établissements, de monuments historiques, d’oeuvres d’art et de science, est interdite et doit être poursuivie.”

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