Dissemination of International Humanitarian Law in Greece

Abstract

This article analyses specific provisions within the Greek legal order that guide the naval commander’s conduct during an armed conflict at sea. It demonstrates that these provisions do not adequately satisfy the requirement to ensure respect for the law of naval warfare and to contribute to the discontinuance, during such times, of the violations of international rules on the assistance of persons in distress at sea by State organs. In this manner, it points to the necessity of an extensive discussion among legal scholars about the dissemination of international humanitarian law in Greece. This process could lead to the establishment of a comprehensive national military manual that would demonstrate the spirit of abidance to the obligation to respect and ensure respect for the rules of this law in Greece’s maritime realm during peace and warfare, and play an instrumental role in the enhancement of safety for persons and objects at sea during naval conflict.