Matt Pollard
@mpollard.bsky.social
6.1K followers 4.3K following 100 posts
Legal Adviser, International Committee of the Red Cross (@ICRC.org). Updating Geneva Convention commentaries & thematic legal adviser on food security, private military & security companies, cultural property, journalists, torture & ill-treatment.
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Reposted by Matt Pollard
icrc.org
Attention researchers and practitioners!

The International Review of the Red Cross calls for papers on 'Before War: Prepare to Comply with IHL'. Submit by 1 December 2025, and contribute to this vital discussion.

Read more: ms.spr.ly/63322sQFpe
📢 Attention researchers and practitioners!
 
The International Review of the Red Cross calls for papers on 'Before War: Prepare to Comply with IHL'. Submit by 1 December 2025, and contribute to this vital discussion.
 
Read more 👉🏽 https://international-review.icrc.org/call-for-papers-before-war-prepare-to-comply-with-international-humanitarian-law
Reposted by Matt Pollard
corduladroege.bsky.social
We cannot let artificial intelligence in military applications develop without human oversight and regulation, lest algorithms replace human judgment and control in life and death decisions.
@ICRC statement at #UNGA80:
icrc.org/en/statement/w…x.com/ICRC/status/.../1
x.com
Reposted by Matt Pollard
icrc.org
When does disrupting connectivity cross a legal line at war?

From bombing a communication tower to national shutdowns, connectivity disruptions are frequent in armed conflicts.

Read more about the limits #IHL imposes on such acts: ms.spr.ly/63325sqiRR
Can you imagine a day without internet or telecommunication?  For civilians in armed conflict zones, losing access to the internet or the ability to make a call isn’t just inconvenient:  it's life-threatening.  Under the rules of war, parties to conflict must not interfere with civilians’ access to connectivity.
Reposted by Matt Pollard
icrc.org
Last year, Brazil, China, France, Jordan, Kazakhstan, South Africa, and the ICRC launched the Global Initiative on humanitarian law. They now call to end IHL violations and announce their plan to hold a 2026 high-level meeting to uphold humanity in war.

ms.spr.ly/63328sUbsq
World leaders united in defence of international humanitarian law to uphold humanity in war
World leaders united in defence of international humanitarian law to uphold humanity in war
ms.spr.ly
Reposted by Matt Pollard
icrc-uk.bsky.social
Hi, I’m Will, weapon contamination (WEC) coordinator in Syria with the @icrc.org. For the next 3 days, I'll post about my work disposing of explosive ordnance in one of the most contaminated countries in the world.

📸 My team and I on disposal duty in rural Damascus
Reposted by Matt Pollard
icrclawpolicy.bsky.social
🕊️ 76 years since the adoption of the #GenevaConventions

To mark this anniversary, the #ICRC will soon release the updated GCIV Commentary.

Watch the teaser to learn more about why this remains essential in today’s conflicts.

🎥 www.youtube.com/watch?v=q8Ng...
Coming soon: ICRC Commentary on the 4th Geneva Convention
YouTube video by International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC)
www.youtube.com
Reposted by Matt Pollard
icrc.org
Almost 80 years after the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, the human cost remains a stark reminder: nuclear weapons must never be used again.

Read more in the joint statement from the Presidents of the ICRC and the Japanese Red Cross.

👉 www.icrc.org/en/statement...
"The experience of Hiroshima and Nagasaki 80 years ago should be proof enough that nuclear weapons are too dangerous for the world to keep. We call on all States again to:    - Never use or threaten to use nuclear weapons.  -  Adopt risk-reduction measures to prevent their deliberate or accidental use. -  End reliance on them as a means of national security.”
Reposted by Matt Pollard
cicr-fr.bsky.social
Gaza | Les souffrances et les atteintes à la dignité humaine que l’on y constate dépassent depuis longtemps toutes les normes acceptables, sur le plan tant juridique que moral.

Mirjana Spoljaric, présidente du CICR: ms.spr.ly/63321sHkg3
Rien ne saurait justifier ce qui est en train de se produire à Gaza.

Il faut mettre un terme à cette tragédie maintenant – immédiatement et avec détermination.

Chaque hésitation politique, chaque tentative pour justifier les abominations commises sous les yeux de la communauté internationale témoigneront à jamais d’une incapacité collective à préserver l’humanité dans la guerre.”
Reposted by Matt Pollard
corduladroege.bsky.social
#Gaza:
All States have an obligation to respect and ensure respect for international humanitarian law #IHL, including by ensuring that the arms they transfer do not contribute to violations of IHL. 

www.icrc.org/en/statement...
Israel and the occupied territories: ICRC president calls for urgent collective action by states to end abhorrent suffering in Gaza
www.icrc.org
Reposted by Matt Pollard
icrc.org
Gaza | The scale of human suffering and the stripping of human dignity have long exceeded every acceptable standard, both legal and moral.

This tragedy must end now.

Mirjana Spoljaric, ICRC President: ms.spr.ly/63327sGyPt
"There is no excuse for what’s happening in Gaza.

This tragedy must end now, immediately and decisively.

Every political hesitation, every attempt at justification of the horrors being committed under international watch, will forever be judged as a collective failure to preserve humanity in war.”
Reposted by Matt Pollard
icrc.org
"When the rules of war are applied selectively, they lose their protective power", Mirjana Spoljaric, ICRC President.

Read more 👉🏽 http://ms.spr.ly/63326SFRj0
“Every state has ratified the Geneva Conventions. Their obligations are not optional, nor are they contingent on how the war started. States cannot justify targeting civilians, civilian infrastructure, or disproportionately attacking military objectives by invoking self-defence. The strength of these rules lies in consistent enforcement and the political will to put humanity first—especially when it is hard to do so.”
Reposted by Matt Pollard
corduladroege.bsky.social
❗️Come and join the Legal Division of the @ICRC!

✴️ Turn your vision for a better world, your belief in justice and humanity, in the protective power of the law, into #IHL advocacy.

careers.icrc.org/job/Geneva-%...
Associate for the Legal Division
Associate for the Legal Division
careers.icrc.org
Reposted by Matt Pollard
laurentgisel.bsky.social
The #Norwegian #RedCross is looking for an #Oslo based Senior Legal Adviser to work on the update of the #SanRemoManual on #NavalWarfare.
Come work with our team on this important project!
#JobOpportunity #IHL #LOAC #MaritimeLaw #GenevaConventions #ICRC
To apply: 303030.webcruiter.no/Main/Recruit...
Senior Legal Adviser
The Norwegian Red Cross is seeking a legal advisor/senior legal advisor to support the update process of the San Remo Manual on International Law Applicable to Armed Conflicts at Sea.Over the past thr...
303030.webcruiter.no
Reposted by Matt Pollard
icrc-uk.bsky.social
In war, misleading or harmful narratives can fuel polarisation, trigger unrest & encourage violence.

They can even become a driver of conflict or jeopardise opportunities for peace.

Our colleague explains more. 👇

blogs.icrc.org/law-and-poli...
Why is the ICRC concerned by ‘harmful information’ in war?
ICRC Digital Risks Adviser Joelle Rizk presents four risks associated with the spread of harmful information in situations of armed conflict.
blogs.icrc.org
Reposted by Matt Pollard
laurentgisel.bsky.social
The window to apply effective international regulations & controls on #AutonomousWeapon systems before they are in widespread use is rapidly shrinking
Important call for action by the @icrc.org President at this week #UnitedNations consultations
#LAWS #IHL #GenevaConventions
icrc.org/en/statement...
Preserving human control over the use of force: A call to regulate lethal autonomous weapon systems under international law
Stay updated with the latest news and ongoing initiatives of the ICRC.
icrc.org
Reposted by Matt Pollard
trodenhauser.bsky.social
@icrc.org submission to the @UNSG on #AI, with a dedicated section on AI in #ICTs

👉 Autonomous ICT tools risk of indiscriminate attacks, incidental harm, damage to critical civilian infrastructure

👉 States to consider whether #IHL provides sufficient safeguards!

www.icrc.org/en/article/a...
Artificial intelligence in the military domain: ICRC submits recommendations to UN Secretary-General
www.icrc.org
Reposted by Matt Pollard
laurentgisel.bsky.social
With too many wars raging & tensions rising, we must uphold #IHL & the vision of a mine-free world.
👇Today's joint statement by @icrc.org, #IFRC and #Nordic & #Baltic National #RedCross Societies.

#MineAwarenessDay #APMBC #AntiPersonnelMineBanConvention #HumanitarianLaw
www.icrc.org/en/news-rele...
With too many wars raging and tensions rising, we must uphold international humanitarian law and the vision of a mine-free world
www.icrc.org