text: Chapter 3
  * The first paragraph of Article 12, GWS, states: “Members of the armed forces and other persons
  mentioned in the following Article, who are wounded or sick, shall be respected and protected in
  all circumstances.”
   The word respect means “to spare, not to attack” and protect means “to come to someone’s
  defense, to lend help and support.” These words make it unlawful to attack, kill, ill-treat, or
  in any way harm a fallen and unarmed enemy soldier. At the same time, these words impose
  an obligation to come to aid and give him such care as his condition requires.
   This obligation is applicable in all circumstances. The wounded and sick are to be respected
  just as much when they are with their own army or in no man’s land as when they have fallen
  into the hands of the enemy.
   Combatants, as well as noncombatants, are required to respect the wounded. The obligation
  also applies to civilians; Article 18, GWS, specifically states: “The civilian population shall
  respect these wounded and sick, and in particular abstain from offering them violence.”
   The GWS does not define what wounded or sick means, nor has there ever been any definition
  of the degree of severity of a wound or a sickness entitling the wounded or sick combatant to
  respect. Any definition would necessarily be restrictive in character and would thereby open
  the door to misinterpretation and abuse. The meaning of the words wounded and sick is thus
  a matter of common sense and good faith. It is the act of falling or laying down of arms
  because of a wound or sickness which constitutes the claim to protection. Only the soldier
  who is himself seeking to kill may be killed.
   The benefits afforded the wounded and sick extend not only to members of the armed forces,
  but to other categories of persons as well, classes of whom are specified in Article 13, GWS.
  Even though a wounded person is not in one of the categories enumerated in the article, we
  must still respect and protect that person. There is a universal principle which says that any
  wounded or sick person is entitled to respect and humane treatment and the care which his
  condition requires. Wounded and sick civilians have the benefit of the safeguards of the
  Geneva Conventions.
  * The second paragraph of Article 12, GWS, provides that the wounded and sick “…shall be treated
  humanely and cared for by the Party to the conflict in whose power they may be, without any
  adverse distinction founded on sex, race, nationality, religion, political opinions, or any other
  similar criteria.”
   All adverse distinctions are prohibited. Nothing can justify a belligerent in making any
  adverse distinction between wounded or sick that require his attention, whether they are friend
  or foe. Both are on equal footing in the matter of their claims to protection, respect, and care.
  The foregoing is not intended to prohibit concessions, particularly with respect to food,
  clothing, and shelter, which take into account the different national habits and backgrounds
  of the wounded and sick.
   The wounded and sick shall not be made the subjects of biological, scientific, or medical
  experiments of any kind which are not justified on medical grounds and dictated by a desire
  to improve their condition.
   The wounded and sick shall not willfully be left without medical assistance, nor shall
  conditions exposing them to contagion or infection be created.
  * The only reasons which can justify priority in the order of treatment are reasons of medical
  urgency. This is the only justified exception to the principle of equality of treatment of the
  wounded.
  * Paragraph 5 of Article 12, GWS, provides that if we must abandon wounded or sick, we have a
  moral obligation to, “as far as military considerations permit,” leave medical supplies and
  personnel to assist in their care. This provision is in no way bound up with the absolute obligation
  imposed by paragraph 2 of Article 12 to care for the wounded. A belligerent can never refuse to
  care for enemy wounded on the pretext that his adversary has abandoned them without medical
  personnel and equipment.