The Red Crystal emblem approved by the States party to the Geneva Conventions.

Protocol III is an amendment to the Geneva Conventions relating to the Adoption of an Additional Distinctive Emblem. The third protocol was adopted on 8 December 2005 and authorizes the use of a new emblem, shown right, known as the third protocol emblem or the Red Crystal, for use by national societies.

As of May 20, 2008, it had been ratified by 28 countries and signed but not yet ratified by an additional 59 countries. It entered into force on 14 January 2007, six months after the second ratification.

Governing rules

The rules governing the use of the third protocol emblem, set out in Protocol III, are as follows:

• Within its own national territory, a national society can use either of the recognized symbols (the Red Cross and the Red Crescent) alone, or incorporate any of these symbols or a combination of them into the Red Crystal. Furthermore, a national society can choose to display a previously and effectively used symbol, after officially communicating this symbol to the state parties of the Geneva Conventions through Switzerland as the depositary state prior to the adoption of the proposed third additional protocol.
• For indicative use on foreign territory, a national society which does not use one of the recognized symbols as its emblem has to incorporate its unique symbol into the Red Crystal, based on the previously mentioned condition about communicating its unique symbol to the state parties of the Geneva Conventions.
• For protective use, only the symbols recognized by the Geneva Conventions can be used. Specifically, those national societies which do not use one of the recognized symbols as their emblem have to use the Red Crystal without incorporation of any additional symbol.

History

The primary purpose of adopting the third protocol was to enable Magen David Adom (MDA, "Red Shield of David"), Israel's emergency relief service and Red Cross equivalent, to become a fully recognized and participating member of the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement. For many years, the MDA used a red Magen David (Star of David) as its only symbol. During that period, the MDA was excluded from full membership in the International Federation of the Red Cross and Red Crescent because of the refusal of a number of member states to allow its participation. Under Protocol III, the MDA will continue to use the red Magen David domestically but use the Red Crystal symbol during international relief missions.

Before the Third Protocol was ratified, a deal was struck between the MDA and the Palestinian Red Crescent, neither of which was a fully-participating member of the IFRC at the time, to ensure that the two groups could mutually agree upon the new symbol and recognize it as official.

The adoption of the Red Crystal may allow member societies operating in areas of religious and ethnic conflict to use a religion-neutral symbol, as contrasted to the Cross and Crescent, which hold Christian and Islamic connotations, respectively. In addition to Israel, Eritrea has indicated that it may use the new emblem.

As of June 2008, Protocol III has been ratified by 28 countries and signed by a further 57.^[1]

References

See also

• Geneva Conventions
• First Geneva Convention of 1864, on the treatment of battlefield casualties.
• Second Geneva Convention of 1906, on the treatment of casualties in war at sea.
• Third Geneva Convention of 1929, on the treatment of prisoners of war.
• Fourth Geneva Convention of 1949, on the treatment of civilians during wartime.
• Protocol I, a 1977 amendment addressing the protection of victims in international conflicts.
• Protocol II, a 1977 amendment addressing the protection of victims in non-international armed conflicts.

External links

• Committee of the Red Cross: Full text of Protocol III with commentaries
• List of countries that have ratified Protocol III
• List of countries that have signed but not yet ratified Protocol III
• Press release from the International Committee of the Red Cross welcoming the signing of Protocol III

nl:Derde Aanvullend Protocol bij de Conventies van Genève

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