Journal of Criminal Law and Criminology

Journal of Criminal Law and Criminology

The Protective Approach of the International Criminal Court towards Children's Humanitarian Law in Grave Breaches

Document Type : Original Article

Authors
Ghasem Zamani 1
Farhad Talaie 2
َAbuzar Balaghi 3
1 Professor, Department of Public and International Law, Faculty of Law and Political Science, Allameh Tabatabaei University, Tehran, Iran
2 Associate Professor, Department of Public and International Law, Faculty of Law and Political Science, Shiraz University, Shiraz, Iran
3 PhD student in Public International Law, Razavi University of Islamic Sciences, Mashhad, Iran.
10.22034/jclc.2025.471879.2031
Abstract
Special protection for children, alongside the general principle of protecting civilians in armed conflicts, within the framework of general international law, has provided the grounds for establishing criminal responsibility for violators of these customary-treaty rights. In addition to general and special protection, international institutions have considered the violation of the six rights as a "grave breach." Understanding the scope and conception of these cases in international customs and conventions, in light of the jurisdiction of the International Criminal Court, leads to the maximum protection of children during conflicts. These rights, in addition to protecting life- including the prohibition of killing, maiming, abduction, and sexual violence- also address the prohibition of using child soldiers, the protection of children's educational environment, and facilitating access to humanitarian aid. These matters have not only been accepted as international custom but have also been emphasized in numerous conventions, particularly the Rome Statute, to such an extent that they now constitute peremptory and binding obligations upon states. The violation of any of the six cases, under the three categories of genocide, crimes against humanity, and war crimes, can form the basis for initiating criminal proceedings at the international level.
 
 
Keywords
International Criminal Court
Children
Humanitarian Law
Grave Breaches
Protection
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Journal of Criminal Law and Criminology
Volume 13, Issue 26
Autumn 2025
Pages 5-38