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The States Parties to this Convention,
Deeply concerned over the growing number of deaths and injuries resulting from deliberate attacks against United Nations and associated personnel,
Bearing in mind that attacks against, or other mistreatment of, personnel who act on behalf of the United Nations are unjustifiable and unacceptable, by whomsoever committed,
Recognizing that United Nations operations are conducted in the common interest of the international community and in accordance with the principles and purposes of the Charter of the United Nations,
Acknowledging the important contribution that United Nations and associated personnel make in respect of United Nations efforts in the fields of preventive diplomacy, peacemaking, peace-keeping, peace-building and humanitarian and other operations,
Conscious of the existing arrangements for ensuring the safety of United Nations and associated personnel, including the steps taken by the principal organs of the United Nations, in this regard,
Recognizing none the less that existing measures of protection for United Nations and associated personnel are inadequate,
Acknowledging that the effectiveness and safety of United Nations operations are enhanced where such operations are conducted with the consent and cooperation of the host State,
Appealing to all States in which United Nations and associated personnel are deployed and to all others on whom such personnel may rely, to provide comprehensive support aimed at facilitating the conduct and fulfilling the mandate of United Nations operations,
Convinced that there is an urgent need to adopt appropriate and effective measures for the prevention of attacks committed against United Nations and associated personnel and for the punishment of those who have committed such attacks,
Have agreed as follows:
(a) "United Nations personnel" means:
(i) Persons engaged or deployed by the Secretary-General of the United Nations as members of the military, police or civilian components of a United Nations operation;
(ii) Other officials and experts on mission of the United Nations or its specialized agencies or the International Atomic Energy Agency who are present in an official capacity in the area where a United Nations operation is being conducted;
(b) "Associated personnel" means:
(i) Persons assigned by a Government or an intergovernmental organization with the agreement of the competent organ of the United Nations;
(ii) Persons engaged by the Secretary-General of the United Nations or by a specialized agency or by the International Atomic Energy Agency;
(iii) Persons deployed by a humanitarian non-governmental
organization or agency under an agreement with the Secretary-General of
the United Nations or with a specialized agency or with the International
Atomic Energy Agency, to carry out activities in support
of the fulfilment of the mandate of a United Nations operation;
(c) "United Nations operation" means an operation established
by the competent organ of the United Nations in accordance with the Charter
of the United Nations and conducted under United Nations authority and
control:
(i) Where the operation is for the purpose of maintaining
or restoring international peace and security; or
(ii) Where the Security Council or the General Assembly has declared, for the purposes of this Convention, that there exists an exceptional risk to the safety of the personnel participating in the operation;
(d) "Host State" means a State in whose territory a United
Nations operation is conducted;
(e) "Transit State" means a State, other than the host
State, in whose territory United Nations and associated personnel or their
equipment are in transit or temporarily present in connection with a United
Nations operation.
1. This Convention applies in respect of United Nations
and associated personnel and United Nations operations, as defined in article
1.
2. This Convention shall not apply to a United Nations
operation authorized by the Security Council as an enforcement action under
Chapter VII of the Charter of the United Nations in which any of the personnel
are engaged as combatants against organized armed forces and to which the
law of international armed conflict applies.
1. The military and police components of a United Nations operation and their vehicles, vessels and aircraft shall bear distinctive identification. Other personnel, vehicles, vessels and aircraft involved in the United Nations operation shall be appropriately identified unless otherwise decided by the Secretary-General of the United Nations.
2. All United Nations and associated personnel shall carry
appropriate identification documents.
The host State and the United Nations shall conclude as
soon as possible an agreement on the status of the United Nations operation
and all personnel engaged in the operation including, inter alia,
provisions on privileges and immunities for military and police components
of the operation.
(a) Respect the laws and regulations of the host State
and the transit State; and
(b) Refrain from any action or activity incompatible
with the impartial and international nature of their duties.
2. The Secretary-General of the United Nations shall
take all appropriate measures to ensure the observance of these obligations.
1. United Nations and associated personnel, their equipment and premises shall not be made the object of attack or of any action that prevents them from discharging their mandate.
2. States Parties shall take all appropriate measures to ensure the safety and security of United Nations and associated personnel. In particular, States Parties shall take all appropriate steps to protect United Nations and associated personnel who are deployed in their territory from the crimes set out in article 9.
3. States Parties shall cooperate with the United Nations
and other States Parties, as appropriate, in the implementation of this
Convention, particularly in any case where the host State is unable itself
to take the required measures.
Except as otherwise provided in an applicable status-of-forces
agreement, if United Nations or associated personnel are captured or detained
in the course of the performance of their duties and their identification
has been established, they shall not be subjected to interrogation and
they shall be promptly released and returned to United Nations or other
appropriate authorities. Pending their release such personnel shall be
treated in accordance with universally recognized standards of human rights
and the principles and spirit of the Geneva Conventions of 1949.
1. The intentional commission of:
(a) A murder, kidnapping or other attack upon the person
or liberty of any United Nations or associated personnel;
(b) A violent attack upon the official premises, the
private accommodation or the means of transportation of any United Nations
or associated personnel likely to endanger his or her person or liberty;
(c) A threat to commit any such attack with the objective of compelling a physical or juridical person to do or to refrain from doing any act;
(d) An attempt to commit any such attack; and
(e) An act constituting participation as an accomplice
in any such attack, or in an attempt to commit such attack, or in organizing
or ordering others to commit such attack, shall be
made by each State Party a crime under its national law.
2. Each State Party shall make the crimes set out in
paragraph 1 punishable by appropriate penalties which shall take into account
their grave nature.
1. Each State Party shall take such measures as may be necessary to establish its jurisdiction over the crimes set out in article 9 in the following cases:
(a) When the crime is committed in the territory of that
State or on board a ship or aircraft registered in that State;
(b) When the alleged offender is a national of that State.
2. A State Party may also establish its jurisdiction
over any such crime when it is committed:
(a) By a stateless person whose habitual residence is in that State; or
(b) With respect to a national of that State; or
(c) In an attempt to compel that State to do or to abstain from doing any act.
3. Any State Party which has established jurisdiction
as mentioned in paragraph 2 shall notify the Secretary-General of the United
Nations. If such State Party subsequently rescinds that jurisdiction, it
shall notify the Secretary-General of the United Nations.
4. Each State Party shall take such measures as may be
necessary to establish its jurisdiction over the crimes set out in article
9 in cases where the alleged offender is present in its territory and it
does not extradite such person pursuant to article 15 to any of the States
Parties which have established their jurisdiction in accordance with paragraph
1 or 2.
5. This Convention does not exclude any criminal jurisdiction
exercised in accordance with national law.
States Parties shall cooperate in the prevention of the crimes set out in article 9, particularly by:
(a) Taking all practicable measures to prevent preparations
in their respective territories for the commission of those crimes within
or outside their territories; and
(b) Exchanging information in accordance with their national
law and coordinating the taking of administrative and other measures as
appropriate to prevent the commission of those crimes.
1. Where the circumstances so warrant, the State Party
in whose territory the alleged offender is present shall take the appropriate
measures under its national law to ensure that person's presence for the
purpose of prosecution or extradition.
2. Measures taken in accordance with paragraph 1 shall
be notified, in conformity with national law and without delay, to the
Secretary-General of the United Nations and, either directly or through
the Secretary-General, to:
(a) The State where the crime was committed;
(b) The State or States of which the alleged offender is a national or, if such person is a stateless person, in whose territory that person has his or her habitual residence;
(c) The State or States of which the victim is a national;
and
(d) Other interested States.
1. To the extent that the crimes set out in article 9 are not extraditable offences in any extradition treaty existing between States Parties, they shall be deemed to be included as such therein. States Parties undertake to include those crimes as extraditable offences in every extradition treaty to be concluded between them.
2. If a State Party which makes extradition conditional
on the existence of a treaty receives a request for extradition from another
State Party with which it has no extradition treaty, it may at its option
consider this Convention as the legal basis for extradition in respect
of those crimes. Extradition shall be subject to the conditions provided
in the law of the requested State.
3. States Parties which do not make extradition conditional
on the existence of a treaty shall recognize those crimes as extraditable
offences between themselves subject to the conditions provided in the law
of the requested State.
4. Each of those crimes shall be treated, for the purposes
of extradition between States Parties, as if it had been committed not
only in the place in which it occurred but also in the territories of the
States Parties which have established their jurisdiction in accordance
with paragraph 1 or 2 of article 10.
2. The provisions of paragraph 1 shall not affect obligations
concerning mutual assistance embodied in any other treaty.
1. Any person regarding whom investigations or proceedings are being carried out in connection with any of the crimes set out in article 9 shall be guaranteed fair treatment, a fair trial and full protection of his or her rights at all stages of the investigations or proceedings.
2. Any alleged offender shall be entitled:
(a) To communicate without delay with the nearest appropriate
representative of the State or States of which such person is a national
or which is otherwise entitled to protect that person's rights or, if such
person is a stateless person, of the State which, at that person's request,
is willing to protect that person's rights; and
(b) To be visited by a representative of that State or
those States.
(b) The rights and obligations of States, consistent with
the Charter of the United Nations, regarding the consent to entry of persons
into their territories;
(c) The obligation of United Nations and associated personnel
to act in accordance with the terms of the mandate of a United Nations
operation;
(d) The right of States which voluntarily contribute personnel to a United Nations operation to withdraw their personnel from participation in such operation; or
(e) The entitlement to appropriate compensation payable
in the event of death, disability, injury or illness attributable to peace-keeping
service by persons voluntarily contributed by States to United Nations
operations.
Nothing in this Convention shall be construed so as to
derogate from the right to act in self-defence.
2. Each State Party may at the time of signature, ratification,
acceptance or approval of this Convention or accession thereto declare
that it does not consider itself bound by all or part of paragraph 1. The
other States Parties shall not be bound by paragraph 1 or the relevant
part thereof with respect to any State Party which has made such a reservation.
3. Any State Party which has made a reservation in accordance
with paragraph 2 may at any time withdraw that reservation by notification
to the Secretary-General of the United Nations.
This Convention shall be open for accession by any State.
The instruments of accession shall be deposited with the Secretary-General
of the United Nations.
2. For each State ratifying, accepting, approving or acceding
to the Convention after the deposit of the twenty-second instrument of
ratification, acceptance, approval or accession, the Convention shall enter
into force on the thirtieth day after the deposit by such State of its
instrument of ratification, acceptance, approval or accession.
Authentic texts
The original of this Convention, of which the Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Russian and Spanish texts are equally authentic, shall be deposited with the Secretary-General of the United Nations, who shall send certified copies thereof to all States.
DONE at New York this ninth day of December one thousand
nine hundred and ninety-four.