A Timeline of Human Rights
(Under Construction)
May 18,
1899
First Hague Convention Signed
26 nations convened by Russia’s Nicholas II for the purpose of limiting arms and promoting peace.
From the Conference’s Final Act, which was signed July 29, 1899.
In a series of meetings, between 18 May and 29 July 1899, in which the constant desire of the delegates above-mentioned has been to realize, in the fullest manner possible, the generous views of the august initiator of the Conference and the intentions of their Governments, the Conference has agreed, for submission for signature by the plenipotentiaries, on the text of the Convention and Declarations enumerated below and annexed to the present
Act:
I. Convention for the peaceful adjustment of international differences.
II. Convention regarding the laws and customs of war on land.
III.Convention for the adaptation to maritime warfare of the principles of the Geneva Convention of 22 August 1864.
IV. Three Declarations:
1. To prohibit the launching of projectiles and explosives from balloons or by other similar new methods.
2. To prohibit the use of projectiles, the only object of which is the diffusion of asphyxiating or deleterious gases.
3. To prohibit the use of bullets which expand or flatten easily in the human body, such as bullets with a hard envelope, of which the envelope does not entirely cover the core or is pierced with incisions.These Conventions and Declarations shall form so many separate Acts. These Acts shall be dated this day, and may be signed up to 31 December 1899, by the Plenipotentiaries of the Powers represented at the International Peace Conference at The Hague.
Guided by the same sentiments, the Conference has adopted unanimously the following Resolution:
“The Conference is of opinion that the restriction of military charges, which are at present a heavy burden on the world, is extremely desirable for the increase of the material and moral welfare of mankind.”
General Source
- Peace Conference at the Hague 1899:
Correspondence, Instructions and Reports. The Avalon Project at Yale Law School