IRRC No. 901
Permitted for law enforcement purposes but prohibited in the conduct of hostilities: The case of riot control agents and expanding bullets
Reading time 10 min read
Share this article
This article is also available in
Riot control agents and expanding bullets are the only two kinds of weapon and ammunition that are used for law enforcement purposes but are explicitly prohibited in the conduct of hostilities. This article justifies this difference in treatment with two arguments. First, riot control agents and expanding bullets have different effects on the human body depending on their specific types and the circumstances in which they are deployed. Second, the issues raised by their use differ according to whether they are employed for law enforcement purposes or in the conduct of hostilities.