Autonomous Weapons and the Humanitarian Law Principles

The advancement of technology of weapons has led to efforts to develop fully autonomous weapons. These robotic weapons will be able to automatically choose and shoot target in the battlefield. This capability raises a number of fundamental challenges regarding the use of these weapons in accordance with human rights and humanitarian law. This paper examines, in particular, the ability of these weapons to protect civilians and to observe the principles of non-discrimination and proportionality. Opponents of the use of fully autonomous weapons argue that since these weapons are not capable of understanding the complexities of the battlefields, their use contradict with the humanitarian law requirements. On the other hand, advocates of the use of autonomous weapons claim that laws are progressing, and this progress has the capacity to regulate and control these weapons in the light of humanitarian law. This study concludes that fully autonomous weapons can be used in outlying areas, deserts, and marine areas that are free of ordinary civilians, and that these weapons can act as well as human beings and observe the principles of discrimination and proportionality; while there are serious doubts in concern with the capabilities of such weapons in other.