CSS International Law chapter 4: Human rights, conflict and institutions MCQs with answers

By Team Megalecture · Updated 4 Nov 2026

80 exam-style questions on Human rights, conflict and institutions, each with the answer and a short explanation. Ten of them are below to try. The chapter test draws ten fresh questions each time and is marked the moment you finish, with your score by topic.

80 questions · 4 topics · 10 per test

Test this chapter freeAll CSS International Law chapters

What chapter 4 covers

Ten Human rights, conflict and institutions questions with answers

Try each one, then open the answer. These ten stay the same; the test draws new ones every time.

1. The Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court was adopted in

  1. A
    2002
  2. B
    1948
  3. C
    1998
  4. D
    1969
Show answer

Answer: C. The Statute was adopted at Rome in July 1998 and entered into force in 2002.

2. The 'Hague law' differs from the 'Geneva law' in that it mainly

  1. A
    regulates the means and methods of warfare
  2. B
    protects the victims of war
  3. C
    governs the use of force by states
  4. D
    creates war crimes tribunals and sets their rules of procedure
Show answer

Answer: A. Hague law (the 1899 and 1907 Conventions) limits how war may be fought; Geneva law protects persons who are not or are no longer fighting.

3. The Third Geneva Convention of 1949 protects

  1. A
    prisoners of war
  2. B
    shipwrecked members of armed forces
  3. C
    civilians in occupied territory
  4. D
    wounded and sick members of armies in the field
Show answer

Answer: A. The four 1949 Conventions cover the wounded and sick on land (I), at sea (II), prisoners of war (III) and civilians (IV).

4. Under the Geneva Conventions, a soldier who is wounded, sick or has surrendered must be

  1. A
    respected and treated humanely without adverse distinction
  2. B
    held without medical care until the war ends or he recovers
  3. C
    treated as a spy and tried by a military court
  4. D
    killed if he is unable to fight on
Show answer

Answer: A. Persons hors de combat are protected: they must be collected, cared for and not attacked.

5. The Convention against Torture states that the prohibition of torture

  1. A
    applies only in peacetime and not in any armed conflict
  2. B
    may be lifted by the government during war
  3. C
    may be waived by a head of state in an emergency
  4. D
    cannot be justified by any exceptional circumstances, such as war
Show answer

Answer: D. Article 2(2) says that no exceptional circumstances whatsoever may be invoked as a justification of torture.

6. A third state brings two disputing states into contact but takes no part in their negotiations. This is

  1. A
    good offices
  2. B
    arbitration
  3. C
    mediation
  4. D
    inquiry
Show answer

Answer: A. In good offices the third party only facilitates contact. In mediation it takes an active part and proposes terms.

7. Pretending to surrender in order to kill the enemy who comes forward to accept it is

  1. A
    perfidy, which is prohibited
  2. B
    a permitted ruse of war
  3. C
    an act of military necessity
  4. D
    a lawful reprisal
Show answer

Answer: A. Perfidy is treachery that exploits the enemy's confidence in legal protection. Ruses of war such as camouflage and decoys are lawful.

8. A school used only by civilians is, under the principle of distinction,

  1. A
    a military objective if it is near a road
  2. B
    a civilian object that may not be directly attacked
  3. C
    protected only if it is painted with a red cross or crescent
  4. D
    a lawful target as part of enemy territory
Show answer

Answer: B. Civilian objects are all objects that are not military objectives; they are protected whether or not they carry an emblem.

9. Under Article 27 of the Rome Statute, official capacity as a head of state

  1. A
    bars prosecution unless the Security Council consents
  2. B
    reduces the sentence automatically
  3. C
    does not exempt a person from criminal responsibility
  4. D
    gives immunity until the end of the term of office
Show answer

Answer: C. The Statute applies equally to all persons without distinction based on official capacity, a principle derived from Nuremberg.

10. The ICC has no jurisdiction over a person who was

  1. A
    a citizen of a state at war
  2. B
    a serving member of the armed forces of a state party
  3. C
    under 18 at the time of the alleged crime
  4. D
    a former head of state
Show answer

Answer: C. Article 26 excludes persons under the age of 18 at the time of the alleged crime.

Start the chapter testAbout the CSS International Law test

Read the notes for this chapter

Ways to practise this chapter

Human rights, conflict and institutions: questions students ask

How many Human rights, conflict and institutions MCQs are there?

80, each with the answer and a short explanation, across 4 topics: Human rights law, Use of force and peaceful settlement of disputes, International humanitarian law, International courts and organisations. Every chapter test draws ten of them, so you can take it many times.

Is the CSS International Law chapter 4 test free?

Yes. The test, the answers and the explanations are free and need no sign-up. Sign in only if you want your scores kept across devices.

How is the chapter test marked?

The moment you press Finish: your score, the right answer and an explanation for every question, and the ones you got wrong saved in My mistakes to retry.

Keep going

← Chapter 3: Treaties, diplomacy and responsibilityAll chaptersStuck? Ask a question