Centre for International Humanitarian and Operational Law (CIHOL)

About us

Welcome to the UP Centre for International Humanitarian and Operational Law (CIHOL). The Centre was established jointly by the Palacký University Faculty of Law and the Czech Armed Forces as a result of a longstanding and fruitful cooperation between the two institutions in the area of international humanitarian law and related fields of international law. The interconnection between IHL focused academia and practice makes the Centre unique in the Central European context.

Our team

The core team of the Centre consists of resident scholars from the Palacký University Faculty of Law and legal professionals of the Czech Armed Forces. The CIHOL is however much more. It is a community of academics, legal professionals, members of armed forces, doctoral and Master´s students (resident or visiting), visiting scholars, external experts and visitors, all of whom have in common a strong interest in IHL, operational law and related fields of international law and are committed to excellence in teaching and research.

Our mission

The Centre was established to provide an institutional framework for further development of existing teaching and research activities in the area of international humanitarian and operational law at the Palacký University. At the same time it shall serve as a hub for developing innovative and unique ideas, approaches and activities (such as the live-training simulation Camp Peira), promote and spread knowledge of IHL in the Czech Republic and Central Europe, concentrate research and teaching activities in field of international humanitarian and operational law and other connected areas of international law and domestic law (constitutional law, administrative law), and finally, enhance and explore the potential of cooperation between the academia and relevant public institutions operating in the field of security and use of force, especially the Armed Forces of the Czech Republic.