Historical Characteristic of Mercenary Activtities as Form of Private Military Companies Activity

Abstract

The prohibition of mercenary activities at the international legal level makes the activities of private military companies the object of meticulous attention by the international community. Existing trends in the widespread involvement of private military and security enterprises (PMSE) in military and security functions both in the context of armed conflict (AR) and outside of it determine the need for legal regulation of their activities at the national and international levels, creation of legal mechanisms aimed at ensuring the protection of human rights and victims of AR. The indicated problems are also due to the fact that existing gaps in international law facilitate the use of mercenaries, increase their number, contribute to the emergence of new ways of recruiting them, and states must not only ratify or join the International Convention against the Recruitment, Use, Financing and Training of Mercenaries, but also adhere to its provisions.