{
  "url": "https://openlegislation.uk/geneva-conventions-act-1957/schedule-FIFTH/part-III/chapter-15/paragraph-2",
  "json_url": "https://openlegislation.uk/geneva-conventions-act-1957/schedule-FIFTH/part-III/chapter-15/paragraph-2.json",
  "legislation": "ukpga/Eliz2/5-6/52",
  "legislation_title": "Geneva Conventions Act 1957",
  "legislation_url": "https://openlegislation.uk/geneva-conventions-act-1957",
  "path": "schedule/FIFTH/part/III/chapter/15/paragraph/2",
  "kind": "paragraph",
  "number": "2",
  "heading": null,
  "text": "A mercenary is any person who:\n(a) is specially recruited locally or abroad in order to fight in an armed conflict;\n(b) does, in fact, take a direct part in the hostilities;\n(c) is motivated to take part in the hostilities essentially by the desire for private gain and, in fact, is promised, by or on behalf of a Party to the conflict, material compensation substantially in excess of that promised or paid to combatants of similar ranks and functions in the armed forces of that Party;\n(d) is neither a national of a Party to the conflict nor a resident of territory controlled by a Party to the conflict;\n(e) is not a member of the armed forces of a Party to the conflict; and\n(f) has not been sent by a State which is not a Party to the conflict on official duty as a member of its armed forces.",
  "extent": null,
  "status": null,
  "version": "current",
  "annotations": [
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F1",
      "text": "Fifth and Sixth Schedules inserted (20.7.1998) by 1995 c. 27, s. 6, Sch.; S.I. 1998/1505, art. 2"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F2",
      "text": "Fifth and Sixth Schedules inserted (20.7.1998) by 1995 c. 27, s. 6, Sch.; S.I. 1998/1505, art. 2"
    }
  ],
  "outstanding_effects": [],
  "provenance": {
    "source": "legislation.gov.uk",
    "source_url": "https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/Eliz2/5-6/52/schedule/FIFTH/part/III/chapter/15/paragraph/2",
    "retrieved_at": "2026-10-29T11:13:37.866578+00:00"
  },
  "licence": "Open Government Licence v3.0",
  "licence_url": "https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/version/3/",
  "attribution": "Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Source: legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives."
}