What does the Geneva Convention say about POWs?

Prisoners of war must at all times be humanely treated. Any unlawful act or omission by the Detaining Power causing death or seriously endangering the health of a prisoner of war in its custody is prohibited, and will be regarded as a serious breach of the present Convention.

Does the Geneva Convention apply to criminals?

The Geneva Conventions are rules that have been agreed upon by various member nations and apply usually to times of armed conflict. The Conventions seek to protect people who are not (or are no longer) taking part in hostilities, including the sick and wounded, shipwrecked sailors, prisoners of war, and civilians.

Which article of the Third Geneva Convention of 1949 defines the prisoners?

Article 4
Article 4 of the Third Geneva Convention of 1949, which defines Prisoner of War, is then examined.

Who are the POWs protected under the Geneva Convention?

Articles 2, 3, and 4 specifies that POWs are prisoners of the Power which holds them and not prisoners of the unit which takes their surrender; that POWs have the right to honor and respect, and that women shall be treated with all the regard due to their sex, and that prisoners of a similar category must be treated in …

What is Article 3 of the Geneva Convention?

Article 3 offers an international minimum protection to persons taking no active part in hostilities, including members of armed forces in certain situations specifically stated in the article. Humane and non-discriminatory treatment are two important protections offered under this provision.

Can a civilian be a POW?

Individuals who fall into the hands of the enemy during an armed conflict are protected under humanitarian law. If the individual is a combatant, he or she is accorded protection as a prisoner of war. If the individual is a civilian, he or she is protected as such.

Who are the parties to the Third Geneva Convention?

Third Geneva Convention. The Geneva Convention relative to the Treatment of Prisoners of War was first adopted in 1929, but significantly revised at the 1949 conference. It defines humanitarian protections for prisoners of war. There are 196 state parties to the Convention.

What did the Geneva Convention say about prisoners of war?

Article 12 states that prisoners of war are the responsibility of the state, not the persons who capture them, and that they may not be transferred to a state that is not party to the Convention. Articles 13 to 16 state that prisoners of war must be treated humanely without any adverse discrimination and that their medical needs must be met.

When did the Geneva Convention come into effect?

The Geneva Convention relative to the Treatment of Prisoners of War was first adopted in 1929, but significantly revised at the 1949 conference. It defines humanitarian protections for prisoners of war.

When was the Red Crystal added to the Geneva Conventions?

Protocol additional to the Geneva Conventions of 12 August 1949, and Relating to the Adoption of an Additional Distinctive Emblem In December 2005, a third Additional Protocol to the Geneva Conventions was adopted that provides for another distinctive emblem: the red crystal.