Why do armies keep prisoners?
Belligerents hold prisoners of war in custody for a range of legitimate and illegitimate reasons, such as isolating them from the enemy combatants still in the field (releasing and repatriating them in an orderly manner after hostilities), demonstrating military victory, punishing them, prosecuting them for war crimes.
What is an enemy prisoner of war?
The term Enemy Prisoner of War (EPW) refers to a detained person as defined in. Articles 4 and 5 of the Geneva Convention. It is one who, while engaged in combat. under orders of his or her government, is captured by the armed forces of the enemy.
What are soldiers supposed to do when captured?
To the utmost of my ability. If someone is jamming a gun in your face, you might not be able to evade answering their question. Your country wants you home alive. The tough guy refusals to comply you see in movies will probably get you killed, so resist with discretion.
Can POWs be executed?
Now, the third Geneva Convention governs the treatment of POWs. No POW can be tried for fighting in war, though they can be tried for war crimes — but they certainly aren’t supposed to be executed immediately. Unfortunately, not everyone follows the laws of armed conflict like they should.
Can prisoners of war be tortured?
Like the sick or wounded, prisoners of war (POWs) are protected under the Hague and Geneva laws from any violence, indignity, or biological experimentation. No physical or mental torture, nor any other form of coercion, may be inflicted on prisoners of war to secure from them information of any kind whatever.
What happens if a soldier gets kidnapped?
Captive / Prisoner of War (POW) Status: Soldiers who are captured are placed into Captive or Prisoner of War (POW) status per the Geneva Convention. Once POW status is determined, the authority for payment of the Soldiers is moved from the field finance offices to the Secretary of the Treasury.
What happens if you become a POW?
The protections given prisoners of war under the Geneva Conventions remain with them throughout their captivity and cannot be taken from them by the captor or given up by the prisoners themselves. During the conflict prisoners might be repatriated or delivered to a neutral nation for custody.
Can pows be forced to work?
Article 29 of the 1929 Geneva POW Convention provides: “No prisoner of war may be employed on work for which he is physically unsuited.” Article 50 of the 1949 Geneva Convention III lays down the categories of work that prisoners of war may be compelled to do.
Do prisoners of war get released?
At the end of hostilities all prisoners are to be released and repatriated without delay, except those held for trial or serving sentences imposed by judicial processes.