Convention Relative to the Treatment of Prisoners of War

The Convention Relative to the Treatment of Prisoners of War, adopted in 1949 as part of the Geneva Conventions, establishes international standards for the humane treatment of prisoners of war (POWs). This convention evolved from earlier agreements, notably the 1929 Geneva Convention, and was significantly influenced by the abuses witnessed during World War II.12

Key provisions include:
* Humane Treatment: POWs must be treated humanely, protected from violence, and not subjected to torture or degrading treatment.31
* Information Restrictions: Captors can only demand a POW's name, rank, date of birth, and serial number; no coercion is permitted to extract further information.3
* Release and Repatriation: Prisoners are to be released and repatriated without delay at the end of hostilities.32
* Expanded Definition: The convention broadened the definition of POWs to include not only regular armed forces but also militia, volunteers, and members of resistance movements if they form part of the armed forces, as well as civilians accompanying the armed forces.2

The convention emphasizes that these protections cannot be renounced by captors or prisoners.2