Prisoner Of War

Definition/Scope: A detained person as defined in Articles 4 and 5 of the Geneva Convention Relative to the Treatment of Prisoners of War of August 12, 1949. In particular, one who, while engaged in combat under orders of his or her government, is captured by the armed forces of the enemy. As such, he or she is entitled to the combatant’s privilege of immunity from the municipal law of the capturing state for warlike acts which do not amount to breaches of the law of armed conflict. For example, a prisoner of war

Use:

EPW

Used For:

prisoner of war interrogation

Acronym:

POW

Broader Terms:

war victims

Narrower Terms:

detainee holding area

Related Terms:

American Ex-Prisoners of War
Defense Prisoner of War/Missing Personnel Office
Foreign Claims Settlement Commission
Geneva Conventions
repatriation