Treatment of prisoners of war in the international law of armed confliscts

One of the groups of people who suffer the most during armed conflicts is prisoners of war. Throughout history, it is known that captured fighters have been subjected to various inhumane treatments, such as being killed, enslaved or released in exchange for ransom. At present, the rules of international law regarding the protection of prisoners of war have been developed and the principle of humane treatment has been adopted. In our study, the rules of humanitarian law regarding the protection of prisoners of war are discussed. In this context, the provisions of the 1949 Geneva Conventions and their Additional Protocols, in particular the Geneva Convention on the Treatment of Prisoners of War, regarding the treatment of prisoners of war is examined and examples of situations regarding their implementation are covered. Thus, It has been tried to reveal how important the existence of such arrangements and their proper implementation by the parties to the conflict ensures the survival of prisoners of war and to protect their honor and dignity. Our study consists of three parts. In the first part, the concepts of war, use of force and armed conflict as well as the types of armed conflict are explained. In the second part, by making a distinction between combatants and non combatants, It is discussed who will be granted the status of prisoners of war among the people detained during armed conflicts and how this status will end. In the third part, the rules regarding the protection provided by the prisoner of war status and the issues of responsibility in case of violation of these rules are explained. These rules have been evaluated by grouping them as general regulations that should be applied in all conditions and situations, and special regulations that should be applied in some situations and conditions. In case of violation of these rules, explanations have been made about the international responsibility of States and the international criminal liability of individuals.