GCIII Commentary: protecting the honour of prisoners of war

ICRC Humanitarian Law and Policy Blog · May 14, 2021 · 9m

The Third Geneva Convention (GCIII) provides a framework of rules for the protection of prisoners of war, including that they are ‘entitled in all circumstances to respect for their persons and their honour’ (Article 14). The obligation to respect a prisoner of war’s honour – like the Geneva Conventions as a whole – draws upon the highest notions of humanity. It reminds us that even in the drudgery, the violence, and the darkness of war, there is something innate in every person that is worthy of respect and entitles them to protection. Interpreting what ‘honour’ means, however, has its…