Detention / Detainees

This theme explores legal, humanitarian, and operational aspects of detention in armed conflicts, focusing on the treatment of detainees, compliance with international humanitarian law, and safeguarding human dignity in detention settings.

Introducing the second multi-blog series on the updated Geneva Conventions Commentaries

February 21, 2017 2 mins read Analysis / Conduct of Hostilities / ICRC Commentaries / Law and Conflict The editors

In order to bring to light the significance of the updated Commentary on the First Geneva ...

Torture: Primer on a wrong and illegal practice

January 27, 2017 5 mins read Law and Conflict / Primers / Torture Ellen Policinski

The ICRC’s position on torture is clear: torture and other forms of cruel, inhuman, degrading or humiliating treatment are banned under international law. ...

Global counter-terrorism must not overlook the rules of war

December 13, 2016 10 mins read Counterterrorism / Religion Stéphane Ojeda

Branding an armed group as “terrorist” cannot alone cancel the applicability of international humanitarian law (IHL). The vast majority of contemporary armed conflicts ...

Terrorism, counter-terrorism and IHL: Primer on a recurring conversation

November 2, 2016 5 mins read Counterterrorism Ellen Policinski

Terrorism is not limited to any one part of the world. It can be seen everywhere, and is often linked to armed conflict. ...

Modern conflict: Address by ICRC’s vice-president to SWIRMO 2016

October 27, 2016 13 mins read Events and highlights / Law and Conflict Mme Christine Beerli, vice-president of the ICRC

Address by Mme Christine Beerli, vice-president of the ICRC, at the opening of the Senior Workshop on International Rules Governing Military Operations (SWIRMO), ...

The establishment of courts by armed groups: what is the legal basis?

October 11, 2016 10 mins read Analysis / Law and Conflict Ezequiel Heffes

While the law of armed conflict is understood as granting armed groups the possibility to install judicial mechanisms in order to pass judgments ...

Clarifying the fate of missing persons

September 15, 2016 14 mins read Events and highlights / Humanitarian Action / Law and Conflict Raphaël Dallaire Ferland

How does looking at prisons’ laundry receipts or funeral documents help finding those who have ...

Launch of the ICRC handbook on IHL

September 13, 2016 7 mins read Events and highlights / Law and Conflict Dr Nils Melzer, Human Rights Chair, Geneva Academy

Speech given by Dr Nils Melzer, author of International Humanitarian Law – a Comprehensive Introduction, at the International Institute for Humanitarian Law, Sanremo, ...

Through a victim’s eyes: Interview with Terry Waite, humanitarian and former hostage

July 15, 2016 12 mins read Humanitarian Principles / Interviews / Religion The editors

Hostage-taking, torture and other forms of ill-treatment continue to put a tremendous strain on victims and their families. In this interview, Terry Waite ...

Separated: The humanitarian consequences of solitary confinement in detention

July 15, 2016 7 mins read Events and highlights The editors

Penitentiary authorities around the world have increasingly turned to restrictive detention regimes such as solitary confinement to manage high risk detainees. What are ...

Introducing Humanitarian Law & Policy

May 19, 2016 3 mins read Sexual Violence / World Humanitarian Summit Raphaël Dallaire Ferland & Vincent Bernard

Today marks the launch of Humanitarian Law & Policy, a digital forum for those concerned with how to better protect and assist people affected by conflict and violence. ...

e-Learning: Understanding detention

April 8, 2016 2 mins read Law and Conflict / Online learning

The online course, originally developed by the ICRC for its own delegates, seeks to provide users with a basic understanding of what happens ...