Article

Detention in peace operations : the legal framework and main categories of detainees

Frederik Naert

• Revue de droit militaire et de droit de la guerre, No. 45, vol 1-2, 2006, p. 51-78

English

This article outlines the legal framework for detention in peace operations. While certain rules apply to all or most cases of detention, the law must differentiate between different forms of military operations, having regard to the situations in which the operations are conducted and the categories of detainees involved. Depending on the context, the applicable law may include IHL, the law of the troop contributing nations (TNC) or of the home state, and human rights law. The author proceeds to explain that where IHL does apply, that is in scenarios that meet the definition of international armed conflict, there are specific provisions relating to prisoners of war (POW). This category of prisoner, which is not contemplated in other legal regimes, is treated diffrently than other categories of prisoner, such as interned civilians. The author also reviews scenarios where IHL does not apply, such as in consensual post-conflict peacekeeping operations or internal armed conflicts, explaining that the main categories of prisoner in such circumstances are persons who pose a security threat (in peace operations) and criminals. [Summary by students at the University of Toronto, Faculty of Law (IHRP)]

• Revue de droit militaire et de droit de la guerre = The military law and law of war review = Tijdschrift voor militair recht en oorlogsrecht = Zeitschrift für Wehrrecht und Kriegsvölkerrecht = Rivista di diritto militare e di diritto della guerra
• Revue de droit militaire et de droit de la guerre = The military law and law of war review = Tijdschrift voor militair recht en oorlogsrecht = Zeitschrift für Wehrrecht und Kriegsvölkerrecht = Rivista di diritto militare e di diritto della guerra