Status of POWs from Capture to Internment

Iranian prisoners of war (POWs), held by Iraq’s Ba’athist regime [p1] during the imposed war in 1980s, were systematically denied many of the rights and protections to which they were entitled under international humanitarian law, particularly the Third Geneva Convention of 1949. From the moment of POWs’ capture on the battlefield through their transfer to internment camps, Iraqi authorities frequently failed to respect their legal status as prisoners of war or to provide adequate accommodation, food, medical care, and other essential necessities. These violations occurred constantly throughout the conflict, regardless of the changing military situation, whether during periods of Iraqi battlefield success or following military setbacks. Moreover, by holding some prisoners in prisons and military detention facilities rather than designated POW camps, Iraqi authorities violated their rights and denied them the protections guaranteed to prisoners of war [under international humanitarian law].

From Capture on the Front Line to Internment

One of the fundamental issues arising in armed conflict is the capture of enemy combatants and the obligation to preserve their lives. In numerous documented cases, however, Iraqi forces executed Iranian soldiers after they had been taken prisoner. Brutal and inhumane treatment began at the moment of capture on the front line and continued throughout their transfer to rear-echelon facilities and interrogation centers, including those operated by Iraqi Military Intelligence (Istikhbarat), before they were eventually transferred to POW camps. Many prisoners had already sustained injuries at the time of their capture, yet they were frequently denied adequate medical care. Another serious aspect of their captivity was the Iraqi authorities' deliberate failure to register prisoners with the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC). To prevent international oversight, many prisoners were held in undisclosed detention facilities for extended periods:

The hospital had two prisoner wards: one for unregistered POWs and another for those registered with the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC).

Basic Needs

The treatment of prisoners varied according to their military affiliation. Members of Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and the Basij (volunteer forces) were generally subjected to harsher treatment than personnel serving in other branches of the Iranian armed forces. From the outset of their captivity, Iraqi authorities employed both physical abuse and psychological coercion to undermine prisoners' morale while systematically denying them many of the rights and protections guaranteed under international humanitarian law. Living conditions were extremely harsh. Access to adequate basic needs, food, safe drinking water, sanitation, clothing, and medical care was severely limited, resulting in widespread hardship and deteriorating health among the detainees. Medical services were often inadequate even for prisoners suffering from serious injuries or chronic illnesses, and many were denied timely or appropriate treatment. The situation was particularly grave for prisoners who had been exposed to chemical weapons. Iraqi authorities frequently designated these individuals as "missing" prisoners of war and deliberately withheld the specialized medical care their conditions required. As a result, chemically injured prisoners endured even greater neglect and deprivation than other detainees. Iraqi officials sought to conceal their existence from ICRC, since their registration and medical examination could have exposed Iraq's use of chemical weapons against Iranian forces in violation of international humanitarian law.

See Also

• Prisoners of War (POWs)
• Basic Needs
• International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC)