Apart from wounds and sickness, a prisoner of war, who is at the mercy of the detaining belligerent, may face humiliation and be subjected to many deprivations and hardships. Separated from their families and in the power of hostile authorities, prisoners of war often live in extremely difficult circumstances, exposed to uncertainty, anxiety, tension and maltreatment. This book explores the legal protections available to prisoners of war in an international armed conflict. It also critically evaluates the challenges in protecting prisoners of war in future warfare where autonomous weapon systems are likely to be deployed.

This book will be of interest to military and paramilitary forces, security specialists and policymakers, lawyers and academicians, and members of the civil society who have a stake in international law.