Treatment of prisoners likely to be in breach of Geneva Conventions

IRAN:The Iranian treatment of the Royal Navy personnel taken prisoner in the Persian Gulf would appear to be in breach of the Geneva Convention on the Treatment of Prisoners.

Several times this week, the Iranian authorities have shown film of the prisoners. In one, they are seen sitting around, chatting and eating, apparently well treated and at ease.

In another, a woman prisoner, Faye Turney, is shown admitting entering Iranian waters illegally and apologising. Iranian TV also displayed a letter she had apparently written to her family in Britain.

Similar footage was shown yesterday, this time involving a male officer, Nathan Thomas, who apologised and made reference to an earlier alleged incursion into Iranian waters.

In both instances, the officers appeared to be prompted in what they were saying by someone off camera.

Britain yesterday described these broadcasts as "disgraceful exploitation". Each seems to be a clear breach of the Geneva Conventions, which are part of a system of legal safeguards that cover the way wars may be fought and individuals protected.

The conventions were created in 1864 but were expanded greatly in 1949, in the wake of the second World War, and are by far the most important rules aiming to limit the barbarity of war.

Convention III concerns the treatment of prisoners of war and was signed in Geneva on August 12th, 1949.

Article 13 states that "prisoners of war must at all times be humanely treated" and "must at all times be protected, particularly against acts of violence or intimidation and against insults and public curiosity".

Article 17 is perhaps the best known, largely due to films. It is the "name, rank and serial number" convention and states: "Every prisoner of war, when questioned on the subject, is bound to give only his surname, first names and rank, date of birth, and army, regimental, personal or serial number, or failing this, equivalent information."

Article 17 also states that no "form of coercion" may be exerted on a prisoner.

Article 99 states: "No moral or physical coercion may be exerted on a prisoner of war in order to induce him to admit himself guilty of the act of which he is accused."

Yesterday, Kathleen Cavanagh, an executive committee member of Amnesty International and lecturer in international law at NUI Galway, said the treatment of the British prisoners appeared to be in breach of the conventions but did not amount to a war crime.

"The parading of prisoners that were taken, and if what they said was coerced, and it sounds like it was, is in contravention of Geneva Convention III. You are not meant to put enemy combatants on any kind of public forum or display.

"They are not being ill-treated as far as we know.

"But the Iranians must know that they are in breach of the Geneva Conventions and they should be held to account for that."