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Prisoners' rights in international law


Prisoners' rights in international law are found in a number of international treaties. For the most part these treaties came into existence following the two World Wars and the body of law continues to be added to and amended.

The events of World War I and World War II had a profound effect on international law due to the widespread denial of civil rights and liberties on the basis of racial, religious, and political discrimination. The systematic use of violence, including murder and ultimately genocide, the use of slave labor, abuse and murder of prisoners of war, deportations, and confiscation of property forced changes to the status quo. Over the proceeding decades, large scale changes began to occur in all areas of international law, and prisoners’ rights were no exception. Now, there are numerous international instruments which lay down codes by which prisoners should be dealt with. Foremost amongst them are the Geneva Conventions, the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, the UN Standard Minimum Rules for the Treatment of Prisoners, the European Convention for the Prevention of Torture and Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment, and the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.


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