Who Considered Combatant?

Combatant is the

legal status of an individual who has the right to engage in hostilities during an armed conflict

. The legal definition of “combatant” is found at article 43(2) of Additional Protocol I (AP1) to the Geneva Conventions of 1949.

Are mercenaries lawful combatants?

Until such time, they must be treated as prisoners of war. … Article 4 of the Third Geneva Convention does describe categories under which a person may be entitled to POW status. There are other international treaties that deny lawful combatant status for mercenaries and children.

Are Spies classed as combatants?

Spies are also considered to be

non-combatants

and do not enjoy prisoner-of-war status if they are taken captive.” … If they are captured, they do not have the right to prisoner-of-war status. They can be punished for their activities.

Is a POW a combatant?

In a generic sense, combatants are

members of the fighting forces of the belligerent parties to an international armed conflict

. … In addition to having the right to participate in hostilities, combatants are entitled to POW status, if they fall into enemy hands during an international armed conflict.

What are combatants and noncombatants?

Combatants are

members of the armed forces of a group at war

, and non-members who directly participate in hostilities. Everyone else is a non-combatant.

Does America use mercenaries?

The report found that the use of contractors such as Blackwater was a “new form of mercenary activity” and illegal under international law. Many countries, including the United States and the United Kingdom,

are not signatories

to the 1989 United Nations Mercenary Convention banning the use of mercenaries.

Are PMCs legal in America?

While

PMCs are legally bound by the laws of the country where their respective companies are headquartered

, the legality of their actions comes into question when they operate in countries outside their parent states. In 2003, for instance, the Bush administration amped-up the use of PMCs during the Iraq invasion.

Do POWs still get paid?

Captive or POW Pay and Allowance Entitlements:

Soldiers are entitled to all pay and allowances

that were authorized prior to the POW period. Soldiers who are in a POW status are authorized payment of 50% of the worldwide average per diem rate for each day held in captive status.

Can a civilian be a POW?

Individuals who fall into the hands of the enemy during an armed conflict are protected under humanitarian law. If the individual is a combatant, he or she is accorded protection as a prisoner of war.

If the individual is a civilian, he or she is protected as such

.

Is prisoners of war in English?

Are terrorists unlawful combatants?

Terrorists are not unlawful combatants

. As explained, unlawful combatants operate during armed hostilities and usually against lawful military objectives. Terrorists often act in time of peace and, further, quite often against legally protected sites and persons.

What does combatants mean in English?

:

one that is engaged in or ready to engage in combat

.

Are medics considered non-combatants?

Under the laws of armed conflict

military medics are deemed non-combatants

, and as such are subject to certain protections and limitations. The non-combatant status is defined in the famous Geneva Conventions, which form the basis of the international law of armed conflict.

Are mercenaries still?

Modern-day mercenaries are

stationed throughout the world fighting

conflicts for governments that are reluctant to use their own troops.

How many mercenaries died in Iraq?

Over 7,000 U.S. service members and

over 8,000 contractors

have died in the post-9/11 wars in Iraq, Afghanistan, and elsewhere.

Are there still mercenaries today?

Modern-day mercenaries are

stationed throughout the world fighting conflicts

for governments that are reluctant to use their own troops.