[oceanperch]

I keep hearing that they cannot show they captured up close according to the Geneva Convention.

What exactly is the Geneva Convention and what does it say about video taping POW's?

[Catspaw]

Geneva Convention:

http://193.194.138.190/html/menu3/b/91.htm

[Timeout]

The Geneva Convention (GC) governs legalities and illegalities of war-making. Combatants cannot deliberately endanger civilians, all combatants must wear uniform and rank insignia, etc. All nations are subject to the GC.

POW conventions are established in the GC. They musn't be used for propaganda purposes. Ollie just stated something incorrectly. Surrendering prisoners can be televised, including their faces. Once they are secured and officially become EPW's, they can no longer be displayed.

The GC is the basis for war crimes tribunals after the conflict.

[An.American.Expatriate]

The Geneva Convention is a set of rules governing the conduct of war. Most famously, the conventions provide details reagrding the treatment of prisoners of war - no forced labour, must feed, cloth & protect etc...

Among these is a paragraph about not publically humiliating a POW (subjecting to public ridicule). This was adopted at a time when prisoners were paraded through the streets and subjected to whims of the masses. Nowadays, this paragraph is interpreted to mean using the POW in a demeaning way for propaganda. There is some debate as to whether a "group" photo of POWs being led into captivity meets this standard (obviously, since that's thats the only photos released, the opposition says it does!!). However, pictures, videos etc.. as released by Iraq and shown on AJ definately fall under this prohibition.

BTW: shooting surrendering soldiers is also against the Geneva Convention as well as using a truce or feigned surrender as a ruse.