Reference no: EM132884165

Treatment of Detainees

The way detainees are treated largely depends on their designation. For instance, detainees designated as "prisoners of war" (POWs) are protected under the Geneva Conventions and are afforded more rights than detainees designated as "enemy combatants" or "unlawful combatants." Detainees at Guantanamo Bay with ties to terrorist groups, like al Qaeda or the Taliban, were designated as " enemy combatants." Therefore, the U.S. was able to detain them for an undisclosed amount of time. In addition, enemy combatants were not able to file a petition for a writ of habeas corpus, which is a legal action against unlawful detention. Habeas corpus is internationally recognized and is protected under the Eighth Amendment of the U.S. Constitution. In the readings this week, you explore in further detail the rights related to different designations of detainees. You also consider the humane and inhumane treatment of detainees. With this in mind, you then reflect on your position relating to the treatment of detainees, a controversial issue that has generated heated debates between and among public officials and military personnel.

Question 1: Explain position on the treatment of detainees. Be sure to reference the enemy combatant status of detainees and explain how you think they should be treated and why. Be specific.