	Introduction

Allegations of abuse of Iraqi prisoners by U.S. soldiers at the Abu Ghraib prison in Iraq raisequestions about the applicability of the law of war to interrogations for military intelligencepurposes. Particular issues involve the level of protection to which the detainees are entitled underthe Geneva Conventions of 1949. After photos of prisoner abuse became public, the DefenseDepartment (DOD) released a series of documents disclosing policy deliberations about appropriatetechniques for interrogating persons the Administration had deemed to be unprotected by the GenevaConventions with respect to the Global War on Terrorism (GWOT). (1) Investigations related to theallegations at Abu Ghraib revealed that some of the techniques discussed for "unlawful combatants"had come into use in Iraq, although none of the prisoners there was deemed to be an unlawfulcombatant. This report outlines the provisions of the Conventions as they apply to prisoners of war andto civilians, and the minimum level of protection offered by Common Article 3 of the GenevaConventions. The report analyzes key terms that govern the treatment of prisoners with respect tointerrogation, which include torture, coercion, and cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment. Finally,the report discusses and analyzes the various interrogation techniques approved or considered foruse during interrogations of prisoners at Abu Ghraib. 14, respect for the person of the prisoner of war.
Allegations of abuse of Iraqi prisoners by U.S. soldiers at the Abu Ghraib prison in Iraq haveraised questions about the applicability of the law of war to interrogations for military intelligencepurposes. Particular issues involve the level of protection to which the detainees are entitled underthe Geneva Conventions of 1949, whether as prisoners of war or civilian "protected persons," orunder some other status. After photos of prisoner abuse became public, the Defense Department(DOD) released a series of internal documents disclosing policy deliberations about the appropriatetechniques for interrogating persons the Administration had deemed to be "unlawful combatants"and who resisted the standard methods of questioning detainees. Investigations related to theallegations at Abu Ghraib revealed that some of the techniques discussed for "unlawful combatants"had come into use in Iraq, although none of the prisoners there was deemed to be an unlawfulcombatant.
This report outlines the provisions of the Conventions as they apply to prisoners of war andto civilians, and the minimum level of protection offered by Common Article 3 of the GenevaConventions. There follows an analysis of key terms that set the standards for the treatment ofprisoners that are especially relevant to interrogation, including torture, coercion, and cruel, inhumanand degrading treatment, with reference to some historical war crimes cases and cases involving thetreatment of persons suspected of engaging in terrorism. Finally, the report discusses and analyzessome of the various interrogation techniques approved or considered for use during interrogationsof prisoners at Abu Ghraib.