Columbia International Affairs Online: Policy Briefs

CIAO DATE: 07/2013

Detention Standards and Non-State Armed Groups

Bruce ‘Ossie’ Oswald

July 2013

United States Institute of Peace

Abstract

All armed groups capture or detain individuals in a variety of situations, but it is unclear what legal obligations non-state armed groups have when dealing with detainees. The international community should consider: (1) studying the extent to which armed non-state actors are able to adhere to extant international humanitarian law and international human rights law; (2) and develop generic detention principles and guidelines that are specifically relevant for non-state armed groups.