§ Lord Lester of Herne Hillasked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether captured Iraqi prisoners (including those classed as paramilitaries) will be treated by the coalition armed forces as prisoners of war under the Geneva Conventions. [HL2375]
42WA
§ Lord BachThe taking of prisoners of war is a legitimate means of reducing an enemy's strength and fighting capacity. Iraqi military personnel who fall into the hands of United Kingdom forces are prisoners of war and therefore will be treated in accordance with the Geneva Conventions. Paramilitary forces who are engaged in fighting coalition forces but are not members of the regular Iraqi armed forces will be treated as prisoners of war pending determination of their status. This status will depend on whether the group to which the person belongs can properly be regarded as part of the armed forces of Iraq and on whether he has distinguished himself from the civilian population by carrying his arms openly during and preceding any attack.