§ The correspondence that was owed Addressed to the family, and to the Central Tracing Agency Mailbox

Card 07 of 10 · Geneva III · Article 121

Official enquiry into a death in custody

Official enquiry into a death in custody — Geneva III, Article 121. Not delivered.

The rule that requires it

Article 121 of Geneva Convention III — Prisoners killed or injured in special circumstances. Retrieved verbatim, 2026-08-22.

Every death or serious injury of a prisoner of war caused or suspected to have been caused by a sentry, another prisoner of war, or any other person, as well as any death the cause of which is unknown, shall be immediately followed by an official enquiry by the Detaining Power.

A communication on this subject shall be sent immediately to the Protecting Power. Statements shall be taken from witnesses, especially from those who are prisoners of war, and a report including such statements shall be forwarded to the Protecting Power.

If the enquiry indicates the guilt of one or more persons, the Detaining Power shall take all measures for the prosecution of the person or persons responsible.

ICRC treaty text ↗ Open in the mailbox → Open on the board →

What the record shows instead

United States / Israel

The Conventions require the dead to be identified, recorded, decently buried and their particulars forwarded. Bodies have been returned marked only with numbers, some blindfolded, bound or bearing gunshot wounds, and buried in mass graves without identification. Detainees have described waterboarding, dogs set on them, and sexual abuse of women and men, in conditions documented by both UN monitoring and Palestinian field documentation.

6 sources