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Back to: Convention (III) relative to the Treatment of Prisoners of War. Geneva, 12 August 1949.
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Section II: Release and repatriation of prisoners of war at the close of hostilities

Table of Contents
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Foreword
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Acknowledgements and Abbreviations
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Introduction
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Title of the Convention
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Preamble
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Part I : General provisions
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Article 1 - Respect for the Convention
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Article 2 - Application of the Convention
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Article 3 - Conflicts not of an international character
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Article 4 - Prisoners of war
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Article 5 - Beginning and end of application
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Article 6 - Special agreements
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Article 7 - Non-renunciation of rights
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Article 8 - Protecting Powers
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Article 9 - Activities of the ICRC and other impartial humanitarian organizations
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Article 10 - Substitutes for Protecting Powers
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Article 11 - Conciliation procedure
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Part II : General protection of prisoners of war
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Article 12 - Responsibility for the treatment of prisoners and conditions for their transfer to another Power
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Article 13 - Humane treatment of prisoners
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Article 14 - Respect for the persons and honour of prisoners
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Article 15 - Maintenance of prisoners
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Article 16 - Equality of treatment of prisoners
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Part III : Captivity
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Section I : Beginning of captivity
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Article 17 - Questioning of prisoners
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Article 18 - Property of prisoners
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Article 19 - Evacuation of prisoners
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Article 20 - Conditions of evacuation of prisoners
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Section II: Internment of prisoners of war
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Chapter I : General observations
Article 21 - Restriction of liberty of movement and release on parole
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Article 22 - Places and conditions of internment
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Article 23 - Security of prisoners
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Article 24 - Permanent transit camps
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Chapter II : Quarters, food and clothing of prisoners of war
Article 25 - Quarters
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Article 26 - Food
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Article 27 - Clothing
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Article 28 - Canteens
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Chapter III: Hygiene and medical attention
Article 29 - Hygiene
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Article 30 - Medical attention
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Article 31 - Medical inspections
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Article 32 - Prisoners engaged on medical duties
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Chapter IV: Medical personnel and chaplains retained to assist prisoners of war
Article 33 - Rights and privileges of retained personnel
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Chapter V : Religious, intellectual and physical activities
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Article 34 - Religious duties
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Article 35 - Retained chaplains assisting prisoners
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Article 36 - Prisoners who are ministers of religion
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Article 37 - Prisoners without a minister of their religion
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Article 38 - Intellectual, educational and recreational pursuits, sports and games
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Chapter VI: Discipline
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Article 39 - Administration. Saluting
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Article 40 - The wearing of badges and decorations
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Article 41 - Posting of the Convention, and of regulations and orders concerning prisoners
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Article 42 - Use of weapons against prisoners of war
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Chapter VII: Rank of prisoners of war
Article 43 - Notification of ranks
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Article 44 - Treatment of officers
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Article 45 - Treatment of other prisoners of war
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Chapter VIII: Transfer of prisoners of war after their arrival in camp
Article 46 - Conditions for transfer of prisoners
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Article 47 - Circumstances precluding transfer of prisoners
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Article 48 - Procedure for transfer of prisoners
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Section III: Labour of prisoners of war
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Article 49 - General observations on labour of prisoners of war
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Article 50 - Authorized work
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Article 51 - Working conditions
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Article 52 - Dangerous and humiliating labour
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Article 53 - Duration of labour
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Article 54 - Working pay. Occupational accidents and diseases
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Article 55 - Medical supervision
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Article 56 - Labour detachments
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Article 57 - Prisoners working for private employers
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Section IV: Financial resources of prisoners of war
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Article 58 - Ready money
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Article 59 - Amounts in cash taken from prisoners
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Article 60 - Advances in pay
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Article 61 - Supplementary pay
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Article 62 - Working pay
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Article 63 - Transfer of funds
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Article 64 - Prisoners' accounts
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Article 65 - Management of prisoners' accounts
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Article 66 - Winding up of prisoners’ accounts
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Article 67 - Arrangements between Parties to the conflict
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Article 68 - Claims for compensation
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Section V: Relations of prisoners of war with the exterior
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Article 69 - Notification of measures taken
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Article 70 - Capture cards
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Article 71 - Correspondence
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Article 72 - Relief shipments: General principles
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Article 73 - Collective relief shipments
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Article 74 - Relief shipments: Exemption from charges and dues
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Article 75 - Special means of transport
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Article 76 - Censorship and examination
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Article 77 - Preparation, execution and transmission of legal documents
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Section VI : Relations between prisoners of war and the authorities
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Chapter I: Complaints of prisoners of war respecting the conditions of captivity
Article 78 - Complaints and requests from prisoners
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Chapter II : Prisoner of war representatives
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Article 79 - Election of prisoners’ representatives
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Article 80 - Duties of prisoners’ representatives
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Article 81 - Prerogatives of prisoners’ representatives
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Chapter III : Penal and disciplinary sanctions -- I. General provisions
Article 82 - Applicable legislation
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Article 83 - Choice of disciplinary or judicial proceedings
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Article 84 - Courts
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Article 85 - Offences committed before capture
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Article 86 - The prohibition against double jeopardy (non bis in idem)
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Article 87 - Penalties
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Article 88 - Execution of penalties
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Chapter III : Penal and disciplinary sanctions -- II. Disciplinary sanctions
Article 89 - Forms of disciplinary punishment
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Article 90 - Duration of disciplinary punishments
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Article 91 - Successful escape
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Article 92 - Unsuccessful escape
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Article 93 - Escapes: Connected offences
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Article 94 - Escapes: Notification of recapture
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Article 95 - Disciplinary procedure: Confinement awaiting hearing
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Article 96 - Disciplinary procedure: Competent authorities and right of defence
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Article 97 - Execution of disciplinary punishment: Premises
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Article 98 - Execution of disciplinary punishment: Essential safeguards
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Chapter III : Penal and disciplinary sanctions -- III. Judicial proceedings
Article 99 - Judicial procedure: General principles
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Article 100 - Death penalty
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Article 101 - Delay in execution of the death penalty
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Article 102 - Judicial procedure: Conditions for validity of sentence
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Article 103 - Judicial investigations and confinement awaiting trial
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Article 104 - Notification of judicial proceedings
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Article 105 - Rights and means of defence
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Article 106 - Appeals
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Article 107 - Notification of judgments and sentences
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Article 108 - Execution of judicial penalties: Premises and essential safeguards
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Part IV: Termination of captivity
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Section I : Direct repatriation and accommodation in neutral countries
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Article 109 - Direct repatriation and accommodation in neutral countries: General observations
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Article 110 - Cases of repatriation and accommodation
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Article 111 - Internment in a neutral country
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Article 112 - Mixed Medical Commissions
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Article 113 - Prisoners entitled to examination by Mixed Medical Commissions
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Article 114 - Prisoners meeting with accidents
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Article 115 - Prisoners serving a sentence
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Article 116 - Costs of repatriation
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Article 117 - Activity after repatriation
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Section II: Release and repatriation of prisoners of war at the close of hostilities
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Article 118 - Release and repatriation
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Article 119 - Details of repatriation procedure
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Section III: Death of prisoners of war
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Article 120 - Prescriptions regarding the dead, including wills and death certificates
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Article 121 - Prisoners killed or injured in special circumstances
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Part V: Information bureaux and relief societies for prisoners of war
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Article 122 - National information bureaux
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Article 123 - Central Tracing Agency
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Article 124 - Exemption from charges of national information bureaux and the Central Tracing Agency
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Article 125 - Facilities for relief societies and other organizations assisting prisoners of war
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Part VI : Execution of the Convention
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Section I: General provisions
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Article 126 - Supervision by the Protecting Powers and the ICRC
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Article 127 - Dissemination of the Convention
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Article 128 - Translation. Implementing laws and regulations
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Article 129 - Penal sanctions
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Article 130 - Grave breaches
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Article 131 - Responsibilities of the Contracting Parties
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Article 132 - Enquiry procedure
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Section II: Final provisions
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Article 133 - Languages
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Article 134 - Relation to the 1929 Convention
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Article 135 - Relation to the 1899 or 1907 Hague Conventions
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Article 136 - Signature
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Article 137 - Ratification
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Article 138 - Coming into force
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Article 139 - Accession
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Article 140 - Notification of accessions
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Article 141 - Immediate effect
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Article 142 - Denunciation
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Article 143 - Registration with the United Nations
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Testimonium
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Sources
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ANNEX I - Model agreement concerning direct repatriation and accommodation in neutral countries of wounded and sick prisoners of war (see article 110)
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Part I - Part I - Principles for direct repatriation and accommodation in neutral countries
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I - II - Part II -- General observations
ANNEX II : Regulations concerning mixed medical commissions (see Article 112)
Article 1 - Annex II: Regulations concerning mixed medical commissions - Composition
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Article 2 - Annex II : Regulations concerning mixed medical commissions - Appointment of neutral members
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Article 3 - Annex II : Regulations concerning mixed medical commissions - Procedure
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Article 4 - Annex II : Regulations concerning mixed medical commissions - Deputy members
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Article 5 - Annex II : Regulations concerning mixed medical commissions - Alternative procedure for appointment
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Article 6 - Annex II : Regulations concerning mixed medical commissions - Professional qualification for neutral members
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Article 7 - Annex II : Regulations concerning mixed medical commissions - Status of the commission
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Article 8 - Annex II : Regulations concerning mixed medical commissions - Terms of service
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Article 9 - Annex II : Regulations concerning mixed medical commissions - Commencement of work
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Article 10 - Annex II : Regulations concerning mixed medical commissions - Tasks of the commission
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Article 11 - Annex II : Regulations concerning mixed medical commissions - Communication of decisions
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Article 12 - Annex II : Regulations concerning mixed medical commissions - Obligation of the detaining power
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Article 13 - Annex II : Regulations concerning mixed medical commissions - Alternative solution
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Article 14 - Annex II : Regulations concerning mixed medical commissions - Functions of the commissions to be permanent
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ANNEX III: Regulations concerning collective relief (see Article 73)
Article 1 - Annex III : Regulations concerning collective relief - Distribution
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Article 2 - Annex III : Regulations concerning collective relief - Rules for distribution
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Article 3 - Annex III : Regulations concerning collective relief - Freedom of movement
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Article 4 - Annex III : Regulations concerning collective relief - Facilities
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Article 5 - Annex III : Regulations concerning collective relief - Enquiries and reports
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Article 6 - Annex III : Regulations concerning collective relief - Right to build up reserve stocks
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Article 7 - Annex III : Regulations concerning collective relief - Withdrawal of clothing
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Article 8 - Annex III : Regulations concerning collective relief - Purchase of relief supply in the territory of the detaining power
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Article 9 - Annex III: Regulations concerning collective relief - Other means of distribution
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IV - A - A. Identity card (see Article 4)
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IV - B - B. Capture card (see Article 70)
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IV - C - C. Correspondence card and letter (see Article 71)
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IV - D - D. Notification of death (see Article 120)
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IV - E - E. Repatriation certificate (see Annex II, Article 11)
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V - Model regulations concerning payments sent by prisoners to their own country (see Article 63)
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Section
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