Fångar

Fångar is the Swedish term for a person who has been captured and is being held by an opposing party or authority. The singular form is fånge and the plural is fångar. The word covers prisoners of war, detainees, and inmates in the criminal justice system. Its usage spans contexts from military conflict to civilian detention. The term has cognates in other Germanic languages, such as Danish fange, Norwegian fange, and German Gefangene, reflecting a common lineage related to capture and confinement.

Etymology and scope: Fångar derives from older forms in the Germanic language family, linked to concepts of captivity and restraint. In modern Swedish, the word is used across contexts to denote someone who is not free to leave a location under the authority of another party—whether in wartime, during police custody, or as a prisoner serving a sentence in a prison.

War and humanitarian context: In international humanitarian law, prisoners of war (fångar i krig) are protected persons. They must be treated humanely, without violence or torture, and are entitled to adequate food, housing, medical care, and contact with family. They may be detained for the duration of hostilities and are to be released or repatriated at the end of conflict or upon exchange. Civilian detainees fall under different legal regimes, depending on the circumstances of detention.

Domestic justice context: In civil or penal contexts, fångar refers to individuals serving prison sentences or otherwise detained under state authority. Prison systems (fängelser) aim to balance security with rehabilitation and eventual reintegration into society. Detention practices are governed by national law and international human rights standards, with ongoing debates about alternatives to imprisonment and the treatment of detainees.

See also: Prisoner of war, prisoner, detention, incarceration.