detainee

A detainee is a person who is detained or held in custody by state authorities, typically by police, security services, immigration authorities, or in military contexts. Detainee is often used during the period between arrest and charge, trial, or release. It contrasts with a prisoner or inmate, who has been convicted and serves a sentence.

In criminal justice, a detainee may be held for questioning or to prevent flight, while investigations proceed. In immigration contexts, detainees are those held for the purposes of asylum processing, deportation, or removal, sometimes in specialized detention facilities.

Rights and legal framework: Detainees are generally entitled to humane treatment, access to legal counsel, and the opportunity to challenge the lawfulness of detention. Depending on jurisdiction, detention may require judicial authorization, time limits, and periodic review. International law protects detainees in armed conflict (Geneva Conventions) and more broadly through the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and regional human rights instruments, which prohibit arbitrary detention and require prompt procedural safeguards.

Commonly used terms include police detention, administrative detention, and internment. Some criticisms concern prolonged detention without charge, lack of access to counsel, or abuse, prompting reforms and oversight mechanisms.