Civilian Hostage Legal Protection in Times of War: Pursuing Effective Tools to Ensure Their Constitutional Rights and Freedoms

Abstract

This article explores the issue of legal protection for civilian hostages in times of war. The authors of the article set out to answer the question of whether effective instruments for safeguarding the rights and freedoms of this specific category of citizens can exist. The study delves into the procedural differences and challenges inherent in the legal protection of civilian hostages, which deviates significantly from the conventional mechanisms of citizen legal protection. In the article, the authors present arguments suggesting that the establishment of specialized legal clinics is one of the effective instruments to ensure the constitutional rights and freedoms of civilian hostages. However, such initiatives should be undertaken in collaboration with civil organizations specializing in matters related to this category. Furthermore, another crucial tool for their protection lies in seeking assistance from international human rights institutions and actively working towards their release from captivity. The authors conclude that this comprehensive approach constitutes an effective system for the legal protection of civilian hostages in times of war.