In a shocking turn of events on Sunday, footage of American soldiers, some dead and others badly injured, were broadcast by al Jazeera television. They are the first U.S. prisoners believed to have been taken by Iraq.

Many are hoping they will be treated humanely under the Geneva Convention, which set out guidelines for conduct during battle by both sides, including the taking of prisoners of war.

Following reports of the capture, U.S. President George Bush urged Iraq to treat the U.S. and allied troops in accordance with the Convention.

"If there is somebody captured -- and it looks like there may be -- I expect those people to be treated humanely," he said.

According to the Convention, soldiers captured must not be subjected to murder, mutilation or any other kinds of cruel treatment.

They are also afforded a number of rights, such as the right to exercise, write letters and access to proper food and medical attention. They must be allowed to go home when the war is over.

Humiliation

The troops, which include a woman, were shown on air being asked their names, military identification numbers and home towns. The soldiers were also asked to explain why they were fighting in Iraq.

The International Committee of the Red Cross and U.S. Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld say broadcasting images of frightened soldiers is considered humiliation and is prohibited by the Geneva Convention.

"What I'm saying is that it's a violation of the Geneva Convention for the Iraqis to be -- if, in fact, that's what's taking place, to be showing prisoners of war in a humiliating manner," he told CNN in an interview.

Article 13 of the Convention says: "prisoners of war must at all times be protected, particularly against acts of violence or intimidation and against insults and public curiosity."

Iraq said Sunday it would respect the Geneva Convention.

"Iraq will not harm the captured prisoners of war," Defence Minister Sultan Hashim Ahmed told a news conference. "It will treat them in accordance with the Geneva Convention on prisoners of war."

Michael O'Hurley-Pitts, a U.S. defense and security expert, says it's likely the Iraqi government won't abide by the Convention, which he said they don't even subscribe to.

"I think we've seen that Saddam Hussein's government is willing to put Iraqi civilian men and women in harm's way by making them civilian targets and human shields," he told CTV's Newsnet. "Why would he care for foreign soldiers any better?"

History of the conventions: A Timeline

The Geneva Convention is a series of four international agreements that dictate how civilians and soldiers must be treated during times of war.

Henry Dunant, a Swiss merchant, inspired the first Geneva Convention after witnessing the slaughter of 40,000 men following the battle of Solferino in Italy in 1859.

The first convention, which was drafted in 1864 by 12 nations, established an agreement that states all Armed Forces must receive medical attention, regardless of their alliance. It also established the creation of the Red Cross.

In 1899, a second Geneva Convention was drafted to include members of Armed Forces wounded at sea.

The third convention on the Treatment of Prisoners of War was ratified in 1929, followed in 1949 by the fourth convention that dictates the treatment of civilians during times of war.

In 1949, all four conventions were revised by the Red Cross and signed to form the current Geneva Conventions that are referred to today.

In 1977, protocols were added dealing further with the treatment of civilians and prisoners of war.

Today, the conventions have nearly 200 signatory countries.

Some of the articles in the Convention related to the treatment of Prisoners of War:

Article 13
Prisoners of war must at all times be humanely treated. Any unlawful act or omission by the Detaining Power causing death or seriously endangering the health of a prisoner of war in its custody is prohibited, and will be regarded as a serious breach of the present Convention. In particular, no prisoner of war may be subjected to physical mutilation or to medical or scientific experiments of any kind which are not justified by the medical, dental or hospital treatment of the prisoner concerned and carried out in his interest.

Likewise, prisoners of war must at all times be protected, particularly against acts of violence or intimidation and against insults and public curiosity.

Measures of reprisal against prisoners of war are prohibited.

Article 14
Prisoners of war are entitled in all circumstances to respect for their persons and their honour. Women shall be treated with all the regard due to their sex and shall in all cases benefit by treatment as favourable as that granted to men. Prisoners of war shall retain the full civil capacity which they enjoyed at the time of their capture. The Detaining Power may not restrict the exercise, either within or without its own territory, of the rights such capacity confers except in so far as the captivity requires.

Article 15
The Power detaining prisoners of war shall be bound to provide free of charge for their maintenance and for the medical attention required by their state of health.

Article 16
Taking into consideration the provisions of the present Convention relating to rank and sex, and subject to any privileged treatment which may be accorded to them by reason of their state of health, age or professional qualifications, all prisoners of war shall be treated alike by the Detaining Power, without any adverse distinction based on race, nationality, religious belief or political opinions, or any other distinction founded on similar criteria.