Amategeko mpuzamahanga, cyane cyane Amasezerano ya Genève (Geneva Conventions) yo mu 1949, arengera abasirikare bafashwe cyangwa bamanitse intwaro batakiri kurwana. Iri tegeko ryashyizweho nyuma y’intambara ya kabiri y’isi (WWII), rikaba rigamije kurinda abasirikare, abaganga, n’abaturage mu gihe cy’intambara.
Amasezerano ya 3, agenga imfungwa z’intambara (Prisoners of War - POWs), avuga ko "Imfungwa z’intambara zigomba kurekurwa no gusubizwa iwabo nta mananiza nyuma y’uko imirwano ihagaze." (Bikubiye mu ngingo ya 118 y’aya masezerano)
Iri ni ihame rikomeye. Iyo intambara irangiye, ingabo zafashwe zigomba gusubizwa iwabo nta mananiza, nta guhohoterwa, nta gushimutwa cyangwa se bakaba basaba gusubizwa mu rugo ku bushake bwabo.
Nubwo amategeko ya Genève asobanura cyane imfungwa z’intambara, hari n’andi mategeko nk’ay’uburenganzira bwa muntu arengera ingabo zitashye zivuye ku rugamba.
Amategeko avuga ko nta musirikare ushobora guhatirwa gutaha ku ngufu niba atabishaka, cyane cyane niba gutaha byamushyira mu kaga cyangwa akaba ari mu buhungiro bw’ubutegetsi. Ashobora gusaba ubuhungiro mu kindi gihugu, abifashijwemo n’amategeko mpuzamahanga arengera impunzi, cyane cyane amasezerano arengera impunzi yasinyiwe i Genève mu 1951.
Intambara y’Abanya-Korea (1950–1953) yakabirije ikibazo cy’ingabo zafashwe. Abasirikare ba Korea ya Ruguru bamwe banze gutaha kuko batinyaga kwicwa cyangwa gukorerwa iyicarubozo n'ubuyobozi bwa Koreya y'Amajyaruguru.
Byatumye habaho ibiganiro bikomeye hagati y’ibihugu, hakurwaho icyemezo cyo guhatira umuntu gutaha ku ngufu. Ibi byabaye intambwe ikomeye mu kubaha uburenganzira bwo kwihitiramo aho ushaka kuba nyuma y’intambara.
Ingabo za SADC zatangiye gutaha ziciye mu Rwanda nyuma y'ubwumvikane bagiranye na M23 bari bahanganye