Article 135 is one of two articles governing the relationship of the ThirdConvention to previous treaties or parts of treaties with similar subjectmatter. While Article 134 deals with the Convention’s relationship to the1929 Geneva Convention on Prisoners of War, Article 135 regulates itsrelationship to the 1899 and 1907 Hague Conventions and to the HagueRegulations annexed thereto.

Article 61 is the first treaty provision recognizing the right of the Poweron which prisoners of war depend to make available to them, on anon-discriminatory basis, supplementary pay. Supplementary pay is ofparticular value to the prisoners if the advances of pay as determined byArticle 60(1) are insufficient or if the Detaining Power has made use of itsright to unilaterally reduce such advances pursuant to Article 60(3).

During their internment, prisoners of war may be required to do differenttypes of work. Some of this work, such as that related to campadministration or maintenance, will be performed in the prisoner-of-warcamp. Prisoners may, however, be detached to a place of work which isoutside the main camp. These prisoners fall into two distinct categories:those who continue to live in the camp but leave each morning to go to workand return each evening; and those who are lodged for a certain duration ator near their place of work. Article 56 regulates the latter category.

Articles 118 and 119 regulate the release and repatriation of prisoners ofwar after the cessation of active hostilities. These two articles deal withdifferent situations from those addressed in Articles 109–117, which containrules on the direct repatriation or accommodation in neutral countries ofprisoners of war during hostilities.

Article 138 determines the moment at which the Convention, by its entryinto force, formally becomes part of international law. It also settles thedate on which the full legal effects of the Convention begin for thesignatory States ratifying it.

Ministers of religion not attached to the armed forces in the capacityof religious personnel may be enlisted as combatants. When captured,they become prisoners of war, unlike retained religious personnelcovered by Article 35. Even so, their spiritual assistance may be neededby their fellow prisoners, and the Detaining Power must grant themfreedom to minister to their co-religionists. For this reason, Article36 extends the benefits and facilities enjoyed by religious personnelattached to the armed forces under Articles 33 and 35 to prisoners ofwar who are ministers of religion. In doing so, Article 36 aims toreinforce access of prisoners of war to spiritual assistance and tofurther guarantee their right to practise their religion set forth inArticle 34.

The places where prisoners of war are interned – possibly for anextended period of time – will have a direct impact on the quality oftheir lives in captivity and on their physical and mental health.Ensuring that these places meet certain basic requirements is thereforeessential to secure humane treatment for prisoners and respect for theirpersons. Article 22 sets out requirements and prohibitions on theselection of sites on which to establish internment camps and on thetypes of installations where prisoners of war may be accommodated. Itfurthermore governs how the prisoners must be assembled. More detailedrequirements regarding prisoners’ quarters are contained in Article 25,while Article 29 lays down specific safeguards regarding hygiene.