Political prisoner is a person who is imprisoned, detained, or in certain other ways deprived of liberty because he or she opposes the government. There is little agreement on the precise legal definition of the term. For example, some organizations working to free political prisoners specify that such people are prisoners who are persecuted, more than prosecuted, by a government for their political beliefs. Other groups state that a political prisoner is any person who is detained for posing a threat to government security. Amnesty International, a human-rights organization, seeks to release only those political prisoners who have not committed violent acts.
Treaties between nations protect political prisoners under certain circumstances. Some treaties exempt individuals from extradition (being sent to another country for trial) if they are charged with a political offense. Other pacts state that a country will grant political asylum (shelter and protection) to certain individuals who seek it. Nations also make agreements with one another to respect human rights within their own borders.
Besides Amnesty International, organizations working to free political prisoners include the International Committee of the Red Cross and the International Commission of Jurists.
