The Third Copenhagen Conference on the Handling of Detainees in International Military Operations is taking place in Copenhagen on 18 and 19 October.
The international conference will have participation from numerous countries, including Malaysia, which has been an important partner and participant in the process since 2007.
The conference is the third of its kind since 2007 when Denmark took the international lead in seeking to address the legal, political, operational and practical issues relating to the handling of detainees in international military operations, and to put forward possible solutions to the challenges involved.
In May 2008, the Danish Government convened a seminar at Frederiksberg Castle during which best practices in national, regional and international perspectives were identified.
Further, at the second conference in June 2009, the Danish Government was mandated by the participants to elaborate a draft Copenhagen Process outcome document on the basis of information, papers and discussions that have been forming part of the process since 2007.
The Danish Government has drafted a set of basic principles and guidelines and the conference in October therefore aims at concluding the Copenhagen Process by reaching consensus on a set of Copenhagen Process Basic Principles and Guidelines on the Handling of Detainees in International Military Operations.
