detainees
n. countable C1 Advanced US //dɪˌteɪˈniz// UK //dɪtˈeɪniːz// de·tainees
n. people who are held in a building or camp, often because they are suspected of a crime or are in a war zone. You use this word when talking about prisoners who have not yet been formally charged or convicted.
n. persons held in custody, typically by military or state authorities, often without formal trial or charge. Plural form; the singular is 'detainee'.
The soldiers released the detainees after checking their papers.
Human rights groups visited the camp to monitor the conditions of the political detainees.
The legal status of the detainees remained ambiguous for years, sparking international debate over the application of wartime laws to non-combatants.