Concerns about the American sailors being mistreated or used for propaganda

Iran released a set of videos of U.S. sailors who were released Wednesday after being captured and detained overnight, raising questions about whether the country’s hard-line military force mistreated the Americans or violated international law by using them for propaganda purposes.
One video, broadcast on Iranian television and released world-wide, showed several Americans kneeling, with their hands clasped behind their heads. Another showed a U.S. service member speaking to a questioner, admitting wrongdoing and apologizing.

Iran’s Video of Detained U.S. Sailors Sparks Debate

Iran released footage Wednesday showing an American sailor apologizing for unintentionally crossing into Iranian waters along with nine others. The U.S is looking into whether the footage violated international law by serving as propaganda.
Obama administration officials have said their initial determination is that the 10 sailors were treated well and with respect after Iranian forces detained their two small Navy boats in the Persian Gulf on Tuesday. But the videos depicted questionable actions by Iran’s elite military force, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.
The Geneva Conventions, which govern military conflicts, ban the practice of parading prisoners for purposes of “insults” and propaganda. The State Department said Wednesday afternoon that U.S. officials were looking into the videos and would respond if the U.S. determined that the sailors were treated inappropriately.
The State Department has yet to determine whether the Geneva Conventions apply in this case, or whether the treatment of the sailors shown in the video is in violation of the international treaties, which governs the treatment of war prisoners.