political prisoner: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
C1Formal / Academic / Journalistic
Quick answer
What does “political prisoner” mean?
A person imprisoned for their political beliefs, affiliations, or actions against a government.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A person imprisoned for their political beliefs, affiliations, or actions against a government.
A term used to describe someone whose detention is primarily motivated by a state's desire to suppress their political views, activism, or dissent, often perceived as unjust or lacking due process.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant lexical differences. The term is used identically in both varieties. Contextual usage may vary slightly based on the geopolitical focus of media.
Connotations
Strong negative connotation towards the imprisoning regime. Implies a critique of human rights abuses.
Frequency
Similar frequency in serious journalism, academic discourse, and human rights contexts in both regions.
Grammar
How to Use “political prisoner” in a Sentence
[Person/Group] was detained/held/imprisoned as a political prisoner.The government denies holding any political prisoners.Amnesty International listed him as a political prisoner.Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “political prisoner” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- The regime has been accused of political prisonering its opponents.
American English
- The act of political prisonering is a violation of human rights.
adverb
British English
- He was politically prisonerised.
American English
- They were detained political prisoner-style.
adjective
British English
- He faced a political prisoner charge.
American English
- She was in a political prisoner situation.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Rare, except in ESG (Environmental, Social, Governance) reports discussing human rights risks in certain regions.
Academic
Common in Political Science, Law, Human Rights Studies, and History disciplines.
Everyday
Used in informed discussions about world events, protests, and human rights news.
Technical
Used in international law, human rights documentation, and reports by NGOs like Amnesty International.
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “political prisoner”
- Incorrect plural: 'political prisoners' (correct) vs. 'political prisoner' (singular).
- Misspelling as 'political prisonner'.
- Using it to describe someone merely arrested during a protest without the sustained, ideological imprisonment the term implies.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
It is not a strictly defined legal term in international law like 'prisoner of war,' but it is a widely used descriptive term in human rights discourse and reporting.
There is no official international body that formally designates individuals as such. The label is typically applied by non-governmental organisations (NGOs), journalists, academics, and activists based on their assessment of the motives behind an imprisonment.
The term is debated in such cases. Purists argue it applies only to non-violent dissent. Others may use it if they believe the state's response is disproportionately political rather than purely criminal, regardless of the activist's methods.
Amnesty International defines a 'prisoner of conscience' specifically as someone imprisoned solely for their peaceful beliefs, identity, or religion. All prisoners of conscience could be considered political prisoners, but not all political prisoners (e.g., those accused of violent acts) meet the narrower 'prisoner of conscience' criteria.
A person imprisoned for their political beliefs, affiliations, or actions against a government.
Political prisoner is usually formal / academic / journalistic in register.
Political prisoner: in British English it is pronounced /pəˈlɪtɪkəl ˈprɪz(ə)nə/, and in American English it is pronounced /pəˈlɪdəkəl ˈprɪz(ə)nər/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “A prisoner of the state”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think 'POLITICS in PRISON' – someone put in prison because of their politics.
Conceptual Metaphor
THE STATE IS A JAILER; DISSENT IS A CRIME.
Practice
Quiz
Which of the following best describes a 'political prisoner'?