IHL of international armed conflicts prescribes different treatment for persons/objects based on their status. Certain circumstances may entail a loss of status for a protected person or object. For instance, combatants engaged in espionage on enemy territory out of uniform forfeit prisoner of war status, and the special regime of treatment that is attached to this status.
See Status, Loss of protection; Direct participation in hostilities; Combatants; Spies; Immunities; Protected Persons; Protected Objects;