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Warning
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Simple English definitions for legal terms
hostage
Read a random definition: synthetic lease
A quick definition of hostage:
Hostage: A person who is taken by someone else and held against their will. The person holding the hostage threatens to hurt or kill them if their demands are not met. This is against the law. In times of war, a hostage can also be someone who is taken by the enemy as a way to make sure that an agreement is kept.
A more thorough explanation:
Definition: A hostage is an innocent person who is held captive by another person or group. The captor threatens to harm or kill the hostage if their demands are not met. Hostage-taking is a federal crime according to 18 USCA § 1203. In international law, a hostage is a person who is given or taken into an enemy's custody during a time of war. The hostage's freedom or life is used as security for the performance of some agreement made to the enemy by the belligerent power giving the hostage.
1. A bank robber takes hostages during a heist and demands a ransom in exchange for their release.
2. During a war, a soldier from one side is captured by the enemy and held as a hostage until their side agrees to certain terms.
These examples illustrate how a hostage is someone who is taken against their will and used as leverage to achieve a certain goal. In the first example, the captor wants money and is using the hostages as a bargaining chip. In the second example, the captor wants their demands met by the enemy and is using the hostage as a way to ensure compliance.