Available open access digitally under CC-BY-NC-ND licenceThis book examines what happens when states and other authorities use detention to abuse their power, deter dissent and maintain social hierarchies. Written by an author with decades of practical experience in the human rights field, the book examines a variety of scenarios where individuals are unlawfully detained in violation of their most basic rights to personal liberty and exposes the many fallacies associated with arbitrary detention. Proposing solutions for future policy to scrutinise processes, this is a call for greater respect for the rule of law and human rights.