COM:Wartime Conduct Act

This act, drafted by the Senate in collaboration with the Military, passed by the Senate of the Terran Commonwealth on April 29th 3380 GST. Certified by the Supreme Court of the Terran Commonwealth on May 1at 3380 GST and Signed into law by the office of the Chancellor of the Terran Commonwealth on May 5th 3380 GST.

Description

The Wartime Conduct Act imposes laws and regulations in relation to military conflict, any violation of the following laws may result in warcrime charges carrying life imprisonment without the possibility of parole or the death penalty. Any violation of this act is considered a crime of war. All violations will be handled by the Ethics and Internal Affairs Commission of the military, and if requested by this commission, the Supreme Court.

Chapter 1: Rules of engagement

In this chapter, rules around engagements will be established.

Article 1

This article dictates the creation of the PROTection CONdition scale, referred to as PROTCON. PROTCON contains the following levels:

• PROTCON 1: Standard peace operations
• PROTCON 2: Threats of hostility against a Commonwealth State or the Federal Government.
  • 2.1: This condition can be issued by local militaries in their jurisdiction.
• PROTCON 3: Imminent combat in a system or a strategic sector or active conflict in a individual system.
  • 3.1: This condition can be issued by local militaries in their jurisdiction.
  • 3.2: Reservists may be activated based on tactical necessity by local military leadership.
• PROTCON 4: Active sector wide conflict, sector based reservists must be activated.
  • Jurisdiction changes from local military to Federal military.
• PROTCON 5: Active galactic scale war, must be authorized by the Senate and the Admiralty. Use of all non specialist assets is now authorized.
  • 5.1: Specialist assets are considered unconventional weapons platform that might become a tactical advantage.
• PROTCON 6: Use of all Assets is authorized by default. Must be authorized by a Senate majority vote and Supreme Court approval.
  • 6.1 Misuse of PROTCON 6 will result in charges of both Treason and Crimes of War.

Chapter 2: Weapon restrictions

In this chapter, restrictions will be set on weapons the military is allowed to use.

Article 1

All weapons that outright destroy or render a planet uninhabitable in any way is strictly prohibited.

Article 2

Weapons containing a biological or toxic payload are prohibited and are considered too brutal for war.

Article 3

Weapons with a nuclear payload are only authorized in use outside of planetary atmospheres.

Article 4

All and any unconventional weapons that might be a tactical advantage, will be marked as a specialist vehicle or weapon and must be registered to the Dangerous Weapons Database. An example of a specialist weapon would be the Disruptor class, This weapons platform is outlawed as per Article 1.

Article 4.1

Specialist vehicles may only be used during periods where PROTCON 6 is declared or by express, one time, authorization by the Supreme Court.

Chapter 3: Civilians and non-combatants

This chapter describes what entails to civilians and non-combatants and what their rights are.

Article 5

Civilians are classified as non military aligned individuals and must be considered neutral by the military.

Non-combatants are enemy military personnel that have been rendered unable to fight, examples of this are:

• Captured enemy personnel
• Injured enemy personnel
• medical units
• Prisoners of War

Article 5.1

As per Article 3 of the constitution, the following rights will be considered void if a civilian or non-combatant exhibits hostility.

Article 6

Civilians must be evacuated from immediate battle zones.

Article 7

Civilians and non-combatants may not be killed intentionally.

Article 8

All civilian possessions are considered untouchable, no theft may occur against civilians.

Article 9

The bodies of civilians and non-combatants, both alive or dead, are protected from any harm. Physical, psychological, sexual and in any other way is strictly prohibited.

Chapter 3: Emergency authorizations

This chapter defines what constitutes as an emergency use of specialist weapons.

Article 10

Lawful emergency use consists of the following:

• Enemy is resistant against all conventional options.
  • May be used preemptively as long as legitimate use can be proven to the Supreme Court.
• During anti-piracy operations
  • These must be planned and are limited to interdiction weapons.
• In cases of deterrence.
  • Must be authorized by the Supreme Court ahead of use.

Article 11

All uses of specialist weapons must be documented and logged for later review.

Article 12

As per Article 10, all uses must be authorized by the Supreme Court, before or after operation, depending on use case.

Article 12.1

Authorization is not needed when PROTCON 6 is active as per Article 1. Logs and documentation will be reviewed after PROTCON 6 has been rescinded, violators will be charged if needed.

Article 12.2

The supreme court must complete every request for use within 14 days to preserve tactical effectiveness.