Galactic Accord

The Galactic Accord is a document containing numerous articles which establishes the standards of galactic law for humanitarian treatment in armed conflicts. The Accord and it's volumes cover topics such as treatment of prisoners, terms of surrender, blockades, orbital bombardment, the rights of military and civilian personnel, etc. However, due to it's size, the contents have been reduced to only contain the most important aspects.

Preamble
In an effort to create a prosperous and safe environment for the nations and inhabitants of the Galaxy, all nations and participants of war must abide by - and operate under the Accord.

Article 1 - Recognition
For the participants of warfare to respect and abide by the Accord under any circumstances.

Article 2 - Application
In accession to the regulations and treaties that shall be implemented in peacetime, the current Accord shall apply to all cases of war and armed conflict, even if the state of war is not recognized by any or both of them.

The Accord shall also apply to all cases of partial or total occupation of the territory of a participant of war, even if the occupation meets no form of resistance. Although one or more participants in conflict may not be a signatory to the Accord, those who are shall remain bound by it.

Article 3 - Prisoners of War - Definition
Prisoner of wars, in the context of the Accord may be defined or categorized as the following definitions who have fallen to the hands of the enemy,

(1) Members of the armed forces of a participant to the conflict, including militias and volunteer corps of said armed forces;

(2) Members of other militias and members of other volunteer corps, including those of organized resistance movements, belonging to a participant to the conflict operating in or outside their own territory, provided they fulfill the following requirements;

(a) has a proper organizational structure;

(b) has a distinctive sign or appearance recognizable at a distance;

(c) bears arm openly;

(d) conducts operations in accordance to the customs and laws of war.

(3) Members of regular armed forces who declares an allegiance to a government or an authority not recognized by a participant.

(4) Personnel who accompany the armed forces without actually being a member of said forces, such as civilian war correspondents, contractors, members of services responsible of the armed forces, etc; provided they have received authorization from the accompanying forces, who must provide them for their respective purpose with an identification system.

(4) Inhabitants of a non-occupied territory, who takes up arms to resist an incoming enemy invader, provided they bear weapons openly and conducts operations in accordance with the customs and laws of war

B. This article shall in no way affect the status of medical personnel in accordance with the current Accord.