Article LXVIII of the Convention states (and I paraphrase): If you commit an offense that is soley intended to harm the occupying power, not harming the life or limb of members of the occupying power, but merely talking against such a force - such as Martial Law situation _ you can be imprisoned provided that the duration of such imprisonment is proportionate to the offense committed. Well, President Dwight Eisenhower didnt feel that provision was strong enough. So he had the following additions placed in the treaty which states: The U.S. reserves the right to impose the death penalty in accordance with the provisions of Article LXVIII without regard to whether the offenses referred to therein are punishable by death under the law of the occupied territory at the time the occupation begins.. So not only can you be imprisoned for having exercised freedom of speech; you can be put to death under the provisions of the Geneva Convention in 1949 for having exercised, or attempting to exercise freedom of speech. The next item that I introduced into evidence was a field manual: FM 41-10, CIVIL AFFAIRS OPERATION. You will remember at the outset that I mentioned Civil Affairs groups. Let me quote to you from that manual what one of the functions of the Civil Affairs activities includes: Item 4. Assumption of full or partial executive, legislative and judicial authority over a country or area. So lets see what a country or area is defined as in the same manual. It includes: small towns in rural areas, municipalities of various population sizes, districts, counties, provinces or states, regions of national government.
Posted on: Sat, 18 Oct 2014 09:23:40 +0000
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