WSMP International Law

INTRODUCTION

The WSMP Council Court alone has the power to try and convict players of breaches of international law by fair trial, although courts of individual countries may submit a suggested ruling or accusation of a specific player.

The WSMP Council holds the ability to enforce the laws of individual nations, if the nation is unable to do so on their own for lack of personnel or authority over the land that the criminal is in. If the WSMP Council rules that the law is reasonable enough and that the guilty party was given a fair trial, international law enforcement officers may be dispatched to punish the criminal, regardless of where they are. If the Council finds that the guilty party was not given a fair trial, the Council may hold a new trial if they wish.

International (or in some cases, national) law will be enforced by international law enforcement, made up of willing soldiers from any country. Armor, weapons, and food may be supplied to international law enforcement officers.

All laws listed below apply to all unclaimed land in the three vanilla dimensions, the Overworld, Nether, and End (not the war dimension), as well as to within the borders of any Council-recognized country that has not specifically stated that international law is not valid within their country.

Any law listed below that has an asterisk ( * ) applies universally on the server, including the war dimension and the lands of countries that have declared all other international law invalid within their country.

Law Code

This section contains basic rules for individual or national conduct. Breaking these laws are usually not considered terrorism due to the nature of the crime, but still punishable by international court.

I - Stealing

Stealing items from players or countries is a breach of international law. This includes all ways of taking something that is not yours, including taking from containers like chests, or taking items dropped when a player dies.

II - Breach of private land

You must respect others’ land claims and the wishes of the owner – you can’t take what’s been claimed by someone else and you can’t trespass on their property if it is made clear that they don’t want anyone trespassing (unless for some reason you are forced onto their land and the Council decides that you have a good enough excuse).

Terrorism

This section contains acts of violence that can, in most cases, be considered acts of war against another nation, but are allowed if committed during wartime, against an enemy nation. The later section titled “War Crimes” also includes crimes that would be considered terrorism in peacetime, however war crimes are illegal in wartime as well as peacetime.

I - Murder

Killing someone without that person’s consent is considered terrorism.

II - Destruction of property or nature

Any intentional destruction of property without the owner’s consent is terrorism.
The same is true about the widespread destruction of nature without good reason. Note that, under certain circumstances as explained below, either of these can be considered a war crime as well.

III - Unleashing dangerous entities

Any release of particularly dangerous entities in a way that could cause harm to players, property, or nature, is terrorism. This includes, but may not be limited to: uncontained withers, pillager raids, or hoards of dangerous mobs. Placing end crystals on land you do not own fits into this category, since getting rid of them could cause harm in all the three ways listed above. While doing this against an enemy country in wartime is legal, you should be very careful, because any damage to any non-involved parties or property is terrorism.

IV - Destruction of important or historical documents or items

Preserving the server’s history is important, and any item of sentimental value is not to be destroyed.

Rules of War

This section contains guidelines on how to start a war and how to end it. The section below titled “War Crimes” also includes rules of war, but that section focuses on violent actions done by either side during the war, which if committed during peacetime would result in trial for terrorism. Any significant breach of law in this section may also be considered a war crime.

I - Initiating conflict *

To start a war, both countries must agree that they want to fight a war, and they also must agree on how that war will be fought (see below rules). If a war is agreed upon, both countries may start engaging in conflict. The only exception to both countries needing to agree beforehand is if the WSMP Council rules that one of the countries has good reason to fight the other – for example, if an act of terrorism is committed against one country by another.

(THIS LAW APPLIES TO THE ENTIRE SERVER, INCLUDING THE WAR DIMENSION AND COUNTRIES WHERE ALL OTHER LAWS DO NOT APPLY)

II - Choosing where the war will be fought *

By international law, any fighting or destruction in the Overworld, Nether, or End while not at war is terrorism. Therefore, wars will be fought exclusively in the war dimension, unless both sides agree to fight in a different dimension. The WSMP Council must approve this decision. Countries need the permission of their civilians to use private civilian owned land in either of the three main dimensions for military purposes (if war is allowed in that dimension), and the civilians must understand that if they agree, their land is subject to attack by the enemy.

(THIS LAW APPLIES TO THE ENTIRE SERVER, INCLUDING THE WAR DIMENSION AND COUNTRIES WHERE ALL OTHER LAWS DO NOT APPLY)

III - Documentation of the war *

While it will not be punished if this law is breached, following it is suggested if you want: any actions related to the war should be documented. Examples include: recording important calls (with the consent of everyone in said call), and recording footage of any battle or other conflict that takes place. As stated previously, this is suggested but not required, as the Supreme Overlord wishes to document conflicts on the SMP on his YouTube channel, and needs footage for that.

(THIS LAW APPLIES TO THE ENTIRE SERVER, INCLUDING THE WAR DIMENSION AND COUNTRIES WHERE ALL OTHER LAWS DO NOT APPLY)

IV - Ending a war *

Wars can be ended either by surrender, truce, armistice, or WSMP Council intervention.

In the case of surrender, one country can ask the other country to end the war, and in turn may need to accept surrender conditions from the other country. These conditions must be approved by the WSMP Council beforehand.

In the case of a truce, both sides agree on their own to stop fighting, and there may be mutual conditions that both sides agree upon.

In the case of an armistice, both sides will remain at war, but any attack from either side before the armistice is over will be considered terrorism or a war crime.

In the case of WSMP Council intervention, both sides will be asked to end the war without any surrender conditions. If either side refuses, soldiers from the WSMP Council may be sent in to force the country to stop fighting, and the WSMP Council may punish the refusing country. WSMP Council intervention is unlikely, and will most likely only occur if the war causes severe and irreversible damage, or if many war crimes are committed.

(THIS LAW APPLIES TO THE ENTIRE SERVER, INCLUDING THE WAR DIMENSION AND COUNTRIES WHERE ALL OTHER LAWS DO NOT APPLY)

War Crimes

For clarification, the way that the term “war crime” is used in this document refers to any breach of the international laws listed in this section. If any of these laws are broken in peacetime, they are technically terrorism, not war crimes. However, to eliminate any possible confusion, in this document, the term “war crime” will be used to refer to ANY breach of the laws in this section, either during wartime or peacetime.

I - Intentional destruction of civilian property without obvious military advantage

This includes attacks against homes or property of any civilians not aiding hostile war effort in any way. For example, destruction of civilian owned farms that are producing products for the enemy war effort is NOT a war crime, but destruction of private farms or civilian homes that are not in any way tied to the enemy IS a war crime.

II - Intentional destruction or kidnapping of pets, villagers, or other non player entities without obvious military advantage

Kidnapping or killing player’s pets, villagers, or other animals that are not aiding the war effort IS a war crime. If players are using dogs to fight alongside them though, for example, killing those pets is not a war crime. Any villagers that are used to trade vital goods to the enemy may be targeted, but not private villagers owned by individual players that do not supply traded goods to the enemy. The same goes for any other animals that the enemy has.

III - Intentionally attacking any non-hostile individuals

Any attack on non-hostile individuals, such as unarmed players, or players who have surrendered, or any players involved in peace delegations or anything similar, is prohibited.

IV - Intentionally launching a particularly destructive attack without obvious military advantage

Any attack meant to destroy the property of innocent civilians is a war crime, as well as any attack meant to destroy large areas of nature excessively and without a military advantage.

V - Intentional destruction of settlements not involved in the war or intentional destruction of NPC villages without obvious military advantage

Any player settlement cannot be attacked unless it has some sort of military significance, such as being a factory or housing weapons or important enemy individuals. The same goes for NPC villages.

VI - Intentionally depriving innocent civilians of necessary resources

No attempt may be made to keep enemy civilians from getting food or other necessary resources, either by destruction or disablement of farms that do not benefit the military, or by killing private livestock, or by stealing or destroying item storage areas that do not benefit the enemy military.

VII - Moving your own civilians into occupied land before annexation is agreed to

Your civilians aren’t allowed to live on land that was originally part of the enemy country until terms are officially agreed to by both countries which give that land to your country – this is just to eliminate any problems that the enemy country might have about getting rid of the illegal occupation.

VIII - Intentional destruction of monuments or landmarks *

Do not attack or destroy any country’s national monuments or landmarks unless they are using them for military purposes. Do not destroy any international monuments or landmarks under any circumstances.

(THIS LAW APPLIES TO THE ENTIRE SERVER, INCLUDING THE WAR DIMENSION AND COUNTRIES WHERE ALL OTHER LAWS DO NOT APPLY)

IX - Pretending to surrender *

Pretending to surrender to the enemy in order to gain military advantage or mislead the enemy is a war crime.

(THIS LAW APPLIES TO THE ENTIRE SERVER, INCLUDING THE WAR DIMENSION AND COUNTRIES WHERE ALL OTHER LAWS DO NOT APPLY)

X - Impersonating the WSMP Council or Supreme Overlord *

Any use of false messages or impersonation of the WSMP Council or Supreme Overlord of any kind in order to gain military advantage or mislead the enemy is prohibited.

(THIS LAW APPLIES TO THE ENTIRE SERVER, INCLUDING THE WAR DIMENSION AND COUNTRIES WHERE ALL OTHER LAWS DO NOT APPLY)

XI - Attacking the WSMP Council or international property *

Any attack against the WSMP Council itself, when aiding civilians or doing anything similar, is prohibited, as well as any attack on WSMP Council property such as spawn or the shopping district. If the WSMP Council sends soldiers to intervene in a conflict and aid your enemy militarily, then you can attack hostile soldiers, as long as they are armed, and as long as you don’t commit any other war crime on this list. Even if engaged with WSMP Council forces, you may not attack WSMP Council property.

(THIS LAW APPLIES TO THE ENTIRE SERVER, INCLUDING THE WAR DIMENSION AND COUNTRIES WHERE ALL OTHER LAWS DO NOT APPLY)

XII - Forcing captured enemy citizens to enlist in your army *

Forced enlistment of captured enemy soldiers or citizens into your army is prohibited, unless an agreement is made with the enemy country and said civilians that makes said civilians into civilians of your country.

(THIS LAW APPLIES TO THE ENTIRE SERVER, INCLUDING THE WAR DIMENSION AND COUNTRIES WHERE ALL OTHER LAWS DO NOT APPLY)

XIII - Mistreatment of innocent enemy civilians *

Innocent civilians may not be killed, forced to leave their homes, deprived of their belongings, or discriminated against in any way. Any enemy civilians that continue to rebel after their country surrenders may however be subjected to punishment.

(THIS LAW APPLIES TO THE ENTIRE SERVER, INCLUDING THE WAR DIMENSION AND COUNTRIES WHERE ALL OTHER LAWS DO NOT APPLY)

XIV - Taking advantage of international law in order to create loopholes *

For example, you can’t station your army in an otherwise unarmed civilian settlement and then call it a war crime when said settlement is attacked, and military assets cannot be hidden in places that the enemy is not allowed to attack. You can’t hide people, weapons, or other valuable things in other countries that your enemy is not at war with, or in WSMP Council land. Basically, any attempt to trick someone into committing a war crime automatically makes their action not a war crime.

(THIS LAW APPLIES TO THE ENTIRE SERVER, INCLUDING THE WAR DIMENSION AND COUNTRIES WHERE ALL OTHER LAWS DO NOT APPLY)

Crimes Against the SMP

Any breach of the laws below will result in immediate punishment for all involved parties, according to the punishments defined by each law.

I - The dragon egg *

Any harm to the dragon egg is not acceptable. Anyone who either loses or destroys the dragon egg may be banned from the server, as well as everyone involved. This is the most valuable item on the server and its destruction warrants immediate and severe punishment. Creating the opportunity for harm to come to the egg, such as leaving it in an unprotected place, will be punished by banishment to the war dimension or being banned from the server. If the dragon egg is destroyed, no measures will be taken to prevent angry players from destroying your property.
Any attempt to duplicate the egg counts as losing the egg because it will be impossible to tell which is the original (plus it’s against the server rules).

REGULATIONS IN ORDER TO PROTECT THE SAFETY OF THE DRAGON EGG
The dragon egg is to be kept either in ender chests or on display in a safe setting. The egg may be removed from an ender chest only when indoors in a safe environment, and with only trusted players nearby. The egg may not be dropped on the ground, any transfer from person to person must be through a container, like a chest. The egg may not be removed from that safe environment unless it is placed in an ender chest.
If the egg is put on display, it must be within a griefprevention claim with no additional trusted players.
The dragon egg may not be brought into the war dimension at all – either in a player’s inventory or placed as a block – it must stay in your ender chest.
Any violations of the egg’s safety regulations will result in any punishment the council sees fit.

(THIS LAW APPLIES TO THE ENTIRE SERVER, INCLUDING THE WAR DIMENSION AND COUNTRIES WHERE ALL OTHER LAWS DO NOT APPLY)

Sentencing of Criminals

Pretty self-explanatory I think

For law-breakers and terrorists

Punishment for terrorism can include a fine for the guilty party, confiscation of weapons or other items, banishment of the guilty persons to the war dimension, banishment of the guilty persons from the server, or the forced disbanding of the guilty country, if terrorism is commited by a nation rather than an individual.

For war criminals

Punishment for war crimes can include a fine for the guilty party, confiscation of military assets, like weapons, intervention by the WSMP Council to end the war, banishment of the guilty persons to the war dimension, banishment of the guilty persons from the server, or the forced disbanding of the guilty country, depending on the severity of the war crime.

For criminals against the SMP

Whatever the punishment listed with the crime is.

Amendments

All sections not mentioned below were voted on by the Waffles SMP Council on January 28, 2022, and became effective on January 30, 2022.

I

Terrorism III was added on February 2, 2022, after a breach of containment of withers summoned by the United Animals Federation on January 31, 2022, and brought about by concerns of the End Empire regarding the possibility of pillager raids being started in players’ bases, expressed on February 2, 2022.

II

The Crimes Against the SMP section, along with Crimes Against SMP I, was added on February 6, 2022, after Deutschland GmbH released a faked video of the ender dragon egg being destroyed, and scared everyone.

III

Some minor grammatical and spelling fixes were made because the International Law document was transferred from a Google document to this page on February 28, 2022.

IV

Terrorism IV was added on April 22, 2023, after Grainary voiced concerns regarding potential destruction of important documents after the terrorist attack on their base three days prior.