- "We will be invoking the Public Order Resentencing Directive later today. P-O-R-D. Any criminal act, with even indirect effect on the Empire, will henceforth be branded a Class One Offense. All prison sentences are immediately re-evaluated. All outstanding fines and levies are to be paid in full."
- ―Colonel Wullf Yularen
The Public Order Resentencing Directive (P.O.R.D.),[1] also known as the Public Order Decree,[4] was a law invoked by the Galactic Empire alongside the Imperial Emergency Act in the wake of the attack on the Aldhani dam in 5 BBY. It imposed harsher penalties on anyone convicted of criminal acts affecting the Empire, and classified the attacks as a Class One Offense. All outstanding fines and levies were to be paid in full.[1]
Context
- "The Emperor's energy program is a lie—all of it. The Rebellion on Ghorman was a front from the start: a cover to strip-mine the planet for some mineral they need. They're not looking for partisans on Jedha; they need kyber crystals. The crackdowns. The public order. The labor camps. Scarif..."
- ―Lonni Jung to Luthen Rael
The P.O.R.D. was proposed to the Imperial Senate by Emperor Sheev Palpatine himself[3] following of the rebel attack on the Aldhani dam[1] in 5 BBY[2] and was focused on imposing stricter measures and settlements to civil affairs. Alongside the Imperial Emergency Act which was focused on increasing Imperial authority in the military and intelligence branches, it formed the backbone of the Empire's new policies in the wake of the incident.[1] The P.O.R.D. was sold to the Senate as a temporary measure, but Palpatine privately had other plans.[6]
In 1 BBY, after accessing Dedra Meero’s account, ISB Supervisor Lonni Jung claimed that the P.O.R.D. was partially motivated by Project Stardust and the labor demands of constructing the Death Star.[5] Indeed, facilities such as the Narkina 5 Imperial Prison Complex produced EP-N5 fasteners[4] for the Death Star's Mk I Superlaser dish.[7]
Content
Civil affairs
According to the P.O.R.D., all outstanding fines and levies, including those newly imposed by the Emergency Act, were to be immediately paid in full; all postponements were revoked and no tolerance was shown towards offenders.[1]
Justice system
- "Don't ever look at the number. Double, triple, it doesn't matter. You're in 'til they don't want you anymore. Get straight with that. Anyone that thinks they're getting out now is just dreaming. Those days are over."
- ―Ruescott Melshi gives advice to fellow inmate Cassian Andor
The Imperial justice and prison system was affected by the P.O.R.D.. All prison sentences already delivered were re-evaluated and those for crimes even indirectly affecting the Empire and its infrastructure were doubled, as these were now classified as Class One Offenses. In the case of Cassian Jeron Andor, arrested in Niamos under the alias Keef and charged with disruption, anti-Imperial speech, fleeing the scene of an anti-Imperial activity, and damaging Imperial property, a six-month sentence was reassessed and turned into a six standard year one. System-wide punishments were also arranged, as any system suspected of harboring rebel activity would be forced to pay a tribute tax of five times the amount of money stolen from the Aldhani vault: 400 million credits.[1]
Other consequences of the P.O.R.D. were not visible to the wider galaxy. Living conditions in Imperial prisons worsened. In particular, the Narkina 5 Imperial Prison Complex no longer released any inmates, instead simply recycling them through the system to continue serving their "sentence."[4]
Opposition
- "The Public Order Resentencing Directive is the next step on an all too predictable march towards complete unchallenged authority!"
- ―Senator Mon Mothma
Mon Mothma was an outspoken opponent of the P.O.R.D.
The Directive met a degree of opposition in the Imperial Senate by dissident senators such as Mon Mothma, who called it "the next step of an all too predictable march toward complete unchallenged authority." Mothma's criticism caused a certain amount of debate in the Senate, but the Directive was eventually passed nonetheless.[3] The revelation that the P.O.R.D. would not be a temporary measure inspired Mothma to establish her own counter bill in 3 BBY, but her efforts to sway other senators to her side met with considerable resistance. Senator Dasi Oran of the planet Ghorman was among those who refused to vote with Mothma, albeit not because he disagreed; instead, as Ghorman was seeing an increasing Imperial crackdown, he believed voting against the Emperor's wishes would only worsen Ghorman's position.[6]
Supervisor Dedra Meero of the Imperial Security Bureau (ISB) was skeptical toward the Directive, arguing that such kind of repression was exactly what the rebels wanted in order to have people joining their cause.[1]
Appearances
Star Wars: Andor — "Announcement" (First mentioned)- Star Wars: Andor — "Narkina 5" (Mentioned only) (First identified as Public Order Decree)
- Star Wars: Andor — "Nobody's Listening!" (Mentioned only)
- Star Wars: Andor — "Ever Been to Ghorman?" (Mentioned only)
- Star Wars: Andor — "Make It Stop" (Indirect mention only)
Sources
Notes and references
- ↑ 1.00 1.01 1.02 1.03 1.04 1.05 1.06 1.07 1.08 1.09 1.10 1.11 1.12 1.13
Star Wars: Andor — "Announcement"
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 "Announcement" takes place shortly after "Kassa," which dates itself to 5 BBY.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 Star Wars: Andor — "Nobody's Listening!"
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 Star Wars: Andor — "Narkina 5"
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 Star Wars: Andor — "Make It Stop"
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 Star Wars: Andor — "Ever Been to Ghorman?"
- ↑ Star Wars: Andor — "Rix Road"