COMPROMIS

THE STATE OF HOGWARTS V. THE REPUBLIC OF WINTERFELL

1. The Kingdom of Prosecco had since long been riddled with ethnic conflict, which
ultimately resulted in it dissolving into two independent nations in 1988: in the west, the State of
Hogwarts (Applicant in this case), and in the east, the Republic of Winterfell (Respondent here).
The two states shared internal provincial borders established early in the 19th century by the
central government of Prosecco. The countries have a geographical expanse of almost the same
area. Both countries are representative democracies and possess independent judiciaries and
elected legislatures. The two countries are populated by two principal ethnic groups, Gryffindors
and Slytherins. In Hogwarts, the population of Slytherins is about three times that of Gryffindors,
whereas the opposite is true for Winterfell which has a population of 75% Gryffindors, 20%
Slytherins, and 5% “mixed” or “other” as per latest census reports.

2. Most Slytherins in Winterfell have historically lived in the Hogsmeade Plateau, which
makes up about 20% of the total land of the country. The Hogsmeade Plateau is economically
dependent on the extraction of coal primarily. The land is inhospitable to agriculture, and has no
city with a population greater than 15,000. The Hogsmeade Plateau is considered as the center
of ethnic culture by Slytherins, and contains prominent religious and historic sites of this ethnic
group.

3. Soon after the dissolution of Prosecco, a movement called the Slytherin Protection and
Advancement Society (SPAS) began in the Hogsmeade Plateau. SPAS was founded as a social
and civic organization in all respects, which in its early days sponsored the study of Slytherin
culture and language, and supported hospitals, and schools, to cater to the Slytherin population of
Winterfell.

4. Over the years, SPAS took on an increasingly political character. As of 2016, SPAS had
multiple political factions with prominent support from the Slytherin population of Winterfell.
The most conservative faction of SPAS attempted to integrate itself completely into the
Winterfellian political system, supporting candidates for election to the legislature and urging
legal and administrative changes to improve the lives of Slytherins in Winterfell.
5. The Slytherin Association of Solidarity (SAS), SPAS’s most radical wing openly
supports secession of the entirety of the Hogsmeade Plateau from Winterfell. Some members of
SAS want creation of an independent Slytherin state; others have called for the establishment of
a political and economic union of the region with the State of Hogwarts. It is not disputed that
SPAS has for a long time, received substantial financial assistance from the government of
Hogwarts. To this day, SPAS maintains that the funds were always used exclusively for
charitable and educational works. Press reports have suggested that Hogwartian government aid
made up approximately 47% of the total budget of SPAS in 2015.

6. On at least eight occasions between 2004 and 2014, resolutions were adopted by the
Winterfellian Parliament, which opposed any political autonomy for the Hogsmeade Plateau.
Every one of the SPAS members then in office voted against each of the resolutions.

7. Since 2004, the General Chairman of SPAS has been Veronica Riddle, a national of
Hogwarts who while growing up spent summers in the Hogsmeade Plateau. She has several
members of her extended family who continue to live in the Plateau region. Born in 1976 Ms.
Riddle is of Slytherin ethnicity, and graduated first in her class in 1999 from the Winterfellian
Indraprastha University School of Law, located in the capital city of Deli. It has been reported
that she has “prevented the radical elements in SPAS from driving it into a more violent
direction”, although the facts tending to support such a claim are widely contested in the
international press.

8. Ms. Riddle has achieved a massive following from various international platforms
including NGOs. In 2004, the International Institute for Human Rights awarded her its highest
prize for “single-handedly weaving together the various factions of the Slytherin ethnic
movement in Winterfell into a peaceful force of change.” Ms. Riddle’s book, “Slytherin
Autonomy: Intertwined Paths of Ethnicity and Law”, was nominated for various awards in 2010.
However, certain international organizations have suggested that in the years 2007–2018
Veronica Riddle deliberately turned a blind eye to the more violent sub-groups of SPAS. They
claim that SAS would have withered away and died without her active involvement.
9. Contending that little progress was being made in achieving SPAS’s goals through the
political process in Winterfell, the SAS wing of SPAS, in January 2018 began the organization
of protests and workers’ strikes all across the Hogsmeade Plateau. Media houses reported some
instances of local disruptions and several deaths from strike-related violence. These disruptions
negatively affected the nation’s economy as it interfered with the operation of coal mines.

10. The 62nd Battalion, nicknamed “the Wolves” has been stationed by the Winterfellian
government in the Hogsmeade Plateau for over a decade. The Wolves were given orders to
make their presence far more visible from 1 February 2018 in order to curb possible violence and
insurgency. However, the government maintained that the purpose for such military presence
was to protect its citizens, both Gryffindors and Slytherins.

11. Since 2006, the 62nd Battalion has been commanded by Colonel Dyoza, a Gryffindor by
ethnicity, who graduated in 1996 from the Winterfellian Military Academy at North Hamptons.
Colonel Dyoza also has a law degree from the Winterfellian Indraprastha University School of
Law. He remains an active member of several non-governmental international law associations
and openly acknowledges membership in various Gryffindor nationalist organizations, some of
which have been accused of instigating violence against Slytherins in Winterfell. Those
accusations are denied by the groups themselves.

12. As per press reports, between February 2018 and January 2019, there were seven
instances of disruption in the Hogsmeade Plateau in which members of the 62nd used weapons.
Depending on various accounts by individuals and independent organizations, total casualties
ranged between 200 and 400 Slytherins killed, and between 700 and 1,150 injured. The
Winterfellian Government blames members of the SAS for most of the violence, but denies
providing any proof to establish their allegations by citing national security reasons. By all
accounts, however, efforts to maintain harmony between the ethnic groups in the Hogsmeade
Plateau were not achieving measurable success.

13. On 6 March 2019, Veronica Riddle issued the following public statement, which was
reproduced verbatim in every major Winterfellian daily the next day:
“To my Fellow Slytherins, and to all those who love freedom:-
 The Slytherin Protection and Advancement Society welcomes with open arms
those who are lovers of peace and to this day, are struggling for change. They
must be overcome. I call upon all who embrace self-determination and human
rights to dedicate themselves in this new year of 2008. We must achieve the
goal of liberty and freedom for all, no matter the cost. We can not rest until all
men, and women live in a society in which they enjoy the fruits of freedom
surrounded by those who have shared their struggle.
The members of SPAS proudly espouse this world-wide movement, and we
shall attain the rights that we, and all people, deserve.”

14. Immediately following the Riddle Statement, an unsigned “manifesto” reliably reported
to have been issued by SAS was published in English. It read as follows:
“The SAS celebrates our beloved Leader, Veronica Riddle, for her courage.
She has endorsed SAS’s efforts to confront oppression meted out to Slytherins
by the Winterfellian government, which also stands in the way of Slytherin
aspirations for freedom and self-determination. Over the coming weeks, SAS
will translate our Leader’s words into action by taking drastic measures to
demonstrate the lengths to which oppressed people can go when their thirst for
freedom cannot be quenched. We will try to avoid bloodshed. We will respect
all who deserve respect. We will not shrink from the challenge of confronting
the oppressors! Down with Gryffindor domination of the Hogsmeade Plateau!
Long Live Freedom! Long Live Free Slytherin!”
SAS’s leadership confirmed the authenticity of the “manifesto”.

15. On 12 March 2019, at about 00:00 a.m., the principal Gryffindor Church of the
Hogsmeade Plateau was set on fire. No loss of life or injuries were reported. The next day,
leaflets were found throughout the area declaring that: “The first operation to make the words of
Veronica Riddle a reality has taken due course. We will not rest until Slytherins in the
Hogsmeade Plateau are free from oppression and are independent!” The leaflets bore SAS’s
logo, and the radical sub-group was quick to take responsibility for the arson. Similar attacks
were committed on Gryffindor cultural and religious sites in the Hogsmeade Plateau on 20
March and 7 April. In both cases, SAS leadership took credit for such attacks. On 22 April,
there was a fire of unknown origin in the Gryffindor Cultural House in Deli. Later that day, an
unopened container of SAS leaflets was received in a local community centre, making reference
to an unspecified attempt to “carry forward the Slytherin cause for freedom to fruition”. SAS,
however, has not acknowledged responsibility for the 22 April fire. These incidents did not
result in any loss of life, but property destruction in the Plateau region was substantial. Between
1 March and 29 April, Veronica Riddle offered no comment in response to repeated media
inquiries concerning her position on the violent acts attributed to SAS.

16. For centuries, the holiest site of the Gryffindor religion has been the Shrine of the Lord of
Light, which is believed to be the repository of the Holy Icons of the Dragon. The Shrine is
located in the village of Dragonstone in a remote area of Winterfell, approximately 50 kilometers
as the crow flies from the nearest location in the Hogsmeade Plateau. The Shrine is overseen by
a Committee of Elders, which is responsible for its upkeep and security. Since the beginning of
March 2008, a squadron of the 62nd Battalion has been stationed nearby, although out of respect
its members neither carry weapons nor wear uniforms within the premises of the Holy Shrine.
During the late afternoon of 27 April 2019, a message was delivered to the Chairman of the
Committee of Elders:
“The Committee of Elders:
The Slytherins of SAS present our deepest respects. Unfortunately, the regime
in Winterfell leaves us no alternative and so, tonight, we plan to demonstrate
yet again the resolve of our people to live free of oppression. We implore you
to ensure that no one is in or near the Shrine of the Lord of Light this evening,
starting at 1900 hours so as to best avoid any loss of human life. If anyone is
present after the given time, his or her blood will be on your hands. You have
been warned. Long live independent Slytherin!”

17. Written in the Slytherin language, the message was not read and understood until 6:00
p.m. on 27 April 2019. The Chairman of the Committee along with the rest of the Elders,
immediately sent an urgent message to both the Ministry of Justice in Deli and the central
command of the 62nd Battalion, seeking advice on what to do. When no response was received
by 7:00 p.m., 7 members of the Committee, including the Chairman, dressed themselves in white
robes and surrounded the Holy Icons, chanting sacred texts proclaiming their Gryffindor faith.
Around 7:30 p.m., the smell of smoke and gasoline coming from inside the Shrine was reported.
Within thirty minutes, an enormous fire consumed the central and east wings of the Shrine. By
the time help arrived, the Shrine was completely destroyed and all 7 members of the Committee
were killed, as were 20 security personnel and gatekeepers, when the central building collapsed
on them. Ten members of the Shrine’s staff survived, including one who had photographed the
beginning of the fire and its aftermath. One of the photographs showed men dressed in
camouflage, who appeared to be carrying large and heavy containers.

18. Social media platforms such as Twitler and FaceGram were flooded with posts from
users all over the world, condemning the attack. On 28 April 2019, in the wake of such a ghastly
attack, Winterfellian President Lucius Malfoy declared seven days of national mourning. He
received messages of condolence from the heads of state of 134 members of the United Nations
over the next several days, as well as from the U.N. Secretary-General.

19. On 29 April 2019, Veronica Riddle issued the following statement from what could only
be understood as a remote location in Hogwarts:
“SPAS extends its sincere condolences to the families of the 20 staff members
who lost their lives in the course of our struggle for peace. We consider them
martyrs of the Slytherin cause even though they were Gryffindors by birth.
However, this loss of life was absolutely avoidable. They chose not to pay any
heed to our warning. We, as a Society for the liberation of Slytherins,
condemn the loss of civilian lives and the use of civilians as human shields.
Our struggle is not over! We shall free all our Slytherin brothers and sisters
from the Winterfellian yoke. Long live Free Slytherin!”

20. On the very next day, the Foreign Minister of Winterfell inquired from the Hogwartian
Ambassador as to whether the apparent presence of Ms. Riddle on Hogwartian soil should be
interpreted as official Hogwartian support for the “terrorist attacks” in Winterfell. In immediate
response, a formal diplomatic communication was delivered by the Ambassador to the Minister,
which read as:
“Nobody—not terrorists themselves, and not our friends in Winterfell—should
ever question the Hogwartian stance of playing our part in the worldwide
struggle against terrorism. Again, we condemn the attacks that resulted in the
death of civilians in Winterfell.”

21. On 5 May 2019, President Lucius Malfoy announced in a televised address “to do
whatever we must do to bring Veronica Riddle and her terrorist organization to justice.” First,
he declared a national emergency by invoking provisions of the State Protection Act of 1978
(“the 1978 Act”), and nationalized the military reserves. Second, he issued Presidential
Notification 2410, authorizing the military to prosecute those responsible for the attacks in the
Hogsmeade Plateau and the Shrine. Third, he announced that the 62nd Battalion and its
commander Colonel Dyoza, would be empowered to take any measure it deemed necessary to
detain the perpetrators, as long as such acts were consistent with international and Winterfellian
law.

22. The 1978 Act also established rules to be followed by the military during times of
emergency. These rules allow for witnesses to testify anonymously. Accused persons cannot
challenge the admissibility of evidence on the ground that it was derived from coercive means.
Defendants were not allowed to retain counsel of their own choice and were assigned special
military lawyers. Two international organisations Marvel International and DC Human Rights in
a series of reports concluded that trials before the military under the 1978 Act does not meet
international standards of due process of law. Winterfellian governments have consistently
rejected these conclusions.

23. Colonel Dyoza immediately ordered a massive search hunt for Ms. Riddle and other
members of the SAS. They found no one of significant interest. Instead, they received several
unconfirmed reports from local people that “she and everyone is far away, in Hogwarts.”
24. On 13 May 2019, the United Nations Security Council adopted Resolution 2828, which
condemned the attacks in Winterfell, and called on Hogwarts to cooperate in the apprehension, in
case any perpetrator is present in its territory.

25. On 25 May 2019, Colonel Dyoza issued the Proclamation [Appendix I] which was
posted throughout the Hogsmeade Plateau. Asked at a press conference whether the
proclamation reflected the official policy of the government, President Lucius Malfoy responded,
“If any government official in our military acts outside his or her lawful authority, the matter
will be addressed surely and promptly.”

26. For years, Winterfell has maintained a police and military training facility in the State of
Comicstaan, a country 900 kilometers east of Winterfell, whose topography and favourable
climate condition offer great opportunities for teaching of survival and defense skills. The
facility, Camp Noddy, is governed by a bilateral agreement between the two nations.

27. On 5 June 2019, Colonel Dyoza announced at a press conference that his troops had
successfully apprehended Veronica Riddle. She was held captive in a secret location where she
confessed as an instigator and facilitator of the terrorist attacks in Winterfell, including bombing
of the Shrine of the Lord of Light. In response to questions about Ms. Riddle’s detention,
Colonel Dyoza stated:
“Matters concerning military tactics and strategy will not be answered, but I
will say that Ms. Riddle was found by my troops in a village 40 kilometers,
inside Hogwarts, several weeks ago. We also apprehended about a dozen of
Riddle’s close henchmen within SPAS. We transported them to another country,
where we closely interrogated them. They were treated in a manner consistent
with international law. The reign of terror is finally over!”

28. On 6 June 2019, the Prime Minister of Hogwarts held a press conference and
declared:
By unlawfully crossing the border and abducting civilians in the absence of
any legal process is a violation of Hogwarts’ sovereignty. Winterfell must
immediately disclose the location of the detainees. Winterfell must also allow
 access to the Hogwartian officials and delegates from the International Red
Cross Society to ensure that the detainees have not been mistreated. We also
insist on the expedient return of Ms. Veronica Riddle and other detainees.

29. On 13 June 2019, a disheveled person identifying himself as Joey Tribbiani, and claiming
to be a member of SPAS and an Hogwartian citizen, appeared at a Comicstaani police station
near Camp Noddy. Tribbiani reported that he escaped the Camp, where he was held captive for
three weeks that he described as ‘levels beyond hell’. He stated that there were at least 30
prisoners at Camp Noddy, of whom 16 were SPAS members, including Ms. Riddle. Tribbiani
also reported that some of the detained SPAS members were Winterfellian citizens from the
Hogsmeade Plateau, Hogwartian citizens, and a few were nationals of other countries. Tribbiani
claimed that he, Riddle and other fourteen SPAS detainees were provided inadequate water and
food, were partially clothed and had been stripped, were subject to hanging by the wrists from
chains and were exposed to loud discordant music and continuous bright light. A few hours later,
Comicstaani doctors confirmed that Tribbiani had bruises around his wrists and was
malnourished, but had no injuries which were likely to be permanent. Comicstaan subsequently
returned Tribbiani to Hogwarts.

30. On 15 June 2019, four armed Comicstaani policemen reached the gates of Camp Noddy
and demanded to be allowed access. After several hours of negotiations, they were permitted
entry to the Camp. They reported cries coming from a storehouse. They forced their way into the
storehouse, where they found some 25 individuals, most of them appearing to be confused and
disoriented. None of them spoke Comicstaani and the Comicstaani officers had no interpreters. A
full squadron of officers, with an interpreter, returned to the Camp on the same day at
approximately 6:00 p.m., however they saw no sign of the persons whom the policemen had seen
in the morning.

31. On 16 June 2019, the government of Comicstaan summoned the Winterfellian

Ambassador and demanded immediate closure of Camp Noddy. Winterfell did not protest, and
negotiations regarding closure are ongoing. Following the widespread coverage of the story of
Joey Tribbiani on several social platforms and press reports, on 17 June 2019, the government of
Hogwarts sent a diplomatic note to Winterfell, formally protesting the mistreatment of its
citizens and violation of its sovereignty, and demanding their immediate repatriation. When
Winterfell declined to provide a response, the Hogwartian government recalled its Ambassador
from Winterfell and declared the Winterfellian Ambassador persona non grata.

32. On 1st July 2019, the 62nd Battalion transferred Ms. Riddle and fourteen detainees to the
custody of the Winterfellian military. Ms. Riddle was charged with arson, conspiracy and
eighteen counts of murder in relation to the destruction of the Shrine. She was appointed a
military attorney and was also apprised of her rights. Various charges were also leveled against
the others. Ms. Riddle’s trial before the military is scheduled to begin in August 2019. The trial
of the others is set for later.

33. President Malfoy appeared before a special session of Parliament on 4 July 2019 and
made three announcements. First, he announced that the Government of Winterfell would go
forward with its proposed trials of Ms. Riddle and the others, and that the trials would take place
before the military. Second, he announced that Veronica Riddle had confessed to the attacks as
well as the arson that destroyed the Shrine of the Lord of Light. Finally, the President
announced:
The tremendous work by Colonel Dyoza and his troops has benefitted all of the
people of Winterfell. They have learned from Riddle about the amassing of
flammable materials for a planned arson attack on the National Theater in
Deli on August 15. We have now neutralized the material, and all the
perpetrators of this cowardly act are in custody. In recognition of this
accomplishment, I am proud to promote Colonel Dyoza to the rank of a
General, effective immediately.

General Dyoza retired from military a week later. He was subsequently appointed as a professor
in ‘Laws of War’ at the Winterfellian Indraprastha University School of Law and became a
member of Winterfellian Foreign Ministry’s Advisory Counsel.

34. On the night of 21 July 2019, President Malfoy was rushed to the Deli City Clinic, where
he underwent a by-pass heart surgery. Two weeks later, unable to return to his previous work
schedule and due to increasing political pressure, President Malfoy announced his resignation.
Vice President Dobby was immediately sworn in as the new president.

35. On 5 August 2019, Hogwartian national police raided a Gryffindor restaurant in Braavos,
the city with the largest Gryffindorian population in Hogwarts. There they discovered Dyoza and
he was taken into custody. Dyoza was charged with offences under the Hogwartian statutes that
implemented the Torture Convention, in relation to the treatment of Ms. Riddle and other SPAS
members. The Hogwartian Attorney General announced that the indictment also named former
President Malfoy, as a co-conspirator; that he has filed a request with INTERPOL for an
international warrant for the former President.

36. The government of Winterfell protested in a diplomatic note to Hogwarts that Hogwarts
had no legitimate basis under the Torture Convention or any other convention to exercise
criminal jurisdiction over former President Malfoy or General Dyoza. The government of
Winterfell demanded immediate release of General Dyoza and that the arrest warrant of former
President be quashed immediately as it violated the doctrine of head of state immunity.

37. On 9 August 2019, the Foreign Minister of Hogwarts responded:

Both Malfoy and Dyoza are responsible for criminal acts committed on
Hogwartian soil. The violation of our sovereignty and gross mistreatment of
our nationals without any process of law offends all Hogwartians to their core.
Ms. Riddle along with other detainees must be repatriated immediately. We
will conduct our own investigation, and, if the situation warrants, we shall
prosecute them, not in some kangaroo court, but in due process with the law.

38. Both Hogwarts and Winterfell suspended trade relations. The newly-elected Secretary
General of the United Nations Security Council issued a statement, dated 15 August 2019,
reminding the two nations of the goodwill enjoyed by both among the members of the Council
and of their common heritage. He urged them to resolve the situation amicably by submitting
their dispute to the International Court of Justice for adjudication. On 25 August 2019, Winterfell
and Hogwarts agreed to do so, and submitted this Compromis to the Court as a stipulation of
issues and facts to be adjudicated by the Court. The countries agreed that Hogwarts would appear
before the Court as Applicant and Winterfell as Respondent, and that both would act in
accordance with the findings and conclusions of the Court.

39. Both Hogwarts and Winterfell have been members of the United Nations and are parties
to the Statute of the International Court of Justice, though neither has accepted the Court’s
compulsory jurisdiction). Both States have also signed and ratified the four Geneva Conventions
of 1949 and their two Additional Protocols of 1977, the 1985 Convention Against Torture and
Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or punishment, the 1966 International Covenant
on Civil and Political Rights and the 1969 Vienna Convention on the Law of Treaties. There
exists no bilateral extradition treaty between Comicstaan and either Hogwarts or Winterfell.
There is no bilateral extradition treaty between Hogwarts and Winterfell.

40. Applicant, Hogwarts made the following prayer:

(a) The capture of Ms. Veronica Riddle and other Hogwartian nationals was a violation of
Hogwart’s sovereignty;
(b) The treatment and detention of Ms. Veronica Riddle and other Hogwartian nationals violated
international law;
(c) Winterfell’s prosecution before the military, including Ms. Veronica Riddle’s prosecution for
murder, conspiracy and arson, violates international law; and
(d) Hogwart’s exercise of jurisdiction over Colonel Dyoza and Lucius Malfoy for prosecution in
relation to crimes committed against Ms. Riddle and other Hogwartian citizens is consistent with
international law.

41. Respondent, Winterfell made the following prayer:

(a) Winterfell’s act of capturing Ms. Veronica Riddle and other Hogwartian nationals is
consistent with international law;
(b) Ms. Veronica Riddle and other SPAS members were at all times treated in a manner
consistent with international law;
(c) In any event, Winterfell may prosecute Ms. Riddle and other SPAS members before its
military; and
(d) Hogwart’s exercise of jurisdiction over President Malfoy and Colonel Dyoza violates
international law.
Appendix I

Proclamation of Colonel Dyoza

Commanding Officer, 62nd Battalion
Army of the Republic of Winterfell

Date: 25 May 2019

Pursuant to the authority conferred upon me by the President, the Commander-in-Chief of the
Army, I hereby inform all persons, civilians and military alike:

1. Winterfell is in a state of armed conflict with the Slytherin Protection and Advancement
Society and its supporters. Veronica Riddle and other operatives of SPAS are enemy combatants
unprotected by the provisions of the Geneva Conventions.

2. I have been ordered to oversee the acts committed by such unlawful combatants and
anyone carrying out acts of violence against the State will be punished and brought to justice.

3. No one under my command shall commit torture under international law.

4. The Wolves, are authorized to engage in the following practices against the detainees:
deprivation of good, water, clothing and sleep; subjection to extremes of cold and heat; and
intense interrogation techniques which may involve infliction of non-lethal pain. These measures
are not prohibited by Winterfellian law or any other agreement binding Winterfell.

5. When there exists a probable cause that a detainee has participated or committed, or is
plans to participate or commit in, act of terrorism against the Republic of Winterfell, that person
will be transferred to the military for the purpose of judicial proceedings including trial,
detention and punishment.