Resistance News Network (RNN) - Calast VII, Calast -- At a much anticipated press conference yesterday, Ingo Kahn revealed the findings of the Kahn Commission Report. The long-awaited independent report was commissioned in the aftermath of the War for the Republic in order to document and investigate widespread accounts of crime against person and property during what many have called a brutal Imperial occupation of former Republic worlds. Kahn, a renowned expert in humanitarian law, detailed numerous obstacles to the investigation; aside from the sheer quantity of alleged offenses in need of investigation, enforced censorship, kidnap, and intimidation by Imperial forces during this period made gathering evidence a difficult task. Despite this, a swathe of eyewitness reports, as well as holovideos and forensic evidence was gathered by the commission.



In total, over ten thousand alleged crimes were referred to the commission for investigation, with a mere 52% of these being proven beyond reasonable doubt. The confirmed crimes detailed within the twelve-thousand page report ranged widely in nature from petty vandalism and looting, to kidnap, indentured servitude, and no less than three instances of mass execution. Hundreds of perpetrators are named within the report, including several high ranking Imperials said to be complicit.

Disdain for so-called “lesser forms” of sentient life has long been a hallmark of Imperial policy. However, this report offers a rare insight into the mindset of the rank-and-file. Analysts point to the scale of petty crime within the ranks of the Imperial Army as a sign of deteriorating discipline and morale, likely a symptom of a diminishing sense of agency amongst staff officers. This, coupled with a wave of significant defections, has recently forced Imperial High Command to adjust it's species policy in an attempt to boost dwindling recruitment figures - numbers which, analysts say, are waning for good reason:

"The truth of the matter is that for many Imperial soldiers, the fog is lifting." Dr Kiratta Zih of the Arkanis Institute of War began "Imperial soldiers are often split into two camps. Fanatics, and those who have been indoctrinated into their frankly twisted way of thinking through no fault of their own. For the latter, seeing such horrendous crimes committed before them can be a significant eye-opening experience."



Few better represent this shifting mindset than Patrick Mueirech, recently defected former commanding officer of the Imperial Army’s 2nd Legion “The official position of the Galactic Empire is that their interests are Peace, Order, and Stability.” he began “But make no mistake. This is a smokescreen for what they preach as Pillars of their New Order. Pillars that are founded in war crimes, racial hatred, and the buried innocent lives of men, women, and children - including their own citizens. Peace through Oppression, Order through Slavery, and Stability through Injustice. This is what their so-called Empire is built on.”

Despite the harrowing accounts of many civilians, life in these Sectors has largely gone back to normal - in no small part thanks to the tireless efforts of The Resistance. However, a full recovery might be generations in coming. Psychologists claim that the extent of the trauma these systems have endured will continue to afflict the survivors for years to come, even with additional therapists and therapy droids brought in. “Homes and businesses can be rebuilt.” remarked a local psychologist, “but the biggest thing that was taken from these people is a sense of safety. No matter how many turbolaser batteries or shield generators are built, these populations will likely not feel secure or at home for a long time. That sort of wound can scar a community for years. What these people really need is a sense of closure and justice, but who knows what that looks like?”

Although Resistance officials concede that the extradition of these war criminals is unlikely, they assure RNN that they remain staunchly committed to the safety and security of oppressed populations everywhere.