Safe conduct

For the 2002 French film, see Safe Conduct (film).

Safe conduct is the situation in time of international conflict or war where one state, a party to such conflict, issues to a person, usually an enemy state's subject, a pass or document to allow the enemy alien to traverse its territory without harassment, bodily harm, or fear of death. Safe conduct is only granted in exceptional circumstances. Safe conduct may be given to an enemy to allow retreat under surrender terms or for a meeting to negotiate, or to a stateless person, or to somebody who for some reason would normally not be able to pass.

The term safe-conduct is also used to mean the document authorizing this security.[1]

An example of safe conduct is Lenin's "sealed train": a citizen of a country at war with Germany, Russia, Lenin was permitted to travel from his exile in Switzerland through Germany, without stopping, to return to Russia. It was in Germany's interest to allow this as it was hoped that he would destabilise Russia. Another example would be the Chieu Hoi program during the Vietnam War.