The Prime Directive:

"As the right of each sentient species to live in accordance with its
normal cultural evolution is considered sacred, no Starfleet personnel may
interfere with the healthy developement of alien life and culture. Such
interference includes the introduction of superior knowledge, strength, or
technology to a world who's society is incapable of handling or
understanding such advances wisely. Starfleet personnel may not violate
this directive even to save the lives and or their ship, unless they are
acting to right an earlier violation or an accidental contamination of that
culture. This Directive takes precedance over any and all considerations
and carries with it the highest moral obligations..."

Also known as "Starfleet General Order One".  Adopted reletivily early in
Starfleet history, the Prime Directive was a key part of Starfleet and
Federation Policy toward newly discovered civilizations, but it was also
one of the most difficult to administer and has been to this day.  Officers
must take into account various variables such as code and ethics, morals
and general principals which can often effect decisions which encompass the
Prime Directive.  Though the Prime Dirctive has been broken numerous times
due to variables which can't be accounted for....ALL Starfleet officers are
required to hold General Order One as one of the "Guiding Principals" to
which Starfleet and the United Federation of Planets is based on and MUST
adhere to the rules governing its directive.
 
 
General Order 2:

No Starfleet personnel shall unnecessarily use force, either collectively
or individually, against members of the United Federation of Planets, their
duly authorized representatives, spokespersons, or designated leaders, or
members of any sentient non-member race, for any reason whatsoever

General Order 3:

The sovereignty of each Federation member being respected in all things,
Starfleet personnel shall observe any and all statutes, laws, ordinances,
and rules of governance currently in effect within the jurisdiction of a
member planet. Violators of such ordinances will be subject to such
punishments or corrections as shall be determined by local governmental
bodies.

General Order 4:

If contact is made with hitherto undiscovered intelligent life-forms, under
no circumstance shall Starfleet personnel, either by word or deed, inform
said life-forms that worlds other than their own or intelligent life-forms
other than their own exist outside the confines of their own space.

General Order 5:

In cases of extreme emergency, Federation special representatives are
empowered to assume emergency powers to deal with a condition or
circumstance that is deemed hazardous to the welfare of Federation
citizenry. Within the scope of these emergency powers, duly authorized
civilian personnel may assume temporary command of Starfleet vessels and/or
personnel to deal with the emergency. Starfleet personnel must submit to
their authority for the duration of the crisis.

General Order 6:

The request for emergency assistance from Federation citizenry demands
unconditional priority from Starfleet personnel. Such personnel shall
immediately respond to said request, postponing all other activities.

General Order 7:

No Starfleet vessel shall visit the planet Talos IV under any
circumstances, emergency or otherwise. This order supersedes General Order
6. Any transgression of this general order shall be punishable by death.

General Order 8:

Upon sighting a warship within Federation space and identifying it as
belonging to a foreign power, the commander of the Starfleet vessel shall
determine the reason(s) for that craft's presence in the vicinity. If there
is conclusive evidence that the vessel has hostile intentions, the
Federation vessel may take appropriate action to safeguard the lives and
property of Federation members. In such cases, the commander may use his
discretion in deciding whether to use force to disable the hostile vessel.
However, care should be taken to avoid unnecessary loss of sentient life.

General Order 9:

No commander of a Starfleet vessel, military or auxiliary, may grant
political asylum to any individual without first being given express
permission to do so by a representative of the Federation government.

General Order 10:

If there exists eyewitness testimony by senior officers or similar
verifiable evidence that an individual has violated the Prime Directive,
said individual may be relieved of duty by a duly sworn representative of
the Federation government and placed under immediate arrest. The
governmental representative shall then take such action as he deems
necessary to minimize the results of the violation.

General Order 11:

Starfleet officers with the rank of captain or higher are granted full
authority to negotiate conditions of agreement and/or treaties with legal
representatives of non-Federation planets. In such circumstances, the
acting officer carries de facto powers of a Federation Special Ambassador.
Any and all agreements arranged in this manner are subject to approval by
the Chief of Starfleet Operations and the Secretary of Starfleet.

General Order 12:

Federation officers may violate Neutral Zone areas as designated by treaty
only if such action is required to save the lives of Federation citizens
under conditions of extreme emergency.

General Order 13:

Except when orders state to the contrary, Starfleet personnel will respect
the territorial integrity of independent planetary systems and governments,
and will not violate territorial space belonging to such worlds.

General Order 14:

Starfleet personnel may intervene in local planetary affairs to restore
general order and to secure the lives and property of Federation citizens
only upon receiving a direct order to do so from a civilian official with
the title of governor or higher.

General Order 15:

No officer of flag rank shall travel into a potentially hazardous area
without suitable armed escort.

General Order 16:

Starfleet personnel may extend technological, medical, or other scientific
assistance to a member of a previously unrecognized sentient species only
if such assistance in no way compromises the Prime Directive or the
security of the Federation or Starfleet.

General Order 17:

Starfleet vessel captains are to consider the lives of their crew members
as sacred. In any potentially hostile situation, the captain will place the
lives of his crew above the fate of his ship.

General Order 18:

Upon being accused of treason against the Federation, Starfleet personnel
may demand a trail conducted by the Federation judiciary. If the individual
is acquitted, Starfleet Command shall have no further legal recourse
against the accused in said matter.

General Order 19:

Except in times of declared emergency, Starfleet personnel may under no
circumstances convey personnel or material between planets or planetary
systems when there is reason to believe that said personnel or material may
be used to conduct aggression. This order applies to independent worlds
within the Federation as well as to Federation members.

General Order 20:

Officers and personnel of Starfleet Command may employ whatever means
necessary to prevent the possession, transportation, sale, or commercial
exchange of sentient beings held against their wishes within the boundaries
of Federation space.

General Order 21:

No Starfleet personnel, either officer or enlisted, may offer his services
to an independent foreign government without the express authorization of
the Federation Assembly.

General Order 22:

As the rights of individual expression and free discourse are considered
sacred, Starfleet personnel may debate the policies and decisions of their
governmental representatives privately at any time, to the extent that such
discussions do not violate their command oath or specific duties to the
Federation per these General Orders or Starfleet regulations.

General Order 23:

When verifiable proof is presented to the senior commanding officer of a
Starfleet vessel or post that a Federation representative may currently be
acting or have acted in the past to violate the Prime Directive, the
officer may relieve said representative of office, then assume the full
powers of that office pending a full investigation by governmental
officials.

General Order 24:

If a commanding officer deems that an individual or group of individuals
pose a threat to Starfleet personnel or Federation civilians, he may take
any action deemed necessary (including force) to secure the safety of those
threatened.

General Order 25:

Civilian and military personnel taken into custody by Starfleet personnel
during times of extreme emergency shall be accorded proper treatment
consistent with their rank or station, insofar as such treatment does not
compromise the security of the Federation or Starfleet.