Constitution of Kahanistan

The Constitution of Kahanistan is the document on which the laws of the Democratic Soviet Republic of Kahanistan are based.

Text of the Constitution

The people of this nation, to protect the rights of its people and the rights of the world's citizens, do establish this Constitution of this great Nation.

Article 1

The Government shall be by a Senate composed of representatives from each local sub-district and rural district, whose acts shall be made law with a 60% vote and presidential approval, or a 75% vote, the presidential decision notwithstanding.

Article 2

Human rights being essential to a functioning democracy, the freedoms of speech, assembly, religion, association, including sexual association, and the right to own weapons, are sacrosanct from legislative abridgement.

Article 3

All races and sexes are entitled to equal treatment before the law. Businesses and government shall not discriminate in hiring, treatment, service, or any other way, against individuals based on race, ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation, gender, national origin, age over the age of thirty, or ancestry.

Article 4

Poverty being detrimental to a developed nation, and excessive wealth being a sign of greed, the economic system of the nation shall be Socialism. While private businesses shall be allowed to function, the Government shall provide food, clothing, shelter, education, and medical care to all citizens, free of charge.

Article 5

Because the erosion of freedom and civil liberties weakens faith in a democracy and promotes dictatorships, the criminal court system shall only be used when exist reasonable grounds to suspect an individual of criminal activity, and no person shall be convicted without clear and convincing evidence of guilt, such guilt to be proven by the prosecution beyond a reasonable doubt.

Article 6

Travel to other nations being extremely educational to the average citizen, the Government shall make no laws restricting the freedom of citizens to leave the country. Furthermore, the Government shall not restrict immigration into the Nation.

Article 7

The death penalty and other cruel and barbarous methods of punishment, including but not limited to flogging, branding, amputation, castration, the rack and peine forte et dure, shall not be employed as punishments or methods of interrogation.

Article 8

Treason against the Government shall consist solely of defection to enemy forces during wartime.

Article 9

War shall exist whenever military units belonging to or allied with the Government of Kahanistan are attacked, or when hostile military forces attack civilian targets in Kahanistan or an allied nation, including when military forces enter a nation to protect its civilians from threats to their human rights and are attacked by military forces of the nation in question, or a nation threatens the Government of Kahanistan with military action while it is engaged in such activity.

Article 10

The Military shall consist of at most two percent of its population, excluding the inactive reserves which shall be unlimited, and the active reserves which are to be a maximum of fifteen percent of the population. The Military shall consist of the Republic Guard, for defensive land and all aerial engagements, the Marines, chiefly for offensive operation but which may be used for defense if deemed necessary by a commanding officer, and the Navy, for shipborne operations, including spaceship operations.

Article 11

No trial may be held in secret, except military trials of military personnel charged with divulging information classified Top Secret to enemy forces. Other military trials for serious offenses will be conducted by the Superior Military Tribunal.

Article 12

The right of citizens to alter their consciousnesses without harming others, including the right to use intoxicating substances such as beer, wine, distilled liquor, cannabis, cocaine, amphetamines, dissociative anesthetics, hallucinogens, and any other method of altering one's consciousness, shall not be abridged.

Article 13

The doctrine of strict liability, which criminalizes those who do not have the proper knowledge of what they are doing, is hereby stricken as a gross affront to human rights from criminal law, although it may still be applied in civil cases.

Article 14

The government shall not endorse religion or fund the construction of places of worship, save for rebuilding places of worship that are destroyed or damaged in war, terrorism, or natural disasters, and they shall be restored in the order of most severely damaged so as to avoid discrimination in favor of a particular religion.

Article 15

Foreign visitors enjoy the same rights as citizens, except obviously the right to vote and hold office.

Article 16

The Government shall not extradite to another nation any person who is believed to face a reasonable possibility of unfair trial, execution, or torture.

Article 17

The voting age in elections shall be fifteen, and all males and females at this age or higher may vote.

Article 18

The Constitution may be amended by a vote of 90% of the Senate. Standard presidential vetoes do not apply, but the President shall have a vote and voice in constitutional amendments.

Article 19

Treaties shall be ratified by the Senate after signing by the President or designated official. They shall pass by a 60% vote, and after ratification shall retain force until actually rejected by the Senate, or in the case of bilateral treaties, until the other party rejects the treaty. If not rejected they remain in force for the period designated in the treaty.

Article 20

The threat of repeated prosecutions until a guilty verdict is obtained by an unethical or malicious prosecutor being recognized by the government, the practice of double jeopardy is prohibited.

Article 21

Bills of attainder are prohibited from being issued by any agency of the government of the nation, or of a political district.