Constitution of Kahanistan

The people of the Nation of Kahanistan, to protect the rights of its people and the rights of the world's citizens, do establish this Constitution of the Nation of Kahanistan this 11th day of March, 2071 (Gregorian calendar), the 10th day of Safar, 1494 (Arab calendar), and the 10th day of Adar II, 5831 (Hebrew calendar).

Article 1

The Government of Kahanistan 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 of Kahanistan shall be Socialism. While private businesses shall be allowed to function, the Government of Kahanistan 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 of Kahanistan shall make no laws restricting the freedom of citizens to leave the country. Furthermore, the Government shall not restrict immigration into the Nation of Kahanistan.

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 of Kahanistan 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 of Kahanistan 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 of Kahanistan shall consist of at most one 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 of Kahanistan shall consist of the Republic Guard, for defensive land and all aerial engagements, the Imperial Marines, chiefly for offensive operation but which may be used for defense if deemed necessary by a commanding officer, and the Navy, for seaborne operations. Amended 2147 - Airships are to be placed under the command of the Navy, non-sea roles notwithstanding. Airship fleets, however, may be commanded by a Republic Guard General.

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 severly damaged so as to avoid discrimination in favor of a particular religion.

Article 15

Foreign visitors to Kahanistan enjoy the same rights as citizens, except obviously the right to vote.

Article 16

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