Sober Thought Charter

Civil and human rights and responsibilities in Sober Thought are entrenched in the constitution. The Charter of Civil and Human Rights and Responsibilities, known as "the Charter" for short, distinguishes those rights which apply to all human beings from those which apply to citizens in good standing. Also, unusual for most bills of rights, it also imposes corresponding obligations on the people it protects.

I. Application
1. Every civil and human right recognized by the government is balanced by a reciprocal responsibility on the part of persons to one another.

2. Every civil and human right is subject only to such limits as are demonstrably justifiable in a democratic society.

3. The Community Conscience, the House of the Federation and the House of the Provinces shall concurrently decide which limits are demonstrably justifiable in a democratic society.

4. Every resident has the rights and responsibilities outlined in the section on human rights.

5. Every citizen has the rights and responsibilities outlined in both the sections on human and civil rights.

6. The provision of minimum rights below does not preclude the extension of other protections that do not have the status of rights.

II. Human Rights
1. Every person has the right to life and to choose medical treatment.

2. Every person has the right to be arrested and detained only for legal reasons promptly provided.

3. Every person so arrested has the right to aid of legal counsel.

4. Every person charged and convicted of a crime may not again be charged and convicted of the same crime. This does not preclude a civil suit.

5. Every person has the right to freedom of thought, belief and religion and to express these rights in private settings.

6. Every person has the right to receive government or publicly available services without regard to race, national origin, ethnic origin, religion, sex, age, sexuality, disability or handicap.

III. Civil Rights
1. Every citizen has the right to choose democratic representatives and serve as one.

2. Every citizen has the right of peaceful assembly for political or social purposes.

3. Every citizen has the right of peaceful association with other persons.

4. Every citizen has the right of public expression of peaceful thought, conscience, belief and religion.

5. Every citizen has the right to movement within and outside the country.

6. Every naturalized citizen has the right and responsibility to see these rights and responsibilities preserved.