Constitution
Preamble
We, the people of the Republic of Soundland, in conscience of the need of a constitution, to further better our state and lives, and to advance democracy, justice, and equality for all, in recognition of the need for a set of laws to effectively dictate government, to help enforce our sovereignty and to act as a competent governing charter, in recognition of the absence of such a one currently fulfilling, do dedicate this constitution, to act the basic and supreme law for the Republic of Soundland, do so, this Second of May, 2023.
Division l: The Republic
Article 1 (Constitutional Jurisdiction)
Section 1
This constitution and its articles, rights, protections and duties applies over any territory, no matter the designation, title, or organizational type, under the sovereign jurisdiction of the Republic of Soundland.
Article 2 (The Republic of Soundland)
Section 1
All governmental power shall be vested in a centralized republic of unified territorial states and territories under the name of the Republic of Soundland.
Section 2
The motto of the Republic of Soundland shall be “Democracy, Liberty, Equality.”
Section 3
The powers of the Republic of Soundland shall be split into three branches of government, consisting of a legislative, executive, and judicial.
Section 4
To defend and serve Soundland, there shall exist the Soundland Armed Forces, split into branches of service.
Division II: The government and organization of the Republic
Article 3 (Amendments)
Section 1
This constitution may be amended if such a bill is passed by a two-thirds vote in the National Senate followed by its approval by simple majority in a national referendum.
Section 2
Records of all versions of this constitution and of all changes to it shall be made easily available to the general public.
Section 3
This constitution may only be nullified and replaced by a new document of supreme law by two thirds-vote in the National Senate followed by three-fifths approval in a national referendum as well as majority of all territorial representatives approval.
Article 4 (National Senate)
Section 1
Legislative power shall be vested in a National Senate, which shall be made up of four nationally elected senators. These senators shall represent the national population of Soundland.
Section 2
The total count of representatives in the National Senate shall be sufficient to effectively and beneficially represent the national population of the Republic of Soundland, and may be adjusted to fulfill this clause by future amendment.
Section 3
The senators of the National Senate shall be elected every year on the third Friday of May in a general election by a ranked voting procedure.
Section 3a
Only persons above the age of eleven years, who are residing within the watershed boundaries of the Salish sea or in a territorial state and have not been convicted of sedition or treason may be a senator in the National Senate.
Section 3b
Political parties that seek only to subvert or undermine democracy or the constitution, or to commit acts of sedition, or to otherwise undermine the basic and democratic constitutional order are banned.
Section 3b
The Supreme Court shall hold the exclusive power to enforce the above Article 5 Section 3b against any political party that, without doubt, exists for the cause of subverting the basic democratic and constitutional order of the republic and that poses a high threat to it.
Section 3c
The National Senate shall be the determiner of its elections, returns and qualifications of its own members.
Section 4
Senators shall not be coerced or forcefully made to vote against their will in a particular manner by any party.
Section 5
Before any senator takes office they must take this oath: I do solemnly swear and affirm that I will support, defend and serve, to the best of my ability, the constitution of the Republic of Soundland, that I will fulfill my duties and responsibilities to the people of the Soundland and to work to better their lives and conditions.
Section 6
At the first sitting after an election, or when necessary to fill a vacancy, the National Senate shall elect a speaker from its members to be the leader and presiding officer of the National Senate. The National Senate shall also appoint other officers of the National Senate as necessary.
Section 6a
Senators are immune from extended arrest or detention except with consent of the National Senate in addition to the natural process except to incite imminent violence.
Section 6a(1)
No member of the National Senate may be disciplined or tried outside of the National Senate for a remark or speech made inside it, except to incite imminent violence.
Section 6b
The Speaker of the National Senate may be removed from office without being impeached by a vote of no confidence of the National Senate. If the vote of no confidence passes by absolute majority, the Speaker shall be immediately removed from their position and a vote for the office of Speaker will commence within three days. If the vote of no confidence does not pass, there may not be another such vote within a time of three months.
Section 6b(1)
Any senator except the speaker may initiate a vote of no confidence.
Section 7
The National Senate shall have the power to impeach, and to try said impeachments, but no person may be found guilty without a vote of two-thirds of the National Senate.
Section 7a
When the president or vice president is tried, the High Justice of the Supreme Court shall preside over the trial.
Section 8
The National Senate shall meet at least once per month but the National Senate may decide to adjourn for up to two months if they deem fit and responsible.
Section 8a
The National Senate shall only convene when there is a majority of members attending and may compel its members to meet under threat of penalty.
Section 8b
The National Senate has the power to decide additional dates to meet by motion approved by simple majority, and committees may decide times and dates to meet likewise, and when needed, may communicate with each other and the National Senate to better plan their calendars.
Section 8b(1)
The President has the power to call a meeting of the National Senate on extraordinary occasions.
Section 8b(2)
The Speaker of the National Senate has the power to call a special meeting of the National Senate
Section 8c
The National Senate shall determine its rules and procedures, may punish senators for disorderly behavior, and, with the approval of three- fifths, may remove a senator.
Section 8d
The National Senate shall keep a record on the agenda, including the acts of the National Senate and all votes. This record shall be published from time to time to the public excepting that of classified or sensitive information.
Section 9
In the event of a vacancy of a seat in the National Senate, the executive shall issue a special election to fill the said vacant seat until the time of the next general election.
Section 10
Bills may be introduced on the floor of the National Senate by any senator. After a bill is introduced, the Speaker of the National Senate may either request it be forwarded to a Senate committee for review or otherwise send it directly to the floor for debate not later than one meeting of the National Senate accepting that of an extraordinary meeting. The National Senate may form a committee in order to review the said bill if necessary. After review and possible amendment, by the committee, the committee may submit the bill to the National Senate to be put on the calendar for debate.
Section 10a
The National Senate has the power to form both permanent and temporary committees.
Section 10b
If no request by the speaker has been made pursuant to section 10 paragraph 1, above, or if the review and mediation proceeding has been completed, the National Senate shall vote on the bill within a reasonable time.
Section 11
All bills and motions of the National Senate shall be passed by a simple majority vote unless otherwise stipulated by this constitution.
Section 12
By a motion passed by majority vote, the National Senate may form a committee of inquiry.
Section 12a
The gathering of evidence will be dictated by the rules of criminal procedure.
Section 13
Bills introduced to the floor to be voted on may be passed by a simple majority, except otherwise stated, or the budget, which may be passed by an absolute majority.
Every bill that has passed the National Senate shall be presented to the president to be approved. The president may sign it, thus passing it into law or veto it.
Section 13a
The Senate has the power to override vetoes with a two-thirds majority.
Section 13b
If the president neglects to sign or veto a bill within the next 15 days, or by the date of the next meeting of the National Senate, whichever is shorter, the bill is passed into law, same as if the president had signed it.
Section 13c
Any bill that is passed by the national Senate and signed by the president may go into effect on the date or length of time specified by the bill but not shall not go into effect sooner than ten days, excepting those with an emergency clause that may take effect immediately upon its signing by the president. If no length of time is specified, said act shall take effect 10 days after its enactment.
Section 14
The National Senate holds legislative power regarding:
1. foreign affairs, including the approval of treaties;
2. the advice and approvement of presidential appointments;
3. the delegation of powers to territorial authorities or territorial states;
4. providing for the general welfare and defense of the nation, including civil defense of the population, or the defense of the nation against external and internal threats such as invasion or insurrection;
5. to declare war, and to grant peace;
6. to fund and maintain armed forces of war, but no funds for that purpose shall be allocated for a term of more than two years;
7. to invoke a militia from the civil populace to serve as a reserve force and enforce national laws when necessary, suppress insurrections and repel invasions and to aid in disaster relief, as well as to designate an already exciting military force with said duties for a limited time;
8. Soundland citizenship and naturalization;
9. freedom of movement, passports, forms of national identification, residency, immigration, emigration, extradition, and deportation;
10. the law of association;
11. currency and coining money;
12. national standards like that of measurements and weights, including those relating to space and time;
13. the establishment of standardized state-provided communication services and the means and ways to do so;
14. to regulate commerce with foreign nations or other sovereign entities and among the territorial states;
15. the laying and collecting taxes, duties, customs and excises, as well as laws and treaties regarding the free movement of goods, or the lack thereof, including sanctions and embargoes, and areas relating, including trade blocks or agreements of special economical treatment;
16. business, corporation and charity law;
17. to define and punish offenses committed at sea, as well as violations of international law;
18. border security and protection;
19. the trading of goods and payments with other sovereign nations, including borrowing on the credit of the Republic of Soundland, and paying such and other debts owed by the republic;
20. regulating the flow of goods and commerce between the territorial states;
21. state liability;
22. laws regarding cultural artifacts and the importing and exporting of them, and the protection and safeguarding of Soundlandian cultural artifacts;
23. air and land transport and their services, and the infrastructure related to such;
24. postal and telecommunications services;
25. copyrights, patents and other industrial property rights;
26. terrorism, including domestic terrorism;
27. statistics for national purposes;
28. making rules for and regulating the armed forces;
29. the law relating to weapons or explosives;
30. benefits relating to those wounded in war and the dependents of deceased war victims;
31. the law relating to foreign nationals residence and establishment of said foreign nationals;
32. the law pertaining to economic matters;
33. labor law including corporate organization, occupational health and safety, minimum wage and overtime, unions, labor welfare, and employment agencies;
34. matters concerning refugees as well as expellees;
35. the protection of animals, endangered species, or other living things deemed prudent to defend against death;
36. the protection of nature, landscape management and hunting;
37.the law pertaining to climate change;
38. water, air and noise pollution and the control and abatement of such;
39. the utilization and manufacturing of energy and renewables, and the promotion of such;
40. management of water and other ecological resources;
41. regional planning;
42. land distribution;
43. waste disposal;
44. the regulation of education and promoting science including via government grants and loans;
45. laws regarding artificial intelligence;
46. the registration of births, deaths, marriage and other types of civil unions,
47. prevention of abuses of economic power;
48. healthcare;
49. maritime and coastal shipping and navigational aids, inland navigation and sea routes and domestic waterways;
50. meteorological services regarding to transportation and shipping;
51. land and motor transportation, the construction and maintenance of infrastructure needed for such, and the collection of tolls for said infrastructure;
52. transferring private assets, natural resources, and the means of production in to the public domain via means of nationalization, although only when at the same time determining and paying appropriate and reasonable compensation;
52. eminent domain;
53. weapons,
54. and any and all laws deemed necessary for the execution of powers granted to any governmental department, agency, commission or officer, or any power vested in an authority by this constitution.
Section 15
Funds shall not be drawn from the treasury except in accordance with appropriations passed by law.
Section 16
The National Senate shall not tax goods being transported from one territorial state or territory to another.
Section 17
Any law that adjusts the salary of senators shall not take effect until the convention of the next term of the National Senate
Section 18
Treason against the Republic of Soundland shall be defined solely as the act of waging war against the nation or providing aid and comfort to its enemies. No individual shall be found guilty of treason except upon the testimony of at least two witnesses to the same overt act or upon confession in an open court.
Section 19a
The National Senate may pass acts regarding the punishment of treason, provided that no person convicted shall suffer corruption of blood or forfeiture beyond their lifetime.
Article 5 (The Executive)
Section 1
Executive power shall be vested in a president of the Republic of Soundland, who shall be joined by a vice president. The president and vice president shall be elected every two years on the third Friday of June by a ranked choice voting procedure. The president and vice president-elect shall then assume their offices on the last Monday of July and at the same time the term of the predecessors shall expire.
Section 2
The president shall be the head of state and government of the republic.
Section 3
The president shall be advised by a cabinet, made up of the secretaries of the several executive departments and the vice president.
Section 4
The president shall have the duty, assisted by their cabinet, to execute and enforce the laws of the land and the acts passed by the National Senate.
Section 5
Only persons above the age of thirteen years, residing within the watershed boundaries of the Salish sea or in a territorial state, who have been a citizen for three months or more and have not been convicted of sedition or treason shall be eligible for the office of the president.
Section 5a
In the case of the office of the vice president, only persons above the age of twelve years, who have been a citizen for three months or more and are residing within the watershed boundaries of the Salish sea or in a territorial state and have not been convicted of sedition or treason shall be eligible for the office of the vice president.
Section 6
Before any president-elect or vice president-elect enters office they must recite the following oath: I do solemnly swear and affirm that I will faithfully serve Soundland and its people, to faithfully execute the powers of my office, to promote the ideals of democracy, liberty and equality, and that I will uphold, abide by and defend, to the best of my ability, the constitution of the Republic of Soundland.
Section 7
The president shall hold the role of commander and chief of the Soundland Armed Forces.
Section 8
The president shall have the power to sign treaties with the advice and approval of two-thirds of the National Senate that is present.
Section 9
The president shall have the power to appoint heads of offices or departments, other public ministers and consuls, ambassadors, justices of the Supreme Court and all other offices of the Republic of Soundland that are not provided for, but only with the advice and approval of the National Senate.
Section 10
In the case of the death or resignation of the president, or of their removal from office, the vice president shall become president.
Section 10a
If the president issues to the speaker of the National Senate a signed declaration that they are unable to fulfill their duties, the vice president shall become acting president and will assume the duties and powers of the office of president until the president issues a signed declaration that they are again able to fulfill their duties.
Section 10a(1)
In addition to the circumstances as proscribed in Section 8a, a majority of the secretaries of cabinet may also issue to the speaker of the National Senate a declaration that the president is unable to fulfill their duties, and at such time the vice president shall become the acting president and take on their duties until the president issues a declaration that they are able to fulfill their duties. If the cabinet continues to contest the ability of the president, the National Senate shall convene to determine the matter.
If the National Senate votes by ⅗ majority that president is unable to fulfill their duties, the vice president shall continue to be acting president.
Section 10b
In the case of absence in the office of the vice president, the president may nominate a vice president, who shall only take office upon the National Senate’s confirmation.
Section 10c
In the case of incapacitation due to death, resignation, removal from office, or otherwise the complete incapacitation of both the president and vice president, a line of succession shall exist:
Speaker of the National Senate, Secretary of State, Director of the State Intelligence Service, Secretary of the Treasury, Secretary of the Department of Health and Public Safety, after which, shall follow the Secretaries of new departments in order of the time in which they were established, unless provided for by amendment of this clause.
Section 11
The president may, on occasion, meet with the assembled National Senate and address to them the current state of affairs of the Republic and from time to time, may offer matters to consider to the Senate that they deem proper or necessary.
Section 12
The president, vice president, judges and all other civil offices of the republic may be impeached and removed for treason, sedition, serious violation of the constitution or high breaches of the public trust.
Section 13
The president shall have the power to issue executive orders directed to the executive departments. Said executive orders shall only be issued to further clarify a law, or otherwise to assist in the president's duty to execute and enforce the laws of the land.
Section 13a
Executive orders may be revoked, modified, or superseded at any time by the current president, or in the case of the executive order acting under the authority of the National Senate, the National Senate may also do the same. Executive orders may be declared unconstitutional by the Supreme Court.
Section 13
The president shall have the power to commute and pardon those found guilty of a crime, but only the Supreme Court may exercise the right to pardon the president or vice president.
Section 13a
The president shall not abuse their power of pardon or commutation.
Article 6 (The Judicial)
Section 1
Judicial power shall be vested in a Supreme Court of the Republic of Soundland, and among inferior courts, as established by the National Senate.
Section 2
The Supreme Court shall have exclusive jurisdiction in cases to which a territorial state shall be a party or in cases involving international or constitutional law. It shall handle and decide constitutional complaints.
Section 3
The Supreme Court shall be headed by a High Justice.
Section 3a
The number of justices sitting on the Supreme Court may be expanded by an act of the National Senate.
Section 3b
Justices of the Supreme Court shall not be a member of, or hold any formal affiliation to any political party.
Section 4
Justices of the Supreme Court shall serve for up to one thirty-five year term.
Section 5
Justice nominees may be approved by the National Senate by two-thirds majority.
Section 6
All rulings of the court shall be decided by consensus.
Section 7
Justices may be impeached if it is found by the National Senate that they lied under oath to the National Senate in an effort to obtain the position.
Section 8
Judges of a court shall not be a member of the executive or legislative branches.
Section 9
Any person or organization may submit a signed constitutional complaint in writing to the Supreme Court alleging that their basic constitutional rights were violated by a public authority provided that such a complaint is submitted within three months of the alleged violation of their rights. The Supreme Court may find an act of public authority or officer to be unconstitutional and void a law or judicial decision that violates the constitution upon review of such a complaint.
Section 9a
In addition to the above, the Supreme Court shall be also able to investigate anything that arises from such proceedings regarding the violation of constitutional or international rights or laws by a public authority on the basis of probable cause.
Article 7 (Territorial Organization)
Section 1
There shall exist two classes of territories in the Republic of Soundland: territorial states, which shall make up the main political union of the republic and shall hold limited autonomy, and territories, which are under the direct control of the republic and have no autonomy. No territorial state or territory shall be established that is outside of the boundaries of the Cascadia Bioregion.
Section 1a
Territorial States shall be viewed as provincial states within the republic, and shall have some form of limited autonomy as provided for by this constitution, but shall not make any claim to independent sovereignty.
Section 2
Each territorial state shall have a representative, appointed by the president and confirmed by the National Senate, or for states that have three or more citizens, elected every two years in a popular vote by the territorial state’s citizens.
Section 2a
Territorial state representatives shall hold the duties of representing their territorial state at a national level, to help administer the state, to help coordinate local and national efforts and communications, and to converse with and petition the government on behalf of their territorial state.
Section 2b
Territorial state representatives shall not hold any legislative power except in circumstances prescribed by this constitution or as a part of a state council, and only hold limited executive power directly pertaining to their duty to help administer the state along with the national government and to assist national and local communication and coordination.
Section 2c
Only persons who are a citizen of the Republic of Soundland and are residing in a territorial state shall be eligible for the office of the Territorial state representative of that state.
Section 3
Territorial states that have six or more citizens shall have a state council made up of the state representative and two council members that shall be elected by a ranked choice voting procedure every year. If no candidate in an election for territorial representative wins more than fifty percent of the vote the top two candidates shall be selected to run in a second electoral round.
Section 3a
The territorial state representative shall be the presiding officer of the state council.
Section 3b
The state council may remove the territorial state representative through a vote of no confidence by consensus of the members of the state council excepting the territorial state representative, but if said vote is defeated, the state council shall not again have another such vote within a time of three months. If said vote passes, the territorial state representative shall be removed and the executive branch of the republic shall issue a special election to fill the office of territorial state representative until the next planned election.
Section 3b(1)
Any state council member except the territorial state representative may initiate a vote of no confidence.
Section 3c
State council's shall meet once per every two months or when called by the territorial state representative. Territorial state representatives may call meetings to discuss specific issues.
Section 3d
Any state council member may propose a bill or resolution that conforms to the restrictions and clauses of this constitution to be voted on in a timely manner.
Section 3f
All state councils shall keep a record on the agenda, including the acts of the state council and all votes. This record will be published from time to time to the public excepting that of classified or sensitive information.
Section 3g
State councils shall have limited legislative power. National legislation, executive orders and other legal directives shall take precedence over territorial state law.
Section 3h
Only citizens above the age of 11 and residing inside the territorial state of which they wish to be a council member of may be a member of a territorial state council.
Section 4
State councils shall not hold legislative power concerning:
1. extra-territorial state matters or other affairs that do not exist solely as an internal affair to a state including treaties, foreign affairs and relations with other territories and states;
2. trade or commerce and its associated duties and taxes;
3. copyrights, patents and other industrial property rights;
4. currency and coining money;
6. national police work;
7. the establishment of a police force dedicated to said territorial state without the approval of the National Senate;
8. citizenship or the residencies of persons;
9. freedom of movement except pursuant to a law;
10. border control;
11. the regulation of education;
12. healthcare;
13. the nationalization of assets;
14. eminent domain;
15. weapons;
16. the establishment of militias.
17. and the issuing of government-backed debt or other government financial instruments not already approved by the National Senate.
Section 4a
Although territorial states do not hold legislative power concerning certain matters, they may still pass resolutions announcing their sentiments and petition the national government.
Section 5
The constitutional order of territorial states and their governments must conform to principles of democracy, liberty and equality, to this constitution, the rule of law and to the republican form of government.
Section 5a
The republic shall guarantee that the constitutional order of territorial states conform to the above article 6 section 5.
Section 6
New territorial states may be admitted into the republic by the National Senate, but no new territorial state may be created within the jurisdiction of any territorial state, or by junction of territorial state or parts of, without the approval of all territorial representatives or, if the case may be, state councils, concerned, as well as the National Senate.
Section 7
Territories shall be meant for uninhabited or distant land and shall be under direct national governmental jurisdiction. They shall not be awarded autonomy, but the National Senate may delegate limited powers to them.
Section 7a
Inhabited territories of more than two people shall have a representative, appointed by the president. They shall only have the power of petitioning and representing said territory at the government level as well as any limited powers delegated to them by the National Senate.
Section 8
Territorial States may separate the political union of the Republic of Soundland only when:
(a), for territorial states not having a state council, the representative of said territory chooses to initiate a binding referendum on said topic. If said referendum is approved, then the representative shall submit a bill to the National Senate for the separation of their territorial state from the political union of the Republic of Soundland. If the bill passes and is signed, the territorial state shall no longer be of the political union of the Republic of Soundland.
(b), for territorial states having a state council, the state council passes a referendum bill that is binding. The territorial state shall then hold a binding referendum on the subject of political separation by whatever length of time such a decision mandated, except not exceeding six weeks nor subceeding one week. If the referendum is approved, then the territorial representative shall submit a bill to the National Senate for the separation of their territorial state from the political union of the Republic of Soundland. If the bill passes and is signed, the territorial state shall no longer be of the political union of the Republic of Soundland.
Section 8a
Territories with a representative shall have the right to hold advisory referendums regarding political separation from Soundland.
Section 8b
The National Senate shall only pass an act regarding the political separation of a territorial state when the bill is submitted by a territorial representative as a result of the above article 8 section 8.
Section 8b(1)
The National Senate may pass acts regarding the political separation of a territory but such acts shall be ratified by majority of the population of the involved territory via a referendum.
Section 9
Other than the said two classes of territories, the Republic of Soundland may enter into agreements and treaties dealing with sovereign jurisdiction and political or economic association with other sovereign nations.
Division IIl: Fundamental Rights and Duties of the Person and State and Other General Provisions
Article 8 (Constitutional Obligations of the State)
Section 1
The Republic of Soundland shall only be a democratic state and shall not differ from the values of democracy, liberty and equality.
Section 2
The Republic of Soundland shall not undermine democratic institutions, domestic or abroad.
Section 3
The political powers, legitimacy and sovereignty of the Republic of Soundland and its territorial states are deprived from its citizens and exist to serve those citizens.The sovereignty of the people is exercised through free, universal and secret popular elections and the free political expression of the people.
Section 4
The Republic of Soundland, and all of its institutions and laws shall fully respect and oblige by the general and customary rules of international law and shall be subordinate to it, and it shall create rights, responsibilities, and duties for residents of the Republic of Soundland.
Section 4a
Furthermore, the Republic of Soundland shall do the same for all treaties and conventions ratified by the National Senate.
Section 5
The military shall be in strict subordination to the civil power.
Article 9 (Basic Rights)
Section 1
All citizens of the Republic of Soundland and all those within the sovereign jurisdiction and authority of the Republic of Soundland have basic and fundamental human rights that shall be guaranteed by the state, and a human dignity that is inalienable.
Section 2
Every person has a right to life, a personal dignity and physical and moral integrity which shall not be violated. In no circumstances may a person be subjected to inhumane, unusual or degrading punishment or treatment. The death penalty and the use of torture on any person shall be unconstitutional.
Section 2a
There shall exist a right to the free personal development of the self that is inviolable insofar that they do not impede on the rights of others or transgresses the constitutional or legal order.
Section 3
No branch of government shall encroach unto these basic general and said human rights, including the judiciary, or make any law encroaching on these said basic rights of any person, or deprive any citizen of their rights as guaranteed under this constitution.
Section 4
It is the duty of the state to protect these basic human dignities.
Section 5
The act of conspiring to, or otherwise knowingly violate a person's basic human rights or dignity shall be criminalized under national law.
Section 6
The rights laid out in this document shall not be construed to deny other rights retained by the people.
Article 10 (Citizenship)
Section 1
Any person born in the Republic of Soundland or naturalized by it, and subject to its said jurisdiction, is a citizen.
Section 2
Citizenship may only be lost pursuant to a law.
Section 3
No person of Soundlandian birth may be deprived of their nationality.
Article 11 (Equality)
Section 1
All persons shall be equal before the eyes of the law and state.
Section 2
No person may be favored or disfavored, or discriminated against on a basis of sex, identity of their gender or sexual orientation, race, ethnicity, skin color, origin, ancestry, religion, socioeconomic status or political opinions.
Section 2a
No person may be disfavored due to a disability.
Article 12 (Freedom of Religion)
Section 1
The state shall not favor or disfavor any religious group or organization, and shall be entirely separate from religion, and make no law or act dissolving or infringing upon the separation of church and state.
Section 2
The state shall guarantee freedom of religion and of worship.
Article 13 (Freedom of expression and press)
Section 1
There shall exist a right to free speech or expression that is not infringed by the government, and to free press and reporting.
Article 14 (Freedom of peaceful assembly)
Section 1
There shall exist a right to assemble peacefully, without notice or permission.
Section 2
The National Senate may pass rules on assemblies that do not overly encroach upon this right in the interest of health, traffic or to otherwise prevent significant disruption.
Article 15 (Right to protest)
Section 1
Other than peaceful assembly, there shall exist the right to protest in a nonviolent manner, including but not limited to self-expression, peaceful assembly, boycotts and striking.
Section 2
The specific rights mentioned in this article shall not be used to limit or deny any person's right to nonviolent protest.
Section 3
The provisions of article 6 Section 2 apply to this right.
Article 16 (Freedom of association)
Section 1
There shall exist a right to form or belong to associations.
Such associations with the aim or goal that violates or infringes upon criminal law, conspires against the constitutional order or against the concept of international understanding are banned.
Section 2
The right to form or another to associations with the goal of safeguarding or improving working or economic conditions shall be guaranteed to every individual. Agreements to restrict this right shall be considered null and void; such agreement shall be criminalized.
Article 17 (Right to petition)
Section 1
The right of citizens and residents to petition the government, including directly to the National Senate, to rectify grievances or to consider issues shall not be withheld, regardless of legal status.
Section 2
Citizens of a territorial state have the right to petition their territorial state representative or state council, regardless of legal status.
Article 18 (Freedom of movement)
Section 1
All citizens shall have the right to freely move about within the territory of the republic.
Section 2
All citizens shall have the right to enter and exit the Republic of Soundland freely.
Section 3
These rights may be restricted or regulated pursuant to a law.
Article 19 (Right to privacy)
Section 1
All persons shall have a right to privacy.
Section 2
All persons shall have a right to private and secret communications, including digital, postal and telephonic communication, without interference or surveillance.
Section 3
These rights may only be voided by the state pursuant to a warrant signed by a judge, based upon probable cause.
Section 3a
Such warrants shall be narrowly and specifically tailored to avoid unnecessary infringement upon the right to privacy.
Article 20 (Searches and Seizure)
Section 1
Every person has the right to protection against unreasonable searches and seizures, especially in their place of residence or on their persons or regarding their effects. This right shall not be violated except by a warrant issued by a judge, upon probable cause, supported by oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched and the persons or things to be seized.
Section 2
No evidence obtained in violation of the above Section 1 shall be admissible in any court proceeding.
Article 21 (Due process)
Section 1
Every individual has the right to receive fair and impartial treatment under the law. This includes the right to due process, which shall guarantee that no person shall be deprived of their inherent right to life, autonomy over their body, lawful possessions or freedom without fair legal procedures.
Section 2
Everyone has the right to notice of any legal proceeding that may result in the deprivation of their rights. Every individual has the right to be heard at any legal proceeding that may result in the deprivation of their rights.
Section 3
Every person shall have the right to a fair and impartial hearing before a neutral decision-maker. This includes the right to challenge any decision-maker for bias or partiality.
Section 4
No person shall be forced to incriminate themselves in any legal proceeding. If a person is in custody and being interrogated by law enforcement officers, they shall have the right to remain silent.
Section 5
Every individual has the right to be represented by counsel in any legal proceeding that may result in the deprivation of their rights, or at any time that criminal charges have been brought against them or they have been taken into custody by the state. If they cannot afford an attorney, one will be appointed for them.
Section 6
No person shall be prosecuted for the same offense more than once.
Section 7
Every individual has the right to appeal any decision they find adverse to a higher court or tribunal.
Section 8
The right to habeas corpus shall not be suspended except in cases of rebellion or invasion when the public safety may require it.
Section 9
The right to due process shall be enforced by appropriate legal remedies.
Section 10
Every person shall be made aware of their basic rights when in custody under this article when they are taken into custody.
Article 22 (Ex-post facto laws and Bills of Attainders)
Section 1
No bill of ex-post facto or any other such statute that punishes actions retroactively or without due process of the law shall be passed.
Article 23 (Right to universal suffrage and free and secret elections)
Section 1
Every citizen above the age of eleven, except who has been convicted of treason or sedition or who has been declared legally mentally unfit by the Supreme Court, shall have the right to exercise their political will by participating in free, fair, equal and secret elections of their own free will without intimidation or threat of rebuttal.
Article 24 (Right of asylum)
Section 1
Any person that enters Soundland seeking protection from religious or political prosecution, or fleeing from conflict, environmental disaster, or economic hardship shall have the full right to request asylum in the Republic of Soundland as per international law.
Article 25 (Environmental rights)
Section 1
Every person, including those of future generations, has a right to live in a healthy and sustainable environment that does not harm their health or personal well-being, that is protected and cared-to for our current and future generations and that safe from pollution, as well as to achieve ecologically sustainable development and the justifiable use of natural resources while promoting economic and social development.
Article 26 (Right to work and freedom of occupation)
Section 1
Every person has a right to work, to freely choose their occupation and to just and favorable conditions of work.
Article 27 (Freedom from slavery)
Section 1
The practice of slavery or involuntary servitude shall be banned and criminalized under national law. Every person has a right to exist free from these practices.
Section 2
No person shall be made to do forced or compulsory labor except non-hard labor in the form of community service as determined by a court of law.
Article 28 (Restrictions of eligibility for office)
Section 1
No person who has participated in, or aided and abetted, an insurrection or who have otherwise aided and abetted enemies of the republic shall hold any public office, civil or military, at any level of government.
Article 29 (Ratification)
Section 1
This constitution may be ratified by a two thirds vote of congress.