6. Citizen Rights Bill of Rights Section A - Citizenship (1) Equal citizenship. All persons born in or naturalized in the United States of Africa and subject to the jurisdiction thereof shall be citizens of Africa and the states wherein they reside. No state shall make or enforce any law which shall abridge the privileges or immunities of African citizens, nor shall any state deprive any person of liberty or property without due process of law or deny any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the law. The death penalty is banned. (2) Right to work. Every African is eligible for employment in the public and private sectors according to aptitude, education, training and experience. No African citizen shall be discriminated against and disadvantaged based on ethnicity, religion or ideology. (3) Legal accountability. Each person, including government, shall be accountable to the law for their actions. The Congress of Africa shall make no law curtailing citizen rights except such laws as will secure to each individual the free exercise of conscience, property ownership and, inter alia, the protection of life. Section B - Right to Vote or Seek Election (1) All African citizens who have attained the age of sixteen years shall be entitled to vote in all public elections. (2) All African citizens who satisfy the electoral requirements prescribed by the African Constitution are entitled to seek election to public office. Section C - Information, Association and Petition (1) Freedom of information and association. There shall be no law abridging the freedom of speech and the press or the right of the people to peaceably assemble. Every person may freely speak, write and publish on any topic, being responsible for the abuse of that liberty. (2) Right to petition. All Africans are entitled to individually or jointly with others direct written requests and complaints to the federal, state and local authorities, including elected officials. Section D - Education (1) Every African citizen is entitled to quality and affordable education. Primary school is free and compulsory for every Africans. (2) (a) Primary, secondary and tertiary education at public institutions shall be free for all Africans with disabilities. (b) The United States of Africa and the states will each pay fifty percent for every disabled African student attending a public school, college or university, with each state responsible for that cost within its own jurisdiction only. Section E - Family The Federal Congress of Africa shall make no law detrimental to the family as defined and practised in African tradition, but minorities will be protected from harassment and violence. Section F - Healthcare (1) All African citizens are entitled to quality and affordable healthcare. (2) Abortion. Termination of a pregnancy shall be permitted as a medical emergency. (3) Euthanasia. Terminally ill Africans in extreme pain and unbearable suffering shall have the option of medically administered and supervised euthanasia. (4) Details will be regulated by a federal statute. Section G - Rights of Suspects and Convicts (1) Search and arrest warrants. The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers and effects against unreasonable searches and seizures shall not be violated; and no warrant shall issue but upon probable cause, supported by oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the person or thing to be seized. (2) Rights of accused persons. In all criminal prosecutions, the accused is entitled to a speedy and public trial by an impartial jury of the state and judicial district wherein the crime shall have been committed, which jurisdiction shall have been previously ascertained by law, and to be informed of the nature and cause of the accusation; to be confronted with the witnesses against him, to have compulsory process for obtaining witnesses in his favor, and to have the assistance of counsel for his defense. No fact tried by a jury shall be otherwise reexamined in any court of the United States of Africa than according to the rules of the common law. (3) Rights in criminal cases and protection of property. No one shall be held to answer for a capital, or otherwise infamous crime, unless on presentment or indictment of a grand jury, except in cases arising in the land, naval or air forces when in actual service in time of war or public danger, nor shall any person be subject for the same offense to be twice put in jeopardy of life or limb, nor shall be compelled in any criminal case to be a witness against himself, nor be deprived of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law, nor shall private property be taken for public use without just compensation. (4) Ban on excessive bail, fines and punishment. Excessive bail shall not be required, nor excessive fines imposed, nor cruel or unusual punishment inflicted. There shall be neither slavery nor involuntary servitude in the United States of Africa other than community service as punishment for a crime, whereof the party shall have been duly convicted. Section H - Right to Worship (1) The United States of Africa is a secular constitutional federation with no law respecting an establishment of religion or prohibiting the free and peaceful exercise thereof. There shall be no law prescribing rules of worship to bind the consciences of people nor dictate forms for public or private devotion. (2) Religious organizations can discipline their members for disorderly conduct according to their rules provided any such disciplinary action be for fellowship and good standing. They can only excommunicate them and withdraw from them their fellowship. They cannot try people on the right of property or life or put them in jeopardy of either limb or life or to inflict any physical punishment upon them. Section I - Gender Equality (1) Gender discrimination is outlawed. (2) There shall be equal pay for equal work. (3) Female circumcision, or female genital mutilation, is banned. (4) Women have the same right as men to inherit and own property. (5) Arranged, underage and forced marriages are outlawed. (6) (a) Polygamy is discouraged. (b) The states shall administer community outreach programs to enlighten the citizenry on the detrimental impacts of archaic and retrogressive cultural practices. Section J - Privacy of Communications With the exception of court-authorized criminal surveillance, the privacy of communications is inviolable for all law-abiding persons. |