Article 1 – Obligation to respect human rights
The High Contracting Parties shall secure to everyone within their jurisdiction the rights and freedoms defined in Section I of this Convention.
Everyone is entitled to all the rights and freedoms set forth in this Declaration, without distinction of any kind, such as race, colour, sex, language, religion, political or other opinion, national or social origin, property, birth or other status. Furthermore, no distinction shall be made on the basis of the political, jurisdictional or international status of the country or territory to which a person belongs, whether it be independent, trust, non-self-governing or under any other limitation of sovereignty.
Rights and Freedoms
Article 2 – Right to life
1. Everyone’s right to life shall be protected by law. No one shall be deprived of his life intentionally save in the execution of a sentence of a court following his conviction of a crime for which this penalty is provided by law.
2. Deprivation of life shall not be regarded as inflicted in contravention of this Article when it results from the use of force which is no more than absolutely necessary:
(a) in defence of any person from unlawful violence;
(b) in order to effect a lawful arrest or to prevent the escape of a person lawfully detained;
(c) in action lawfully taken for the purpose of quelling a riot or insurrection.
Article 3 – Freedom of movement
1. Everyone lawfully within the territory of a State shall, within that territory, have the right to liberty of movement and freedom to choose his residence.
2. Everyone shall be free to leave any country, including his own.
3. No restrictions shall be placed on the exercise of these rights other than such as are in accordance with law and are necessary in the interests of national security or public safety, for the maintenance of public order, for the prevention of crime, for the protection of health or morals, or for the protection of the rights and freedoms of others.
4. The rights set forth in paragraph 1 may also be subject, in particular areas, to restrictions imposed in accordance with law and justified by the public interest.
Article 4 – Prohibition of torture
No one shall be subjected to torture or to inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment.
Article 5 – Prohibition of slavery and forced labour
1. No one shall be held in slavery or servitude.
2. No one shall be required to perform forced or compulsory labour.
3. For the purpose of this Article the term “forced or compulsory labour” shall not include:
(a) any work required to be done in the ordinary course of detention imposed according to the provisions of Article 5 of this Convention or during conditional release from such detention;
(b) any service of a military character or, in case of conscientious objectors in countries where they are recognised, service exacted instead of compulsory military service;
(c) any service exacted in case of an emergency or calamity threatening the life or wellbeing of the community;
(d) any work or service which forms part of normal civic obligations.
Article 6 - Right to liberty and security
1. Everyone has the right to liberty and security of person. No one shall be deprived of his liberty save in the following cases and in accordance with a procedure prescribed by law:
(a) the lawful detention of a person after conviction by a competent court;
(b) the lawful arrest or detention of a person for noncompliance with the lawful order of a court or in order to secure the fulfilment of any obligation prescribed by law;
(c) the lawful arrest or detention of a person effected for the purpose of bringing him before the competent legal authority on reasonable suspicion of having committed an offence or when it is reasonably considered necessary to prevent his committing an offence or fleeing after having done so;
(d) the detention of a minor by lawful order for the purpose of educational supervision or his lawful detention for the purpose of bringing him before the competent legal authority;
(e) the lawful detention of persons for the prevention of the spreading of infectious diseases, of persons of unsound mind, alcoholics or drug addicts or vagrants;
(f) the lawful arrest or detention of a person to prevent his effecting an unauthorised entry into the country or of a person against whom action is being taken with a view to deportation or extradition.
2. Everyone who is arrested shall be informed promptly, in a language which he understands, of the reasons for his arrest and of any charge against him.
3. Everyone arrested or detained in accordance with the provisions of paragraph 1 (c) of this Article shall be brought promptly before a judge or other officer authorised by law to exercise judicial power and shall be entitled to trial within a reasonable time or to release pending trial. Release may be conditioned by guarantees to appear for trial.
4. Everyone who is deprived of his liberty by arrest or detention shall be entitled to take proceedings by which the lawfulness of his detention shall be decided speedily by a court and his release ordered if the detention is not lawful.
5. Everyone who has been the victim of arrest or detention in contravention of the provisions of this Article shall have an enforceable right to compensation.
Article 7 – Right to a fair trial and no punishment without law
Article 7 – Right to a fair trial and no punishment without law
1. In the determination of his civil rights and obligations or of any criminal charge against him, everyone is entitled to a fair and public hearing within a reasonable time by an independent and impartial tribunal established by law. Judgment shall be pronounced publicly but the press and public may be excluded from all or part of the trial in the interests of morals, public order or national security in a democratic society, where the interests of juveniles or the protection of the private life of the parties so require, or to the extent strictly necessary in the opinion of the court in special circumstances where publicity would prejudice the interests of justice.
2. No one charged with a criminal offence shall be presumed guilty until proven as such according to law.
3. No one shall be held guilty of any criminal offence on account of any act or omission which did not constitute a criminal offence under national or international law at the time when it was committed. Nor shall a heavier penalty be imposed than the one that was applicable at the time the criminal offence was committed.
4. This Article shall not prejudice the trial and punishment of any person for any act or omission which, at the time when it was committed, was criminal according to the general principles of law recognised by civilised nations.
5. Everyone charged with a criminal offence has the following minimum rights:
(a) to be informed promptly, in a language which he understands and in detail, of the nature and cause of the accusation against him;
(b) to have adequate time and facilities for the preparation of his defence;
(c) to defend himself in person or through legal assistance of his own choosing or, if he has not sufficient means to pay for legal assistance, to be given it free when the interests of justice so require;
(d) to examine or have examined witnesses against him and to obtain the attendance and examination of witnesses on his behalf under the same conditions as witnesses against him;
(e) to have the free assistance of an interpreter if he cannot understand or speak the language used in court.
Article 8 – Right to respect of private and family life
1. Everyone has the right to respect for his private and family life, his home and his correspondence.
2. There shall be no interference by a public authority with the exercise of this right except such as is in accordance with the law and is necessary in the interests of national security, public safety or the economic well being of the country, for the prevention of disorder or crime, for the protection of health or morals, or for the protection of the rights and freedoms of others.
Article 9 – Freedom of thought, conscience and religion
1. Everyone has the right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion; this right includes freedom to change his religion or belief and freedom, either alone or in community with others and in public or private, to manifest his religion or belief, in worship, teaching, practice and observance.
2. Freedom to manifest one’s religion or beliefs shall be subject only to such limitations as are prescribed by law and are necessary in the interests of public safety, for the protection of public order or health, or for the protection of the rights and freedoms of others.
Article 10 – Freedom of Expression
1. Everyone has the right to freedom of expression. This right shall include freedom to hold opinions and to receive and impart information and ideas without interference by public authority and regardless of frontiers. This Article shall not prevent States from requiring the licensing of broadcasting, television or cinema enterprises.
2. The exercise of these freedoms, since it carries with it duties and responsibilities, may be subject to such formalities, conditions, restrictions or penalties as are prescribed by law and are necessary in the interests of national security, territorial integrity or public safety, for the prevention of disorder or crime, for the protection of health or morals, for the protection of the reputation or rights of others, for preventing the disclosure of information received in confidence, or for maintaining the authority and impartiality of the judiciary.
Article 11 – Freedom of assembly and association
1. Everyone has the right to freedom of peaceful assembly and to freedom of association with others, including the right to form and to join trade unions for the protection of his interests.
2. No restrictions shall be placed on the exercise of these rights other than such as are prescribed by law and are necessary in the interests of national security or public safety, for the prevention of disorder or crime, for the protection of health or morals or for the protection of the rights and freedoms of others. This Article shall not prevent the imposition of lawful restrictions on the exercise of these rights by members of the armed forces, of the police or of the administration of the State.
Article 12 – Right to Marry
1. Any persons of marriageable age, regardless of race, gender or sexual orientation, have the right to form a Legal Union and to found a family, according to the national laws governing the exercise of this right.
2. A Legal Union may for the purposes of this document include the following within its definition, the legal status of each shall be subject to the national laws of signatory states:
(a) Heterosexual Marriage
(b) Homosexual (same sex) Marriage
(c) Civil Partnerships
3. Parties to Legal Unions are entitled to equal rights as those parties to heterosexual marriage, during marriage and at its dissolution as prescribed by national law.
4. A Wedding ceremony may take place in any location licensed or authorised by the state without prejudice, save for ceremonies taking place in or officiated by a religious institution.
5. Legal Unions shall be entered into only with the free and full consent of the intending spouses, and where the matrimony is not unduly influenced by a third party.
Article 13 - Right to change gender
1. No person may be discriminated against on grounds of gender identity. National laws must, except where gender is a determining factor, make no mention of gender.
2. Any person also has the right, where it is safe, reasonable and in accordance with their nation healthcare provision to do so, undergo sex reassignment therapy.
3. If the state is unable to provide sex reassignment therapy, or where it does not fall within their national healthcare provision, a person wishing to change their biological sex shall have the freedom to travel to another state to undergo said therapy with no prejudice to their return.
Article 14 - Right to Employment
1. Everyone has the right to work, to free choice of employment, to just and favourable conditions of work and to protection against unemployment. No government, organisation or person may prevent a person or group from seeking or maintaining gainful employment without just cause.
3. Everyone who works has the right to just and favourable remuneration ensuring for himself and his family an existence worthy of human dignity, and supplemented, if necessary, by other means of social protection.
Article 15 - Right to Education
1. Everyone has the right to education. Education shall be free and compulsory until a person reaches the age of majority.
2. Education shall be directed to the full development of the human personality and to the strengthening of respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms. It shall promote understanding, tolerance and friendship among all nations, racial or religious groups, and shall further the maintenance of peace.
3. Parents have a prior right to choose the kind of education that shall be given to their children.
Article 16 - Right to Health Care
1. Everyone has the right to free emergency and essential health care, regardless of race, nationality, gender, sexual orientation, religion or wealth.
2. Everyone has the right to the adequate living conditions, adequate food and a healthy and safe environment in order to maintain their health.
3. Health care institutions and providers must respect dignity, provide culturally appropriate care, be responsive to needs based on gender, age, culture, language, and different ways of life and abilities. Institutions must respect medical ethics and protect confidentiality.
4. Adequate health care infrastructure, goods and services must be available to all communities.
5. If the state is unable to provide treatment, or where it does not fall within their national healthcare provision, a person may travel abroad to seek treatment.
Article 17 - Additional Rights
1. Everyone has the right to a nationality. No one shall be arbitrarily deprived of their nationality nor denied the right to change their nationality.
2. Everyone has duties to the community in which alone the free and full development of their personality is possible.
3. Children have the right to receive nurturing support and care, whenever possible as part of their natural family. It shall be the responsibility of parents to ensure children in their care access reasonable health and educational facilities.
Article 18 - Right to Water
1. All persons have the right to safe and clean drinking water and sanitation, as these are essential to the realisation and enjoyment of all human rights.
2. Signatories shall take all proper measures to ensure that commercial activities and projects do not erode the access of a community to clean, accessible and affordable drinking water and sanitation.
Article 19 -Conflicts on the application of this Convention to National Law
1. Where disputes concerning the application of this Convention arise it shall for the purposes of legal process be the responsibility of the state holding legal jurisdiction to dispense with the issue on a case by case basis according to their own statutory law and those found in other treaties that the state in question may be party to.
Article 20 - Universal Rights Day
1. The date of the signing of this Convention shall be marked annually by a Universal Rights Day, to raise awareness for, and to promote, each person’s Universal Rights.
2. States party to this Convention shall attend an annual Universal Rights Conference on Universal Rights Day to reinforce and reaffirm each State’s commitment to Universal Rights, eject States who do not fulfil their obligations and, where all states party to the Convention agree, revise or amend the Convention.
Article 21- Note
Nothing in this Declaration may be interpreted as implying for any State, group or person any right to engage in any activity or to perform any act aimed at the destruction of any of the rights and freedoms set forth herein.
Derogations
Contracting states may derogate from their obligations of this Convention in the following conditions.
1. There must be a public emergency threatening the life of the nation;
2. Any measures taken in response must be "strictly required by the exigencies of the situation", and
3. The measures taken in response to it, must be in compliance with a state's other obligations under international law.
4. An announcement of the suspension of these rights must be announced and the reason for doing so explained publicly when appropriate.
Miscellaneous Provisions
Article 22 – Safeguard of existing human or universal Rights
Nothing in this Convention shall be construed as limiting or derogating from any of the human rights and fundamental freedoms which may be ensured under the laws of any High Contracting Party or under any other agreement to which it is a Party.
Article 23– Exclusion of other means of dispute settlement
The High Contracting Parties agree that, except by special agreement, they will not avail themselves of treaties, conventions or declarations in force between them for the purpose of submitting, by way of petition, a dispute arising out of the interpretation or application of this Convention.
Article 24 – Territorial Application
The High Contracting Parties agree that, unless specific notice has been provided to the Government of the Kingdom of Dartfordia, the Convention shall extend to all territory or territories belonging or administered by the High Contracting Parties.
Article 25 – Denunciation
1. A High Contracting Party may denounce the present Convention only after the expiry of five years from the date on which it became a party to it and after six months' notice contained in a notification addressed to the Government of the Kingdom of Dartfordia, who shall inform the other High Contracting Parties.
2. Such a denunciation shall not have the effect of releasing the High Contracting Party concerned from its obligations under this Convention in respect of any act which, being capable of constituting a violation of such obligations, may have been performed by it before the date at which the denunciation became effective.
Article 26 – Signature and ratification
1. This Convention shall be open to the signature of all independent sovereign states or autonomous/external territories with competence to guarantee all provisions within this Convention. It shall be ratified. Ratifications shall be deposited with the Government of the Kingdom of Dartfordia.
2. The present Convention shall come into force after the deposit of ten instruments of ratification.
3. As regards any signatory ratifying subsequently, the Convention shall come into force at the date of the deposit of its instrument of ratification.
4. The Government of the Kingdom of Dartfordia shall notify all High Contracting Parties of the entry into force of the Convention, the names of the High Contracting Parties who have ratified it, and the deposit of all instruments of ratification which may be effected subsequently.
Done originally at Churchill this 21st day of July 2014, in English, in a single copy which shall remain deposited in the archives of the Kingdom of Dartfordia. Amended at Iskor this day the 31st day of July 2018, in English, in a single copy which shall be transfered to and shall remain deposited in the archives of the Kingdom of Dartfordia. The Government of the Kingdom of Dartfordia shall transmit certified copies to each of the signatories, including certified copies in languages other than English if such languages have official status within the signatory nation.
