HC Bill 27-1 · Bill · 27th Totemian Parliament
Introduced By: Nuxart (The Birthday Party)
Date: September 18th, 2026
Be it enacted by the Emperor’s most Excellent Imperial Majesty, by and with the advice and consent of the Lords and Commons, in this present Parliament assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows:
An Act to reorganize and regulate the principal organs of the Totemian Empire; to define their powers, leadership, administration, finances, succession, and interorgan relations; to provide for elections, registered organizations, estates and trusts, public finance, justice, state security, and related civil administration; to establish and reorganize criminal law in Title 7 of the Civil Code; to amend the Constitution and the Civil Code; to provide for codification and continuity; and for connected purposes.
Where existing laws, regulations, or formal procedures do not adequately address a specific operational scenario, a Ministry shall exercise discretionary authority to resolve the matter within the scope of its functions.
Such discretion shall be exercised prudently, strictly within the lawful authority of the Ministry, and in a manner consistent with the fundamental intent of applicable superior legislation. No discretionary action shall contravene statute, established policy, or the lawful directives of superior state organs.
Ministries may issue Policy Orders to govern their internal operations and, where this Code or another superior law delegates rulemaking authority, to implement that authority within the lawful jurisdiction of the Ministry. A Policy Order shall not create a criminal offense, tax, appropriation, power of compulsory acquisition, or other coercive power unless superior law expressly authorizes it.
An Administration may issue Administration Orders under Section 5. An Administration Order is a distinct subordinate instrument of an Administration and shall not be styled, numbered, represented, or interpreted as a Policy Order of its parent Ministry.
An Office or subordinate division other than an Administration shall not issue a Policy Order or Administration Order unless an Act of Parliament or Imperial Order expressly authorizes that organ to issue the particular instrument.
A Policy Order of a parent Ministry shall prevail over every conflicting Administration Order or other subordinate instrument within that Ministry. An Administration Order shall be void to the extent that it conflicts with superior law, an Imperial direction, or a lawful Policy Order of the parent Ministry.
Ministries shall possess discretionary authority over their allocated finances, provided that expenditures are authorized by the allocated fund, are appropriate to the lawful functions of the Ministry, and meet generally accepted standards of reasonableness.
Each Ministry shall establish a General Fund. The General Fund shall serve as the ordinary discretionary and administrative fund of the Ministry, distinct from dedicated or special-purpose funds and from the Imperial Reserve Fund of the Ministry of Finance.
Funds lawfully allocated to and remaining within a Ministry’s General Fund shall remain under the ownership and control of that Ministry and shall not lapse, expire, or revert merely because they remain unspent. The Ministry may lawfully expend such funds as required or deemed necessary, subject to applicable law and financial accountability requirements. Parliament or the Emperor may, by lawful authority, withdraw, seize, transfer, or reallocate money from a Ministry’s General Fund.
Any personnel within a Ministry may propose a Policy Order. A Policy Order shall enter into legal effect only upon the signature of the Minister or of the Deputy Minister while lawfully acting as Minister under Section 6. The power to sign a Policy Order shall not otherwise be delegated unless an Act of Parliament or Imperial Order expressly permits delegation.
Policy Orders shall remain strictly confined to the internal administration, functional scope, and expressly delegated statutory authority of the issuing Ministry. A Policy Order may regulate persons outside the issuing Ministry only where this Code or another superior law expressly authorizes a public-facing rule. No Ministry shall issue a Policy Order beyond its lawful authority, and any such Policy Order shall be void to the extent of the excess.
Every Policy Order shall record, at a minimum:
(a) the date of signature stated in the signatory’s local time, accompanied by the applicable UTC offset (UTC±), which shall be used regardless of daylight saving time status;
(b) a proper consecutive number, which shall be maintained even if older Policy Orders are repealed;
(c) the signatory's full name and official title, the Ministry, the principal legal authority for the Order, and the reigning Emperor; and
(d) the Ministry's official seal, if one has been adopted.
A Policy Order may be classified in whole or part where the Emperor or signing Minister determines that publication would materially endanger national defense, state security, intelligence, diplomacy, an operation, a source, a protected person, or a secure system. Classification shall be no broader than necessary and shall never bar access by the Emperor.
A classified Policy Order shall take effect upon signature and secure communication to the persons whose conduct it governs. It shall be entered in a sealed register recording its number, date, issuer, legal authority, classification, and authorized distribution. A classified portion need not be published.
A classified Policy Order shall not create a secret criminal offense, serve as the sole basis for criminal punishment, or impose a generally applicable duty on the public without adequate notice. Subject to a specific disclosure duty in superior law, access shall depend on authorization and need to know; title, rank, advisory membership, or general oversight alone shall not create access. Judicial handling shall proceed under Chapter 28, Section 8.
A Ministry may organize its work through Offices and Administrations. Both forms shall remain subordinate to the parent Ministry unless an Act of Parliament or Imperial Order expressly establishes a different legal relationship.
An Office is an internal unit for staff, advisory, records, coordination, technical, or other ministerial work. The Minister may create, reorganize, or dissolve an Office by Policy Order unless the Office is established or protected by superior law.
An Administration is a continuing specialized organ responsible for an assigned field of execution, service, regulation, operation, or public administration. A Minister may propose the creation, reorganization, or dissolution of an Administration by Policy Order, but the action shall not take legal effect without approval of the Emperor. Parliament shall be informed of a proposed creation so that funding, leadership, and legal authority may be reviewed.
An Administration established directly by an Act of Parliament or Imperial Order shall not be abolished or materially deprived of its statutory jurisdiction through the general power in this Section. Such an Administration may be altered or dissolved only by the authority and procedure legally competent to alter its establishing instrument.
Unless superior law provides otherwise, an Administration is a subordinate public organ without separate legal personality. It has administrative custody of assigned personnel, records, funds, property, systems, contracts, and programs, but legal ownership remains with the Government, parent Ministry, or other owner designated by law.
The default leadership offices of every Administration shall be the Administrator and Deputy Administrator. The Minister of the parent Ministry shall recommend both officers, and the Emperor shall appoint and may remove them at will. A special title established by law, including Commissioner-General, Director-General, or another principal title, shall satisfy this requirement where the law identifies that officer as exercising the office of Administrator or Deputy Administrator.
The Administrator shall command the Administration. The Deputy Administrator shall be subordinate to the Administrator, perform every lawful task assigned by the Administrator, and serve as second in command. The command, delegation, automatic acting succession, and special-design rules established for Ministers and Deputy Ministers in Section 6 shall apply to these two offices with the necessary substitutions. The parent Minister and Emperor shall retain their lawful powers of oversight and direction.
Personnel of an Administration may be styled Administrative Officers. The Administration may assign functional, professional, operational, enforcement, or technical titles by Administration Order where consistent with law and the staffing authority of the parent Ministry.
Within its assigned jurisdiction and available authority, an Administration may:
(a) execute and administer Acts of Parliament, Imperial Orders, lawful Policy Orders of its parent Ministry, Administration Orders, programs, and duties assigned to it;
(b) plan, organize, operate, and evaluate the services, systems, projects, facilities, and programs placed under its responsibility;
(c) appoint, assign, supervise, train, and discipline ordinary personnel where appointment or personnel authority has been delegated or conferred by law;
(d) administer funds, appropriations, accounts, property, equipment, records, contracts, and other resources assigned to it, subject to fiscal law and the authority of the lawful owner;
(e) maintain official registers, files, statistics, reports, correspondence, seals, and administrative systems required for its work;
(f) receive and process applications, filings, petitions, reports, claims, registrations, permits, approvals, certifications, notices, or other administrative matters where the underlying function is assigned by law;
(g) procure goods and services and enter ordinary contracts within available funds and contracting authority, subject to every approval or signature required by law or the parent Ministry;
(h) verify submitted information, inspect its own operations and assigned public property, require reports from subordinate personnel, and coordinate with other state organs, subnational governments, localities, persons, businesses, and organizations where reasonably necessary for its work;
(i) advise the parent Minister, prepare proposed Administration Orders, Policy Orders, or legislation, and submit reports and recommendations; and
(j) exercise powers expressly conferred by law together with the necessary and incidental authority reasonably required to carry them into execution.
Necessary and incidental authority shall support an assigned power and shall not create a new jurisdiction. It shall not authorize an Administration to create a criminal offense, impose a tax or fee, appropriate money, arrest or detain a person, search or seize private property, freeze an account, compulsorily acquire private property, grant itself independent legal personality, or exercise another coercive or sovereign power unless superior law expressly grants that power.
An Administration Order may govern the Administration's personnel, internal organization, procedures, records, assigned programs, technical execution, case administration, and implementation of existing law or a Policy Order. It may impose a generally applicable requirement outside the Administration only where an Act of Parliament, Imperial Order, or lawful Policy Order expressly delegates that public-facing authority.
An Administration Order shall enter into legal effect only upon signature of the Administrator or the Deputy Administrator while lawfully acting as Administrator. It shall state the Administration, parent Ministry, consecutive number, date, issuing officer, and principal legal authority. The official seal shall be displayed if one has been adopted. The classification, secure-registration, notice, and judicial-handling rules of Section 4 shall apply with the necessary substitutions.
The parent Minister may suspend or revoke an Administration Order and may supersede it by Policy Order, unless superior law places the Administration or the particular decision outside ordinary ministerial control. An Administration Order shall not amend, suspend, or repeal a Policy Order, Act of Parliament, Imperial Order, or other superior law.
A Policy Order lawfully issued by an Administration before the commencement of this Section shall continue as an Administration Order with its existing number, date, and lawful effect until amended, replaced, revoked, or expired.
Each Ministry shall be headed by a Minister. The Deputy Minister shall be second in command and subordinate to the Minister except where superior law assigns the Deputy an independent function.
The Minister and Deputy Minister of every Ministry shall be appointed and removable at will by the Emperor and shall serve at His Imperial Majesty's pleasure. The Emperor may directly supervise a Ministry, assign either officer additional responsibilities, or direct the temporary performance of a ministerial function.
The Minister may direct the Deputy Minister to perform any lawful task within the Ministry's jurisdiction, including supervision of Offices or Administrations, coordination of programs, review of work, representation of the Ministry, preparation of instruments, execution of ordinary documents, investigation of administrative matters, and delivery of reports or advice. The Deputy Minister shall obey every lawful ministerial direction and shall remain accountable to the Minister for its execution.
A ministerial direction or delegation may be limited, amended, or withdrawn by the Minister and shall not prevent the Minister from exercising the same authority. It shall not transfer a power that the Constitution, an Act of Parliament, or an Imperial Order requires the Minister to exercise personally, shall not control or obstruct a function assigned independently to the Deputy Minister by superior law, and shall not be used to evade an approval, concurrence, signature, consultation, or other condition imposed by law.
Upon a vacancy in the office of Minister, or during the Minister's absence, incapacity, recusal, loss of communication, or other actual inability to discharge all or part of the office, the Deputy Minister shall automatically act as Minister without a further appointment. The acting Deputy may exercise the Minister's powers and duties to the extent necessary for full and continuous operation of the Ministry. Where the inability or recusal affects only a particular matter, the acting authority shall be limited to that matter.
Automatic acting service shall end when the Minister resumes the discharge of office, a new Minister assumes office, or the Emperor appoints another acting authority or otherwise directs. The return or appointment of a Minister shall not invalidate a lawful act completed by the Deputy while acting. Ordinary travel, delegation, or workload shall not activate automatic succession while the Minister remains able to direct and discharge the office.
Where both ministerial offices are vacant or unavailable, no lower officer shall acquire the powers of Minister merely by seniority. The Emperor may appoint an acting Minister or direct another lawful arrangement for continuity.
The Constitution, an Act of Parliament, an Imperial Order, or a lawful Imperial appointment may replace or limit this Section for a particular Ministry, including its command, delegation, approval, deputy authority, succession, acting-service, or staffing rules.
A special rule shall displace this Section only to the extent that it expressly establishes a different rule or cannot operate together with the default. The addition of special offices, councils, procedures, or duties shall not by itself eliminate ministerial command or automatic deputy succession. A Policy Order shall not alter the statutory order of succession or a limitation imposed by superior law.
His Imperial Majesty's Most Honorable Privy Council is continued as the formal cabinet and principal advisory council of High Government to the Emperor. Its continuity, membership, records, and lawful acts shall not depend upon re-establishment by statute.
The Emperor shall be the sole head and presiding authority of the Council and may summon, adjourn, dismiss, or direct its business. For a particular meeting or matter, He may designate a Privy Councilor or supporting officer to circulate notice, organize proceedings, maintain the authorized record, or communicate the Council's advice. Such a designation shall be an assignment of duty only and shall not create a separate office or confer authority over other Privy Councilors.
The following officeholders shall be ex officio Privy Councilors:
(a) every Minister of a Ministry established by law, including the Ministers of Transport, Interior, Finance, Engineering, Foreign Affairs, Agriculture, Infrastructure, Defense, and State Security;
(b) the Governor of the Imperial Bank of the Totemian Empire;
(c) the Marshal of the Empire and the Chief of the General Staff;
(d) each Service Commander and every other serving officer lawfully holding the rank of General, Admiral, Vice Admiral, or Rear Admiral in an Armed Service Command;
(e) the Director-General of State Protection, the Director-General of Intelligence, the Director-General of Ideological Security, and the Chief State Security Procurator; and
(f) any additional Privy Councilor appointed by the Emperor at His pleasure.
A person holding more than one qualifying office shall hold one membership. Appointment or promotion by the Emperor to an office or rank listed in this Section shall carry the corresponding Council membership unless He directs otherwise. A lawful acting officer may exercise the membership attached to an office only for the duration and scope of the acting appointment.
The Council shall advise the Emperor, coordinate High Government, and consider matters placed before it by Him or raised by a Privy Councilor in accordance with His direction. It shall not bind the Emperor, and no vote, quorum, or concurrence is required before He acts unless He expressly orders otherwise.
Council proceedings and records may be classified by the Emperor or the lawful originator of the matter. Members shall protect classified Council business, and access shall be limited to those authorized for the particular matter.
For purposes of this Code, an official name identifies the legal institution established or recognized by law. A formal state style is the full ceremonial and institutional name of the same organ. A short name or acronym has the same legal meaning where the context is clear.
Each Ministry's formal state style is its official Ministry name followed by "of the Totemian Empire." That style shall be used in Chapter headings, establishment or continuation clauses, seals, credentials, and formal state instruments. The shorter Ministry name and authorized acronym may be used in ordinary statutory and administrative text.
(a) The National Interlink Administration may be referred to as the NIA.
(b) The National Land Administration may be referred to as the NLA.
(c) The Ministry of Finance of the Totemian Empire may be referred to as the Ministry of Finance, MOF, His Imperial Majesty's Treasury, HIM Treasury, or the Treasury. His Imperial Majesty's Treasury is its alternative formal state style. These names identify the same Ministry and do not create a separate Treasury organ unless another law expressly provides otherwise.
(d) The Treasury Operations Administration may be referred to as the TOA or Treasury Operations.
(e) The Central Revenue Administration may be referred to as the CRA or Central Revenue.
(f) The Imperial Bank of the Totemian Empire may be referred to as IBTE. The full name shall be used in headings, establishment and continuation clauses, seals, credentials, and formal state instruments; IBTE shall be used as the ordinary statutory and administrative short name. IBTE is a separate state organ and is not the Ministry of Finance, His Imperial Majesty's Treasury, the Treasury Operations Administration, or the Central Revenue Administration.
(g) The Chancellor's Special Procuratorate of the Totemian Empire may be referred to as the Special Procuratorate or, where the context is unambiguous, the Procuratorate.
(h) The National Parks and Reserves Administration may be referred to as the NPRA or, where the context is unambiguous, Parks and Reserves. A National Reserve under Chapter 13 is a protected-area designation and shall not be confused with the Imperial Reserve Fund of the Ministry of Finance.
(i) The Ministry of Transport may be referred to as MOT or, where the context is unambiguous, Transport.
(j) The National Railway Administration may be referred to as the NRA or National Railways.
(k) The National Highway Administration may be referred to as the NHA or National Highways.
(l) The National Parks and Reserves Enforcement Division may be referred to as NPRED or Parks Enforcement.
(m) The Office of Territorial Administration may be referred to as Territorial Administration.
(n) The Office of Civil Registration may be referred to as Civil Registration.
(o) The National Gendarmerie and Police Administration may be referred to as the NGPA, the National Gendarmerie and Police, or, where the context is unambiguous, the National Police.
(p) The Ministry of Agriculture may be referred to as MOA or, where the context is unambiguous, Agriculture.
(q) The Agricultural Affairs Administration may be referred to as the AAA or Agricultural Affairs.
(r) The National Farm Administration may be referred to as the NFA or National Farms.
(s) The Ministry of Foreign Affairs may be referred to as MFA or, where the context is unambiguous, Foreign Affairs.
(t) The Ministry of Defense may be referred to as MOD or, where the context is unambiguous, Defense.
(u) His Imperial Majesty's Armed Forces may be referred to as the Imperial Armed Forces or the Armed Forces.
(v) The Imperial Army Command may be referred to as the Imperial Army or the Army.
(w) The Imperial Navy Command may be referred to as the Imperial Navy or the Navy.
(x) The Imperial Aerospace Forces Command may be referred to as the Imperial Aerospace Forces, Aerospace Forces, or the Air Force.
(y) The Imperial Special Operations Forces Command may be referred to as the Imperial Special Operations Forces, Special Operations Forces, or Special Operations.
(z) The Ministry of State Security may be referred to as MSS or State Security.
(aa) The State Security Commission may be referred to as SSC.
(ab) The General Directorate for State Protection may be referred to as the State Protection Directorate or GDSP.
(ac) The General Intelligence Directorate may be referred to as General Intelligence or GID.
(ad) The Office of the Chief State Security Procurator may be referred to as OCSSP or, where the context is unambiguous, State Security Prosecutions.
(ae) The former FSB and the Committee for State Security, or CSS, are dissolved bodies governed by the succession provisions of Chapter 25 and are not current organs of state.
(af) The Belekovsky Life Guard Regiment may be referred to as the Belekovsky Guard, the Life Guard, or the BLGR.
(ag) The Chancellor's State Communications Directorate may be referred to as the CSCD or, where the context is unambiguous, the State Communications Directorate or the Directorate.
(ah) The National Electoral Administration may be referred to as the NEA.
(ai) The National Organizations Administration may be referred to as NOA.
(aj) The Civil Corrections Administration may be referred to as the CCA.
(ak) The State Labor Protection Administration may be referred to as the SLPA.
(al) The Military Corrections Service may be referred to as the MCS.
(am) The General Directorate for Ideological Security may be referred to as Ideological Security or the GDIS.
(an) The National Library and Imperial Archives of the Totemian Empire may be referred to as the NLIA or, where the context is unambiguous, the National Library and Imperial Archives.
(ap) The Imperial Library of Parliament may be referred to as the ILP or the Parliamentary Library.
Where the context is unambiguous, a Ministry may also be referred to by the subject of its official name, including Transport, Interior, Finance, Engineering, Foreign Affairs, Agriculture, Infrastructure, Defense, or State Security.
A Ministry, Administration, Office, or other state organ may sell goods, materials, supplies, products, agricultural output, services, surplus property, or other property lawfully assigned to or controlled by that organ where the sale is connected to its lawful functions or constitutes an authorized disposition of public property.
Money received directly from a sale under this Section shall be the Own Receipts of the selling organ. Own Receipts shall remain available to the organ that generated them and shall be credited to its General Fund, operating fund, or other lawfully designated account. Where a subordinate body does not maintain a separate fund, its Own Receipts shall be credited to the designated fund of its parent organ for use in the functions that generated the receipts.
Own Receipts shall not constitute State Revenue and shall not be credited to the Collections Fund merely because they were received by a state organ. Another law may expressly designate specified receipts as State Revenue.
A tax, levy, statutory or regulatory fee, fine, forfeiture, compulsory assessment, or other payment imposed by law shall remain public revenue according to the law governing that payment and shall not be treated as a direct sale for the purpose of retaining it as Own Receipts.
Own Receipts may be expended for any lawful function of the receiving organ under the same financial controls applicable to its other discretionary funds.
Each direct sale shall be recorded in a manner sufficient to identify the property, product, or service sold; the quantity where applicable; the purchaser; the amount received; the date; and the account or fund receiving payment.
In managing goods, materials, and productive output, state organs shall give priority, according to their functions, to public use, operational requirements, strategic or emergency stocks, economic support, public distribution, and development programs. Direct sale may be used where appropriate but shall not displace those priorities without a lawful administrative reason.
Any formal written contract, agreement, memorandum, settlement, transfer, purchase, sale, cooperative arrangement, intergovernmental arrangement, international agreement, or other written instrument by which a Ministry, Administration, Office, IBTE, or another state organ undertakes a material obligation with an external person, entity, government, public body, or foreign party shall comply with this Section unless superior law establishes a more specific form.
The first page or signature page of the instrument shall display the official seal, or officially authorized representation of the seal, of the principal Totemian state organ directly responsible for the transaction or commitment. Where a subordinate body is the principal administering body, its own seal may be used, but the instrument shall also identify its parent Ministry or superior state organ.
Every such instrument shall contain a clearly identifiable Authority and Institutional Capacity statement showing: the full official name of the principal Totemian state organ; its parent Ministry or superior state organ, if any; the title of the Totemian officer signing or approving the instrument; and the principal legal authority authorizing the organ to enter the transaction, including the relevant Act, Chapter and Section, Imperial Order, Policy Order, Administration Order, delegation, or other legal instrument where applicable.
The instrument shall identify the reigning Emperor for formal state attribution. The Emperor or Chancellor shall sign only where the Constitution, this Code, another law, an Imperial Order, or the instrument's lawful approval procedure requires that signature.
Every actual signatory shall be identified by full name, official title or legal capacity, and date of signature. Where the signatory acts by delegation rather than by direct statutory authority, the instrument shall identify the delegation or other authority under which the person signs.
The instrument shall state its material purpose and principal obligations with sufficient clarity to determine what the state organ has agreed to do. Where money, property, quantities, duration, delivery, continuing duties, or other material terms form part of the transaction, those terms shall be stated or incorporated by an expressly identified schedule or annex.
A state organ shall not record or present an instrument as finally executed until the seal, authority identification, required signatures, and other information required by this Section are present. A clerical omission may be corrected, but correction shall not create legal authority, approval, or signature power that did not exist when the instrument was made.
A more specific agreement procedure elsewhere in this Code or another law may impose additional requirements. International instruments shall also comply with Chapter 19.
The authority of the Emperor is original, supreme, and direct. It is not delegated by a Ministry, Administration, Office, court, council, officer, or Act of Parliament.
The assignment of a governmental function to a subordinate organ governs ordinary administration and does not exclude the Emperor from that function. The Emperor may personally exercise any executive, administrative, military, appointment, removal, investigative, protective, financial, or other governmental power, call up and decide any matter, command its disposition, or direct a competent organ to act.
Subject only to a requirement of cooperation expressly imposed by the Constitution, no Act, subordinate instrument, prior delegation, or allocation of jurisdiction shall be construed to bind, limit, divest, or subordinate the Emperor. He may dispense with its application in a particular case, suspend it, supersede it, or replace it by Imperial Order or other lawful Imperial direction.
Within every lawful chain of command, a superior office possesses hierarchical competence over the functions of its subordinate offices. Unless superior law provides otherwise, the superior may direct performance, require a report, review an act, call up and decide a pending matter, or affirm, amend, suspend, revoke, or replace a subordinate administrative decision. A Minister may directly perform a function assigned to an Office or Administration of that Ministry, and the head of an organ may directly perform a function assigned to a subordinate unit or officer.
The interpretive maxim qui potest plus, potest minus, meaning that one who may do the greater may do the lesser, shall support this doctrine only within the superior's lawful jurisdiction. It shall not create authority over an unrelated organ or a power of a different legal character.
Hierarchical competence shall not transfer upward a power that the Constitution, an Act of Parliament, or an Imperial Order expressly makes personal, exclusive, independent, judicial, electoral, collective, or dependent upon a specified qualification, vote, concurrence, consultation, warrant, or approval. A special chain of command or allocation established by superior law shall govern to the extent of any conflict.
Direct exercise does not abolish the subordinate office, vacate its holder, or invalidate an earlier lawful act. The superior shall act in the name and by the instrument of the superior office and shall not falsely sign or record the act as that of a subordinate officer.
A state organ or officer may assist a lawful public undertaking outside its ordinary portfolio through personnel, equipment, expertise, access, coordination, temporary supervision, or other useful support.
Noncoercive interorgan cooperation does not require a Policy Order, Administration Order, formal delegation, memorandum, appointment, or other written instrument unless superior law requires writing. Consent or direction may be oral, electronic, inferred from conduct, or shown by knowing acceptance.
A state organ or officer may assist or temporarily coordinate another organ's grant, contract, project, operation, service, inspection, event, or program. The receiving organ may authorize direction of the shared work without transferring permanent jurisdiction or general command.
An assisting person retains the original office, rank, and chain of command. Assistance alone creates no new office, promotion, appointment, compensation, or independent jurisdiction.
This doctrine does not confer coercive, prosecutorial, judicial, appointment, removal, fiscal, custodial, property-transfer, or external-contracting power where law requires specific authority or writing. Applicable accounting, evidence, security, custody, contracting, and records rules remain in force.
An interorgan dispute shall be resolved by the nearest common superior or, if none exists or the dispute remains unresolved, by the Emperor. A completed act is not invalid solely because the cooperation or temporary coordination was undocumented.
The reigning Monarch stands first in the order of legal authority. Accordingly, Imperial assent to an Act supplies the authority of the Emperor for every legal consequence necessarily produced by the Act’s operative provisions. Where any preexisting law, rule, doctrine, or legal instrument subordinate to the Emperor irreconcilably conflicts with the Act, the Act shall control and the earlier rule is impliedly amended, suspended, superseded, repealed, or rendered inoperative to the extent necessary, even though the Act does not identify the earlier rule or use express words of repeal.
This doctrine applies without regard to the form or ordinary rank of the earlier source, including a provision of the Constitution, the Civil Code, an Imperial Order, an earlier Act of Parliament, a Policy Order, an Administration Order, a Banking Council Order, a regulation, a subnational or local enactment, a binding rule of judicial interpretation, or another public legal instrument. It applies both where the Act permits, establishes, recognizes, protects, or requires what the earlier rule prohibits or defeats and where the Act prohibits or abolishes what the earlier rule permits or requires.
The Act does not control because Parliament possesses authority above the earlier source. It controls because Imperial assent is a later legal expression of the authority that stands above every source in the hierarchy. A court or state organ shall therefore treat assent as the Emperor’s approval of every displacement necessary to give the Act practical legal effect. An earlier subordinate rule shall not be used to nullify or defeat the very statutory rule that the Emperor approved.
An irreconcilable conflict exists where compliance with one rule would necessarily violate the other, or where enforcing the earlier rule would prohibit, nullify, punish, or materially defeat what the Act expressly permits, establishes, recognizes, protects, or requires. A court or state organ shall first adopt a reasonable interpretation that allows both rules to operate, but it shall not distort the enacted text or preserve the earlier rule in a manner that deprives the Act of practical effect.
Displacement extends only as far as necessary to resolve the conflict. Every separable portion of the earlier law or instrument that can operate consistently with the Act shall remain in force. An express preservation, limitation, or reservation contained in the Act or the instrument of assent shall govern, and a later lawful expression of the Emperor’s will may revise, restore, or reverse the resulting rule.
In every operative provision of the Constitution, Civil Code, an Act of Parliament, Imperial Order, Policy Order, Administration Order, Banking Council Order, regulation, or other lawful instrument, the terms governed by this Section have the meanings stated below unless that instrument expressly assigns a different meaning. A court or state organ shall apply the word actually enacted and shall not convert permission, advice, prediction, or a condition into a legal duty.
“Shall” imposes a mandatory legal duty, condition, prohibition, or required result. “Shall not” imposes a mandatory prohibition. A person or organ subject to “shall” has no discretion to disregard it, and failure to comply has the legal consequence supplied by the instrument or other applicable law.
“Must” is equally mandatory. It ordinarily states a condition, qualification, prerequisite, or requirement that must be satisfied, while “shall” ordinarily directs an identified person or organ to act or refrain from acting. That drafting distinction does not make “must” weaker than “shall.” Failure to satisfy a requirement expressed by “must” prevents the claimed approval, status, authority, right, or legal consequence from arising unless applicable law provides a cure, waiver, or exception.
“May” grants permission, authority, or discretion and does not by itself impose a duty. “May not” states a prohibition, and “may only” confines the permission or authority to the stated circumstances. Every discretion granted by “may” shall be exercised lawfully, in good faith, within the purpose and limits of the grant, and consistently with superior law.
“Should” states a preferred, recommended, or desirable course and does not by itself create a mandatory legal duty. Failure to follow a provision expressed only with “should” does not by itself invalidate an act, create liability, establish an offense, authorize punishment, or compel performance, although the provision may guide a lawful exercise of discretion or aid interpretation.
“Will,” when used as a verb, ordinarily states a future fact, intention, expectation, prediction, or consequence and does not by itself impose a duty or grant permission. Where an operative provision declares that a legal consequence will occur automatically upon a specified event, a court may give effect to that declaration as an automatic consequence. A statement that a person or organ will perform an act shall not be treated as equivalent to “shall” or “must” unless another operative provision supplies the duty.
“Will,” when used as a noun to identify a person’s testamentary or succession instrument, has that separate legal meaning and is not governed by the future-tense rule. Capitalization alone does not determine which meaning applies; the grammatical use and legal context control.
Convenience, custom, administrative practice, shortage, delay, hardship, preference, or past nonenforcement does not create an implied exception to “shall” or “must.” An exception, cure, waiver, or excuse exists only where the same instrument or superior law provides it. Criminal liability or punishment shall not be created solely from language that is merely advisory, permissive, predictive, or aspirational.
The Ministry of Transport shall be led by the Minister of Transport.
The Ministry of Transport’s second in command shall be the Deputy Minister of Transport.
The Ministry of Transport shall be the principal Ministry responsible for the national administration, integration, coordination, and orderly operation of transport systems within the Totemian Empire.
Its jurisdiction shall extend to the National Interlink, national railways, national highways and roads, metropolitan transit and metro systems, waterways and canals used for transport, docks and landings, pedestrian transport connections, and other transport systems assigned by law or Imperial Order.
The Ministry of Transport shall have authority to:
(a) prepare, maintain, and implement a National Transport Plan;
(b) plan, classify, coordinate, and integrate national transport networks and corridors;
(c) determine national transport priorities and coordinate connections between different modes of transport;
(d) establish service, safety, access, operating, interoperability, technical, and administrative requirements within its jurisdiction by Policy Order;
(e) direct and coordinate the National Interlink Administration, National Railway Administration, and National Highway Administration in accordance with this Chapter;
(f) administer transport systems not assigned by law to a specialized Administration and assign such functions to an Office or Administration in accordance with Chapter 1;
(g) approve, coordinate, or regulate connections to national transport systems where such approval or regulation is required by law or Policy Order;
(h) maintain transport-system plans, technical records, service records, network classifications, and other records necessary for national transport administration;
(i) request and coordinate survey, design, construction, maintenance, materials, labor, equipment, and project support from the Ministry of Infrastructure; and
(j) exercise such other transport-administration powers as are conferred by law or Imperial Order.
The National Interlink Administration, National Railway Administration, and National Highway Administration shall be Administrations of the Ministry of Transport and shall retain the specialized powers and duties established by their respective Chapters.
The Minister of Transport may coordinate those Administrations where projects share corridors, stations, terminals, bridges, tunnels, crossings, rights-of-way, interchanges, access works, or other connected facilities. Such coordination shall not extinguish a power specifically vested in an Administration by this Code.
Transport systems not specifically assigned to one of those Administrations, including metro, local or national transit, waterway transport, or another transport mode, may be administered directly by the Ministry or assigned to an Office or Administration in accordance with Chapter 1.
The Ministry of Transport shall govern the transport-system purpose, network classification, sectoral planning, service, safety, operating requirements, and administration of transport systems assigned to it. The Ministry of Infrastructure shall retain its separate authority as the principal Ministry for physical development, design, construction, improvement, repair, and maintenance of infrastructure of any lawful kind.
The Ministry of Transport and its Administrations may directly plan, design, construct, maintain, and operate transport infrastructure where this Code or another law grants that authority. They may also request the Ministry of Infrastructure to provide survey, design, construction, project-management, maintenance, materials, labor, equipment, or other physical-development support.
Where a completed project is to form part of a transport system under the Ministry of Transport, the two Ministries shall coordinate system requirements, acceptance, ownership, operation, and continuing maintenance before or during development.
For a major joint project, the Ministers may establish a written project arrangement identifying the lead authority, division of work, funding, technical responsibility, operating authority after completion, and continuing maintenance responsibility. An unresolved jurisdictional dispute may be submitted to the Emperor for direction.
The National Interlink Administration shall be led by the Administrator of the National Interlink Administration.
The National Interlink Administration’s second in command shall be the Deputy Administrator of the National Interlink Administration.
The National Interlink Administration shall be under the Ministry of Transport, with appointments for leadership being recommended by the Minister of Transport and approved by the Emperor.
The National Interlink Administration shall be overseen by the Minister of Transport and shall, when requested or ordered, respond to and execute Policy Orders from its oversight parent.
The National Interlink Administration shall be the principal public authority responsible for the planning, development, construction, improvement, expansion, maintenance, repair, renewal, and administration of the National Interlink and its supporting infrastructure.
For purposes of this Chapter, Interlink infrastructure may include routes, corridors, lines, stations, terminals, bridges, tunnels, crossings, access works, supporting structures, utility works, construction facilities, maintenance facilities, and other works reasonably necessary to establish, connect, protect, improve, or operate the National Interlink.
The National Interlink Administration shall have authority to:
(a) prepare and implement plans for the National Interlink as a connected national system;
(b) survey land, prepare maps, conduct feasibility studies, and undertake technical and route studies;
(c) determine routes, corridors, alignments, stations, terminals, crossings, and other Interlink facilities;
(d) prepare engineering designs, construction drawings, specifications, and project plans;
(e) construct, reconstruct, expand, modernize, improve, repair, renew, maintain, and administer Interlink infrastructure;
(f) acquire, own, operate, and maintain machinery, vehicles, tools, works yards, depots, workshops, materials, inventories, and construction or maintenance facilities;
(g) purchase and procure materials, equipment, components, and services required for Interlink development and maintenance;
(h) employ, assign, and organize planning, engineering, construction, inspection, maintenance, land, and operational personnel;
(i) acquire land, easements, rights-of-way, access rights, structures, and other property interests in accordance with Section 7 of this Chapter and other applicable law;
(j) establish technical, construction, maintenance, safety, and administrative standards by Administration Order where such authority has been delegated by the Ministry of Transport;
(k) close, restrict, divert, or temporarily alter Interlink infrastructure where necessary for lawful construction, maintenance, safety, or emergency operations;
(l) contract external persons or entities in accordance with Section 6 of this Chapter;
(m) coordinate with the Ministry of Transport, Ministry of Infrastructure, National Land Administration, and other competent state organs in the execution of Interlink projects; and
(n) exercise other powers reasonably necessary for the lawful development, operation, protection, and maintenance of the National Interlink.
The Administration may prioritize projects according to network connectivity, capacity, travel efficiency, route efficiency, safety, economic development, public need, future expansion, maintenance requirements, and other lawful planning considerations.
Major Interlink development projects shall ordinarily proceed through planning, feasibility, route selection, survey, design, land acquisition where required, construction, inspection or acceptance, and continuing maintenance. Detailed procedures for each stage may be established by Administration Order where the National Interlink Administration has been authorized to issue such orders under Chapter 1.
During planning and feasibility work, the National Interlink Administration shall consider the purpose of the proposed connection, projected use, existing and future network connections, engineering conditions, construction requirements, land impacts, expected travel or routing performance, maintenance requirements, and reasonable route alternatives.
The National Interlink Administration may combine or simplify development stages for minor works, routine improvements, repairs, or urgent works where doing so is reasonable and lawful. No procedural simplification shall dispense with the court authorization required by Section 7 for compulsory acquisition of private land or structures.
The National Interlink Administration shall maintain permanent internal capability for all principal stages of Interlink development and operation. At a minimum, its internal organization shall provide for:
(a) network planning, corridor development, project prioritization, feasibility analysis, route alternatives, and integration of individual projects into the National Interlink;
(b) surveying, engineering analysis, technical design, construction drawings, specifications, structural design, and other professional design work;
(c) direct construction, project management, construction logistics, site works, equipment and materials management, and implementation of approved designs;
(d) inspection, maintenance, repair, renewal, asset condition, and continuing operational readiness of Interlink infrastructure;
(e) right-of-way planning, negotiated acquisition, land-impact analysis, route-alternative records, compulsory-acquisition proceedings, and coordination with the National Land Administration; and
(f) technical standards, safety procedures, internal policy development, project review, and preparation of proposed Administration Orders, proposed Ministry Policy Orders, or other rules within the lawful authority of the Administration.
The Administrator shall organize those functions through Offices, project teams, works crews, specialist groups, laboratories, regional units, or other lawful internal arrangements as necessary. Detailed organization, staffing, leadership titles, and operating procedures may be established by Administration Order or other lawful internal instrument.
The National Interlink Administration shall maintain permanent direct construction capability sufficient to undertake the ordinary planning, design, construction, repair, and maintenance needs of the National Interlink. It may employ or assign engineers, surveyors, designers, planners, builders, construction workers, equipment operators, project managers, inspectors, maintenance personnel, and other technical or operational personnel necessary for such work.
The National Interlink Administration may own, maintain, and operate the machinery, vehicles, tools, depots, workshops, works yards, materials, inventories, and other property reasonably necessary for direct construction and maintenance.
Direct public execution shall be the ordinary method of carrying out Interlink works. External contracting of substantial design or construction work shall be supplementary and exceptional rather than the default method of delivery.
The Administrator may authorize external contracting only where a written determination finds that direct execution is not reasonably practicable or would materially prejudice the project because of a specialized capability unavailable within the Administration, a temporary lack of sufficient internal capacity, an emergency or urgent deadline, a need for specialized equipment or technology, or another substantial technical or operational reason making external performance necessary or clearly preferable.
The procurement of materials, equipment, software, specialized components, or ordinary supplies shall not by itself constitute contracting out the construction or development of a project.
Every contractor and subcontractor performing work for the National Interlink Administration shall comply with the Civil Code and all applicable labor, wage, payment, working-time, safety, and employment laws. No contract may be used to avoid obligations that would otherwise apply to lawful labor performed on an Interlink project.
The use of an external contractor shall not transfer the statutory authority or public responsibility of the National Interlink Administration. The Administration shall retain authority over project approval, route selection, design acceptance, inspection, standards, completion, and final acceptance of the work. A contractor shall not exercise compulsory land-acquisition authority, regulatory authority, or Administration Order authority unless a law expressly provides otherwise.
The National Interlink Administration may acquire land, easements, rights-of-way, access rights, buildings, structures, or other property interests reasonably necessary for the development, construction, protection, maintenance, or improvement of the National Interlink, subject to the Constitution, the Civil Code, and other applicable law.
Where reasonably practicable, the Administration shall first seek to use existing public land, existing corridors, voluntary purchase, exchange, negotiated easements, or other consensual arrangements. The existence of private property along a technically desirable route shall not, by itself, prevent that route from being studied or proposed.
Before seeking compulsory acquisition, the National Interlink Administration shall prepare a Route and Land Impact Statement identifying the proposed route or site, the private land and structures affected, reasonable alternative routes or designs considered, and the principal reasons for selecting the proposed route. The Statement shall address, as applicable, engineering feasibility, safety, network connectivity, route efficiency, travel speed or capacity, construction difficulty, construction and maintenance cost, expected delay, future expansion, and the amount of private land or structures that would be affected.
The Administration shall make reasonable efforts to develop and evaluate alternatives that reduce the loss of private land and structures. This duty shall require genuine consideration of less-disruptive routes, but shall not require selection of an alternative merely because it avoids private property.
An owner whose land or structure would be subject to compulsory acquisition shall be given reasonable notice and may submit an alternative route, alignment, design, access arrangement, or other proposal intended to reduce or avoid the acquisition. The National Interlink Administration shall evaluate such proposal in good faith and shall include the proposal and its response in any subsequent court proceeding concerning the acquisition.
No private land or structure shall be compulsorily acquired under this Chapter without authorization from a court of competent jurisdiction. The National Interlink Administration shall bear the burden of establishing to the satisfaction of the court that:
(a) the acquisition serves a lawful National Interlink purpose;
(b) the property interest sought is no greater than reasonably necessary for that purpose;
(c) reasonable alternatives, including alternatives submitted by affected owners, were actually considered; and
(d) the selected route or site is reasonably justified when the reduction of private land loss offered by alternatives is weighed against engineering feasibility, safety, network connectivity, route efficiency, speed or capacity, construction and maintenance cost, delay, future expansion, and other material project considerations.
The existence of a physically possible route that avoids a particular parcel or structure shall not, by itself, defeat compulsory acquisition. A court may authorize the proposed route where avoidance would cause a material and disproportionate loss of engineering quality, safety, network function, routing efficiency, speed, capacity, constructability, maintainability, or other substantial public benefit when compared with the private land loss avoided.
Compensation, title transfer, registration, and other property consequences of compulsory acquisition shall be governed by the Civil Code and other applicable law. The National Interlink Administration shall coordinate with the National Land Administration for the lawful registration of acquired land or property interests.
The sentence in Title 4, Chapter 1, Article 1, Section 6 of the Civil Code providing that Interlink right-of-way land shall be annexed and become public land shall not cause automatic annexation merely because a route, frame, pillar, station, access point, or supporting work is planned or placed. Private land shall become public land only after negotiated transfer or a final court authorization under this Section, satisfaction of compensation and other conditions required by law, and registration of the resulting public interest.
Where an existing structure is affected, the approval of the Emperor required by the Civil Code and the court authorization required by this Section shall both be obtained for compulsory destruction, removal, substantial alteration, or acquisition. Neither approval shall substitute for the other.
The National Interlink Administration shall maintain the National Interlink in a condition reasonably suitable for its intended public function and shall conduct inspection, repair, renewal, replacement, capacity improvement, and preventative maintenance as necessary.
For construction, maintenance, safety, or emergency purposes, the National Interlink Administration may lawfully close, restrict, divert, or temporarily alter the use of Interlink infrastructure and may establish temporary routes or access arrangements, subject to superior law and reasonable measures to preserve essential connectivity where practicable.
The National Interlink Administration may modernize, widen, realign, reconstruct, replace, or otherwise improve existing Interlink works where reasonably necessary to improve capacity, safety, durability, routing, connectivity, maintenance, or future development.
The National Railway Administration shall be led by the Administrator of the National Railway Administration. Its second in command shall be the Deputy Administrator of the National Railway Administration.
The National Railway Administration shall be under the Ministry of Transport. Appointments for Administrator and Deputy Administrator shall be recommended by the Minister of Transport and approved by the Emperor.
The National Railway Administration shall be the specialized national authority responsible for the planning, development, construction, operation, maintenance, improvement, safety, and administration of the National Railway System, except for railway infrastructure formally designated as part of the National Interlink and therefore placed under the National Interlink Administration.
The National Railway System may include railway lines, corridors, stations, stops, terminals, depots, yards, crossings, bridges, tunnels, access works, railway equipment, signaling and control infrastructure, maintenance facilities, and other works reasonably necessary for national railway service.
The National Railway Administration shall have authority to:
(a) plan and administer the National Railway System;
(b) survey and study routes, corridors, stations, terminals, yards, depots, crossings, bridges, tunnels, and other railway facilities;
(c) prepare feasibility studies, engineering work, technical designs, construction plans, service plans, and capacity or expansion plans;
(d) design, construct, reconstruct, expand, improve, repair, maintain, and operate railway infrastructure under its jurisdiction;
(e) establish railway service patterns, route classifications, technical standards, safety standards, connection requirements, operating procedures, and maintenance requirements by Administration Order where authorized by the Ministry of Transport;
(f) own, acquire, operate, and maintain construction and maintenance equipment, facilities, materials, depots, yards, workshops, and other property necessary for railway functions;
(g) employ, assign, and organize works crews, technical staff, operational staff, inspectors, and maintenance personnel;
(h) regulate connection to or use of National Railway infrastructure in accordance with lawful safety, technical, access, capacity, and operating requirements;
(i) acquire land or property interests for National Railway projects in accordance with the safeguards incorporated from Chapter 3, Section 7;
(j) contract external persons or entities where permitted by this Chapter; and
(k) exercise other railway powers assigned by law, Imperial Order, or lawful Policy Order of the Ministry of Transport.
Direct public execution shall be the ordinary method for substantial work where the Administration possesses reasonable internal capacity. The Administration may request development or construction support from the Ministry of Infrastructure. Substantial external contracting shall be supplementary and shall require a written determination of specialized need, temporary lack of capacity, emergency, specialized technology or equipment, or another substantial operational reason. Contractors and subcontractors shall comply with the Civil Code and all applicable labor laws.
Where compulsory acquisition of private land or structures is necessary for a National Railway project, the Administration shall follow the procedural and judicial safeguards established for the National Interlink Administration under Chapter 3, Section 7, with the necessary substitutions for railway purposes.
A local, private, or other non-national railway may connect to or use National Railway infrastructure only in accordance with lawful safety, technical, access, capacity, and operating requirements established by the Administration or the Ministry of Transport.
The National Highway Administration shall be led by the Administrator of the National Highway Administration. Its second in command shall be the Deputy Administrator of the National Highway Administration.
The National Highway Administration shall be under the Ministry of Transport. Appointments for Administrator and Deputy Administrator shall be recommended by the Minister of Transport and approved by the Emperor.
The National Highway Administration shall be the specialized national authority responsible for the planning, development, construction, operation, maintenance, improvement, safety, and administration of the National Highway System.
The National Highway System may include nationally designated highways, roads, streets, bridges, tunnels, interchanges, junctions, crossings, shoulders, barriers, drainage, signs, lighting, rest areas, access works, pedestrian or cycling connections, maintenance facilities, and other road infrastructure reasonably necessary for the national network.
A road owned or controlled by the Imperial Government may be designated, reclassified, or removed from the National Highway System by Policy Order of the Minister of Transport after consultation with the National Highway Administration. A locally controlled or privately owned road shall not be transferred into Imperial ownership merely by classification and may enter the National Highway System only through lawful agreement, transfer, acquisition, or other authority.
The National Highway Administration shall have authority to:
(a) plan and administer the National Highway System;
(b) survey routes and prepare highway, road, bridge, tunnel, interchange, junction, and corridor plans;
(c) establish route, design, construction, safety, maintenance, traffic-control, and technical standards by Administration Order where authorized by the Ministry of Transport;
(d) design, construct, reconstruct, expand, realign, improve, repair, maintain, and operate National Highway infrastructure;
(e) manage temporary closures, diversions, access restrictions, and traffic arrangements required for construction, maintenance, safety, or emergency operations;
(f) designate, reclassify, or remove Imperial Government roads from the National Highway System through the procedure established by this Chapter;
(g) own, acquire, operate, and maintain works crews, equipment, materials, depots, maintenance facilities, signs, barriers, lighting, drainage works, and other property necessary for the National Highway System;
(h) acquire land or property interests for National Highway projects in accordance with the safeguards incorporated from Chapter 3, Section 7;
(i) provide technical assistance or construction support to other road authorities where lawfully authorized;
(j) contract external persons or entities where permitted by this Chapter; and
(k) exercise other highway powers assigned by law, Imperial Order, or lawful Policy Order of the Ministry of Transport.
Direct public execution shall be the ordinary method for substantial work where the Administration possesses reasonable internal capacity. The Administration may request development or construction support from the Ministry of Infrastructure. Substantial external contracting shall be supplementary and shall require a written determination of specialized need, temporary lack of capacity, emergency, specialized technology or equipment, or another substantial operational reason. Contractors and subcontractors shall comply with the Civil Code and all applicable labor laws.
Where compulsory acquisition of private land or structures is necessary for a National Highway project, the Administration shall follow the procedural and judicial safeguards established for the National Interlink Administration under Chapter 3, Section 7, with the necessary substitutions for highway purposes.
Roads and streets not included in the National Highway System shall remain under the lawful authority of their existing owner or competent government, without preventing technical assistance, funding, or construction support from the Ministry of Transport, National Highway Administration, or Ministry of Infrastructure where lawfully authorized.
The Ministry of Interior shall be led by the Minister of Interior.
The Deputy Minister of Interior shall be the Ministry's second in command and shall act for the Minister during the Minister's absence or incapacity, subject to any contrary direction of the Emperor.
The Ministry of Interior shall be the principal Ministry responsible for domestic civil administration, territorial and settlement administration, civil registration, electoral administration, organization registration and recognition, civilian corrections, labor protection and enforcement, and national civil policing, and for coordinating national land and protected-land administration within the Totemian Empire.
The Ministry shall exercise unified administrative leadership over the domestic records and functions assigned to it by law and shall implement the Constitution, Acts of Parliament, Imperial Orders, the Civil Code, and other applicable law within its jurisdiction.
The Ministry of Interior shall have authority to:
(a) exercise unified administration over domestic civil, territorial, settlement, civil-registration, electoral, organization-registration, civil-corrections, labor-protection, national land, protected-land, and public-security matters assigned to it by law;
(b) direct and supervise the Office of Territorial Administration, Office of Civil Registration, National Electoral Administration, National Organizations Administration, Civil Corrections Administration, State Labor Protection Administration, National Gendarmerie and Police Administration, National Land Administration, and National Parks and Reserves Administration;
(c) administer settlement-charter applications and exercise the settlement-chartering authority vested in the Minister of Interior by the Constitution;
(d) maintain the Territorial and Settlement Register, Settlement Registry, Imperial Civil Registry, Imperial Register of Electors, and Unified Register of Organizations through the competent organs of the Ministry;
(e) receive, examine, and determine applications for registration or official recognition where the Civil Code or another law assigns the decision to the Totemian Government and does not designate another competent authority;
(f) require subnational governments, localities, and competent state organs to provide official administrative information reasonably necessary for functions assigned to the Ministry;
(g) coordinate authoritative domestic records with IBTE, Ministry of Finance, National Land Administration, and other competent state organs without displacing records legally maintained by those organs;
(h) issue Policy Orders governing matters within the Ministry's jurisdiction;
(i) direct administrative inspections, reviews, reporting, and coordination of subordinate Offices and Administrations; and
(j) exercise other domestic civil-administration powers conferred by law or Imperial Order.
The Ministry shall include the Office of Territorial Administration and the Office of Civil Registration. The National Electoral Administration, National Organizations Administration, Civil Corrections Administration, State Labor Protection Administration, National Gendarmerie and Police Administration, National Land Administration, and National Parks and Reserves Administration shall be Administrations of the Ministry.
The Minister may assign available Ministry personnel to support an election, registration drive, inspection, or other temporary domestic-administration requirement. A temporary assignment shall not transfer the officer's permanent office or create a new organizational unit.
The Minister shall coordinate the Ministry's organs where their functions overlap, including territorial status, civil status, citizenship, voter eligibility, organization status, civil custody, labor protection, land, protected lands, public security, identity verification, and domestic records.
There is established within the Ministry of Interior an Office of Territorial Administration.
The Office shall be led by the Director of Territorial Administration. The Deputy Director of Territorial Administration shall be second in command. Both officers shall be appointed and removable at will by the Minister of Interior unless the Emperor directs otherwise. Other personnel may be styled Territorial Administration Officers or receive functional titles by Policy Order.
The Office shall maintain the Territorial and Settlement Register for subnational governments, localities, settlements, and other territorial units recognized by law. The Register may record official names, legal classifications, governing authorities, principal officeholders, lawful boundaries, governing instruments, administrative parents, and current legal status.
Entries shall record legal facts established by competent authority. Subnational governments, localities, and competent state organs shall provide official information reasonably necessary to keep the Register accurate, including lawful changes in officeholders, names, charter status, and boundaries.
The Office shall coordinate with the National Land Administration where territorial or settlement records depend upon registered parcels, coordinates, land boundaries, ownership records, or other authoritative land information.
The Ministry shall administer the settlement-chartering function assigned to the Minister of Interior by the Constitution and shall maintain the Settlement Registry as part of the Territorial and Settlement Register.
An application for a settlement charter shall be filed with the Office of Territorial Administration and shall identify the proposed name and classification, the applicable subnational government or locality, the location or boundaries, the proposed governing arrangement, and any other information required by law or Policy Order.
The Office shall examine the application for completeness, duplication, territorial conflict, consistency with registered land and boundary records, and compliance with lawful settlement classifications. It shall prepare the matter for decision by the Minister and may require correction of incomplete or materially inaccurate information.
A settlement charter may be approved by the Minister of Interior by signature or directly by the Emperor. The Minister may refuse an application that does not comply with law and shall state the principal reasons in the administrative record.
An approved charter shall take effect on the date stated by the approving authority or, if no date is stated, upon lawful approval. The Office shall enter the charter into the Settlement Registry without undue delay.
A material amendment or reclassification shall be recorded through an amended charter or other lawful instrument approved by the Minister or the Emperor unless another law provides a different procedure. Dissolution or involuntary loss of charter status shall occur only under competent legal authority.
There is established within the Ministry of Interior an Office of Civil Registration.
The Office shall be led by the Registrar-General of the Totemian Empire. The Deputy Registrar-General shall be second in command. Both officers shall be appointed and removable at will by the Minister of Interior unless the Emperor directs otherwise. Other personnel may be styled Civil Registrars or receive functional titles by Policy Order.
The Office shall maintain the Imperial Civil Registry for civil-status records assigned to the Ministry by law, including civil marriages and divorces, citizenship applications and oaths, and other records concerning the legal status of natural persons.
The Office may receive, examine, process, and preserve citizenship applications and oath records required by the Constitution or other law. It shall provide authoritative citizenship and civil-status information to the National Electoral Administration and other competent state organs where authorized by law.
Civil marriage and divorce registration shall be administered under the Civil Code without compelling a religious organization to perform or recognize a religious marriage contrary to its lawful doctrine.
The Registrar-General shall designate a Civil Registrar as Fiduciary Registrar to maintain the Register of Estates and Trusts, register instruments and status changes, and certify fiduciary authority under Chapter 30. The designation creates no separate office or Administration and may be held with another civil-registration assignment.
The Ministry may maintain and use domestic administrative records reasonably necessary for its statutory duties and may receive information from other state systems where access is authorized by law.
The Ministry shall respect the authoritative record maintained by the organ legally responsible for the underlying information. Financial records shall remain authoritative in IBTE and Treasury systems, organization status shall remain authoritative in the Unified Register of Organizations, and parcel ownership and land valuation records shall remain authoritative in the National Land Administration where law so provides.
Where law authorizes demographic or civil information, the Ministry may administer the portion within its jurisdiction. Financial information needed for a lawful function shall be obtained from the competent financial authority.
The Ministry shall maintain procedures for correcting administrative errors, recording amendments, preserving official records, and protecting personal, confidential, restricted, electoral, organization, and law-enforcement information. Disclosure shall occur only where permitted or required by law.
There is established under the Ministry of Interior the National Electoral Administration.
The Administration shall be led by the Administrator of the National Electoral Administration, who shall also hold the functional title of Chief Electoral Registrar. The Deputy Administrator shall also hold the functional title of Deputy Chief Electoral Registrar and shall be second in command. Both officers shall be recommended by the Minister of Interior and appointed by the Emperor without a fixed statutory term.
The Administration may appoint Returning Officers, Election Officers, Poll Officers, and other temporary election personnel for a particular vote. A permanent officer may hold more than one electoral function where the Administrator determines that the assignments can be performed competently.
The National Electoral Administration shall maintain a single Imperial Register of Electors derived from the Imperial Civil Registry and other authoritative records. Only registered citizens who satisfy the qualifications established by the Constitution and other law may be entered as electors. A Policy Order shall not create a new qualification or disqualification for voting or candidacy.
The Administration shall conduct general and special elections, public referendums, recalls, and other public votes assigned to the Imperial Government. It may receive candidate filings and ballot petitions; verify eligibility and petition signatures; issue election calendars and public notices; prepare ballots and voting instructions; designate polling arrangements; secure voting systems and ballot materials; conduct the vote; count and tabulate valid votes; reconcile voter and ballot records; conduct an administrative audit or recount; preserve the election record; and publish and certify the administrative result.
The Office of Civil Registration and Office of Territorial Administration shall provide the citizenship, identity, civil-status, and territorial information required to maintain the register and conduct a vote. Each Office shall remain responsible for the authoritative records within its jurisdiction.
A general-election result, parliamentary return, or other result requiring confirmation or approval by the Emperor shall not acquire final legal effect until that constitutional requirement is satisfied. A referendum or recall shall take effect as provided by the Constitution and other law.
Voting shall be secret. The register, ballots, count, audit, and certification records shall be protected against unauthorized alteration, duplication, disclosure, destruction, or interference. Candidate access and administrative treatment shall be applied according to law without favoritism by the Administration.
The Administrator may correct a clerical or tabulation error on the record, investigate an administrative irregularity, order a recount where reasonably necessary, and refer suspected criminal conduct to the National Gendarmerie and Police Administration or a competent prosecutorial authority. The Emperor and courts of competent jurisdiction may require production of the election record according to law.
The Administration shall administer and enforce the election-law functions assigned to it by Title 1, Chapter 3, including campaign-law filings and disclosures, complaints, administrative investigations, evidence-preservation measures, corrective orders, civil election penalties, criminal referrals, and petitions for candidate disqualification to the extent authorized by that Chapter. Final candidate disqualification shall remain a judicial function.
There is established under the Ministry of Interior the National Organizations Administration.
The Administration shall be led by the Administrator of the National Organizations Administration. The Deputy Administrator shall be second in command. Both officers shall be recommended by the Minister of Interior and appointed by the Emperor without a fixed statutory term.
The Administration shall be the central registration and recognition authority for organizations operating in or under the law of the Totemian Empire. For this Chapter, an organization means a structured body, enterprise, association, institution, or undertaking acting under a common name or purpose, whether or not its legal form grants personality separate from its members or owners.
The Administration's jurisdiction shall include:
(a) economic organizations, including sole proprietorships, individual or household businesses, general partnerships, limited partnerships, limited liability partnerships, limited liability companies, corporations, cooperatives, joint ventures, state-owned enterprises, branches, representative offices, and other enterprise forms recognized by law;
(b) social organizations, including nonprofit corporations and other nonprofit, charitable, public-benefit, advocacy, professional, labor, cultural, scientific, educational, mutual-aid, civic, membership, and community organizations, foundations, and social-service institutions;
(c) political parties, political groups, campaign organizations, and other political organizations;
(d) religions, churches, temples, religious bodies, faith organizations, and other religious organizations; and
(e) another class of organization assigned by law or Imperial Order.
The Minister may use Policy Orders to establish registration classes and filing standards within these categories. A registration class shall identify the organization's ownership or membership form, governing structure, liability model, and legal capacity and shall not create a tax, immunity, or property rule contrary to the Civil Code or superior law.
The National Organizations Administration shall maintain the Unified Register of Organizations as the authoritative register of official organization status within the Totemian Empire. Each approved organization shall receive a unique organization registration number.
An application shall state the proposed name, organization category and legal form, lawful purpose or business scope, principal address, founders or owners, controlling persons, principal officers, authorized representatives, governing instrument where applicable, capital or ownership information where applicable, and other information required by law or Policy Order.
The Administration shall examine applications, prevent materially deceptive or conflicting names, verify required persons and documents, classify the organization, approve or refuse registration, record changes in name or status, and register mergers, conversions, dissolutions, and closures. A refusal, suspension, or cancellation shall state its legal and factual basis in the administrative record.
The Administration shall accept for processing an enterprise form lawfully recognized under the law of the United States or the People's Republic of China. It shall register the enterprise under the nearest Totemian form or, where no adequate equivalent exists, as an Other Recognized Enterprise after recording its ownership, control, liability model, and legal capacity. The use of a foreign form or label shall not import foreign law into the Totemian Empire.
Registration establishes the official name, category, status, and recorded powers of an organization. It shall grant separate legal personality, limited liability, perpetual succession, tax treatment, electoral rights, eligibility for public funds, or another special status only where the registered form and applicable Totemian law provide that consequence. Registration of a sole proprietorship or other unincorporated undertaking shall not separate the undertaking from its owner unless law expressly provides otherwise.
Official recognition of a political or religious organization under the Civil Code shall be determined and recorded through this Administration. Religious registration shall be administered consistently with the Constitution, and the Ministry shall not determine theological truth or compel religious doctrine. Political registration shall not authorize the Ministry to direct a political organization's lawful internal platform or candidate choices unless another law expressly provides otherwise.
For recognition governed by Title 1, Article 21 of the Civil Code, the Administration shall approve the application before any fee is collected. The Central Revenue Administration shall collect the required recognition fee, credit it to the Collections Fund, and notify the Administration when payment is complete. Recognition takes effect upon full payment.
The Minister, Administrator, or an authorized Registration Officer may require correction of a materially incomplete, false, or outdated filing and may conduct a registration inspection. The Minister or Administrator may refuse, suspend, or cancel registration for fraud, material falsehood, unlawful purpose, dissolution, abandonment, serious or repeated violation of registration duties, a legal disqualification, or another ground established by law or Imperial Order. The Emperor may direct any registration or recognition action within the constitutional authority of the Crown.
The Administration may style personnel as Registration Officers or Compliance Officers. One officer may perform both functions. Additional internal units shall be created only where approved under Chapter 1 and operationally necessary.
Upon final registration or recognition of an organization, the Administration shall certify its class and authorized representatives to the Imperial Bank of the Totemian Empire (IBTE). The registration itself shall authorize the organization accounts required by the Civil Code, and IBTE shall create or activate them without a separate eligibility application or approval by the Ministry of Finance. The Administration shall certify later changes in status or representation.
The public register may display an organization's name, registration number, category, legal form, status, principal address, principal officers, and lawful scope. Personal identifiers, protected ownership information, classified records, security information, and other restricted material shall be disclosed only as authorized by law.
There is established within the Ministry of Interior the National Gendarmerie and Police Administration. It shall constitute the administrative organization of the National Gendarmerie and Police established by Imperial Order 48 and shall continue as the national police and civil law-enforcement agency of the Totemian Empire and as a branch of the Imperial Armed Forces under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Interior.
The Administration shall be led by the Commissioner-General of the National Gendarmerie and Police. The Deputy Commissioner-General shall be second in command. For Chapter 1, those officers shall respectively exercise the offices of Administrator and Deputy Administrator.
The Commissioner-General and Deputy Commissioner-General shall be recommended by the Minister of Interior and appointed by the Emperor without a fixed statutory term.
The Minister shall exercise unified ministerial leadership over national civil policing and may issue Policy Orders governing police administration, national enforcement priorities, personnel standards, training, records, coordination, and other matters within the Ministry's jurisdiction. The Commissioner-General shall exercise operational command in accordance with law and lawful superior orders. Neither officer may obstruct an Imperial command or a lawful judicial order.
Sworn peace officers shall be styled Constables. The Commissioner-General may establish supervisory ranks, specialist assignments, investigative titles, commands, stations, detachments, and other internal police units by Administration Order. A Constable assigned principally to criminal investigation may be styled a Detective. A member of the Imperial Armed Forces lawfully appointed as a Constable may retain the person's military rank separately from police rank.
The Administration shall exercise national civil law-enforcement jurisdiction throughout the Totemian Empire. It shall prevent, stop, detect, and investigate violations of law; maintain public order; protect persons and property; receive reports and requests for assistance; execute warrants and court orders; apprehend persons lawfully wanted or subject to arrest; preserve evidence and crime scenes; assist courts and competent authorities; and perform other duties assigned by law.
Where a law of a subnational government or locality is in force and capable of police enforcement, the Administration may enforce that law within the applicable jurisdiction unless competent legal authority has assigned enforcement exclusively to another body.
Subnational governments and localities may maintain their own law-enforcement bodies according to law. Authorities possessing concurrent jurisdiction shall coordinate enforcement and may provide mutual assistance.
Within its lawful jurisdiction, the Administration may:
(a) receive and register reports, complaints, accusations, requests for assistance, and voluntary surrenders;
(b) open and conduct investigations into suspected violations of law;
(c) question and interview persons, obtain statements, and request information or records according to law;
(d) collect, secure, examine, preserve, and document evidence and maintain the chain of custody of seized or recovered property;
(e) execute arrest warrants, search warrants, summonses, court orders, and other lawful judicial process;
(f) arrest or detain a person where authorized by warrant or where probable cause exists and law permits arrest without a warrant;
(g) temporarily secure or control a scene where reasonably necessary to protect persons, preserve evidence, prevent an offense, apprehend a suspect, or restore public order;
(h) issue citations, notices, summonses, or other police process where authorized by law;
(i) pursue, locate, apprehend, and transport fugitives or other persons lawfully sought by competent authority; and
(j) request or provide lawful assistance to another state organ, police authority, emergency body, or court.
Searches and seizures shall comply with the Constitution, warrants issued by competent courts, and other applicable law. A matter requiring prosecution shall be transmitted with the relevant evidence and police record to a competent prosecutorial authority.
A Constable making an arrest or detention shall record the legal basis and material circumstances. A person taken into custody shall be brought before a judge for an initial appearance within twenty-four to forty-eight hours after arrest, as required by Imperial Order 48, and shall be informed of the charges. If the person cannot afford legal representation, the court shall appoint a public defender no later than the plea stage. Any more protective requirement of superior law shall control.
The Administration shall maintain accurate records of arrests, detentions, warrants, seized property, evidence, transfers of custody, and other material police actions.
A Constable may use force only where lawful and reasonably necessary to perform a police duty. The degree of force shall be proportionate to the threat, resistance, or lawful objective. Lethal force may be used only where authorized by law and reasonably necessary to protect a person against an imminent threat of death or serious bodily injury, or under another legal standard expressly authorizing lethal force.
Every Constable shall take the oath of allegiance required by law before exercising sworn police authority.
No Constable shall exercise independent police powers until completing at least two hours of approved law-enforcement training. The Commissioner-General may establish additional or recurring requirements according to assignment, rank, or operational need.
Training shall include police authority, constitutional search and seizure, warrants, arrest and detention, evidence handling, use of force, public-order duties, report writing, and obligations to courts and other competent authorities.
The Commissioner-General shall maintain personnel discipline, operational review, complaint handling, and investigation of police misconduct and may appoint, assign, transfer, suspend, discipline, or remove ordinary personnel according to law and applicable Policy Orders and Administration Orders.
The Minister may direct an administrative inspection or review and require reports concerning police operations, training, discipline, staffing, complaints, or other matters within ministerial oversight.
The Commissioner-General may establish police stations, territorial commands, patrol units, criminal-investigation teams, specialist units, temporary task groups, and other internal structures necessary for national policing. Their organization, areas of responsibility, staffing, and command relationships may be established by Administration Order.
The Administration may enter operational arrangements with subnational governments and localities for joint patrols, investigations, prisoner or evidence transfer, emergency assistance, communications, training, and other lawful police cooperation.
During a serious disturbance, major criminal incident, emergency, or other substantial public-security need, the Commissioner-General may temporarily concentrate or redeploy police personnel and resources as necessary for the national response, subject to lawful superior direction.
There is established within the Ministry of Interior the Civil Corrections Administration, which shall be the central civilian organ for imprisonment, pretrial detention after commitment to a corrections facility, custodial transfer, rehabilitation, and reintegration throughout the Totemian Empire.
The Administration shall protect society and carry out lawful judgments while preserving secure and humane conditions, productive discipline, education, health, and the restoration of persons to useful social life.
The Commissioner-General of Civil Corrections shall exercise the office of Administrator. The Deputy Commissioner-General of Civil Corrections shall exercise the office of Deputy Administrator. Their command, appointment, removal, direction, and succession shall be governed by Chapter 1 and by any direct order of the Emperor.
The civil corrections service grades, in descending order, shall be Commissioner-General, Deputy Commissioner-General, Facility Commandant, Senior Correctional Officer, and Correctional Officer. A Facility Commandant shall command an assigned facility. Rehabilitation, health, education, records, transport, and other specialist duties are functional assignments and do not create additional service grades.
The Administration shall include the Custody and Facility Operations Service and the Rehabilitation, Education, and Reintegration Service. The first shall administer secure custody, facilities, classification, transport, safety, and discipline. The second shall administer education, work and vocational programs, health coordination, social reintegration, and post-release preparation.
The Commissioner-General may place either Service under the Commissioner-General, Deputy Commissioner-General, a Facility Commandant, or another qualified officer. One person may lead both Services, command more than one facility, or hold another compatible assignment when staffing requires. No additional permanent command office is created unless lawfully staffed and funded.
The Civil Corrections Administration shall have authority to:
(a) receive and hold a person committed by a legally effective judgment, detention order, other lawful process, or direct Imperial authority;
(b) operate, secure, inspect, consolidate, and close civilian prisons, jails, remand centers, detention centers, transport units, and assigned community-supervision programs;
(c) maintain the central civil custody register, calculate terms of custody, classify prisoners, designate facilities, and order custodial transfer;
(d) search prisoners, visitors, vehicles, property, and controlled areas; seize contraband; prevent escape, violence, self-harm, disorder, and unlawful communication; and use reasonable and proportionate force where necessary for a lawful corrections purpose;
(e) establish lawful rules of discipline, movement, visitation, correspondence, property, work, education, health, safety, and facility administration;
(f) provide food, shelter, sanitation, necessary health care, exercise, communication, education, vocational preparation, and other conditions required by law and available resources;
(g) escort and transfer persons in custody and require police assistance where necessary for security;
(h) inspect every civilian confinement facility and issue binding correction orders within its jurisdiction;
(i) collect custody statistics, investigate escapes and serious incidents, preserve evidence, and refer suspected offenses to a competent investigative or prosecutorial organ; and
(j) issue Administration Orders and exercise necessary and incidental authority within the express custodial powers of this Section.
Before accepting a person for imprisonment, the Administration shall record the legal authority, the committing body, the term and conditions of custody, and any assent of the Emperor or His authorized representative required by the Constitution for long imprisonment. It shall promptly seek clarification from the committing court or Imperial authority when the authority or term is materially uncertain.
The Administration shall execute legally effective court orders and Imperial directions concerning custody, access, transfer, treatment, or release. It shall not alter a sentence, extend confinement through discipline, or hold a person after lawful authority expires. A person shall be released promptly upon expiration of the term, pardon, commutation, dismissal, or other controlling order.
Access to counsel, courts, authorized inspectors, and lawful complaint procedures shall not be obstructed. Facility security measures may regulate the time, place, and manner of access but shall not defeat the right or controlling order.
All permanent civilian imprisonment facilities of the Totemian Government shall form one system under the Civil Corrections Administration. A subnational government or locality may operate a civilian facility only under law or written authorization of the Administration and remains subject to national registration, standards, inspection, and binding correction orders.
The National Gendarmerie and Police Administration, Ministry of State Security, and other investigative organs may maintain short-term holding rooms necessary to an arrest, interrogation, transfer, or active operation. A person who requires continued civilian confinement shall be transferred to the Civil Corrections Administration without unnecessary delay.
Military prisoners and military confinement facilities fall under the Military Corrections Service. A civilian held temporarily by military authority shall be transferred to the Civil Corrections Administration when the military basis for custody ends, unless a court or the Emperor directs otherwise.
There is established within the Ministry of Interior the State Labor Protection Administration, which shall be the central organ for labor inspection, wage enforcement, protection of labor rights, and public enforcement of the labor provisions of the Civil Code, the Elara Totem Act, and other applicable law.
The Administration shall defend the dignity and social value of labor power, ensure that wages and lawful working conditions are honored in practice, and prevent private capital, public administration, contractual form, or organizational status from being used to evade the rights of workers.
The Commissioner-General of Labor Protection shall exercise the office of Administrator. The Deputy Commissioner-General of Labor Protection shall exercise the office of Deputy Administrator. Their command, appointment, removal, direction, and succession shall be governed by Chapter 1 and by any direct order of the Emperor.
The essential operational positions shall be Chief Labor Protection Officer, Chief Labor Counsel, Labor Protection Officer, and Labor Counsel. These are functional positions and not separate organs or service grades. The Commissioner-General or Deputy Commissioner-General may concurrently hold either chief position, and one qualified person may hold both chief positions when staffing requires.
The Administration shall include the Labor Inspection Service and the Labor Enforcement Office. The Labor Inspection Service shall receive complaints, inspect workplaces and records, determine compliance, calculate unpaid amounts, and supervise corrective action. The Labor Enforcement Office shall prepare enforcement cases, represent the Administration, and coordinate prosecutions and judicial remedies.
The Commissioner-General may assign personnel between the two units, establish temporary inspection teams, and combine compatible functions. No additional permanent principal unit shall be created without approval of the Emperor.
The State Labor Protection Administration shall have authority to:
(a) enforce laws governing wages, hours, breaks, payment, employment terms, government work, public works, the Elara Wage, coercion, retaliation, and the legal classification of labor relationships;
(b) receive confidential complaints, begin inspections on its own initiative, and prioritize a workplace, sector, project, employer, or pattern of conduct;
(c) enter and inspect a workplace during operating hours or at another reasonable time; examine working conditions; and separately question workers, employers, managers, contractors, and witnesses;
(d) require production and preservation of payroll, time, contract, classification, payment, safety, communication, and other records reasonably relevant to a labor matter;
(e) determine violations, calculate unpaid wages and other amounts, and issue rectification, payment, record-preservation, anti-retaliation, and compliance orders where authorized by law;
(f) monitor compliance, conduct follow-up inspections, publish nonclassified guidance and aggregate findings, and maintain official labor-enforcement records;
(g) institute and conduct civil or administrative enforcement proceedings and seek restitution, unpaid wages, damages, fines, injunctions, reinstatement, record correction, and other remedies authorized by law;
(h) investigate suspected criminal labor violations, preserve evidence, and refer or present the matter to a competent Procurator; and
(i) issue Administration Orders and exercise necessary and incidental authority within the express inspection and enforcement powers of this Section.
An authorized Labor Protection Officer shall display official credentials when conducting a compulsory inspection. An employer, officer, contractor, or organization subject to inspection shall provide lawful access, truthful information, and required records and shall not conceal, destroy, falsify, or remove material evidence.
The Administration may protect the identity of a complainant, witness, or cooperating worker to the extent consistent with a fair proceeding and a controlling court order. No person may discharge, demote, threaten, blacklist, reduce compensation, alter duties adversely, or otherwise retaliate because a person asserted a labor right, supplied information, refused an unlawful waiver, or participated in an inspection or proceeding.
An inspection or Administration order shall not prevent a worker from bringing a claim directly before the Judiciary or pursuing another remedy provided by law.
A Labor Counsel may file and conduct a civil or administrative labor-enforcement action in the name of the Administration. A Labor Counsel may conduct a criminal prosecution only upon written designation or referral by the Chancellor's Special Procuratorate, the Office of the Chief State Security Procurator within its jurisdiction, another prosecutorial authority established by law, or the Emperor.
The Administration shall refer suspected ordinary crimes to the Chancellor's Special Procuratorate or another competent organ and state-security offenses to the Ministry of State Security. The National Gendarmerie and Police Administration shall provide field security, compulsory assistance, arrest support, and ordinary criminal investigation when lawfully requested. Such assistance shall not transfer labor jurisdiction from the Administration.
The Administration may coordinate with the Ministry of Finance, IBTE, National Organizations Administration, public-works authorities, and subnational governments and localities to verify employment, organization status, public funds, payments, and compliance.
The National Land Administration shall be led by the Administrator of the National Land Administration.
The National Land Administration’s second in command shall be the Deputy Administrator of the National Land Administration.
The National Land Administration shall be under the Ministry of Interior, with appointments for leadership being recommended by the Minister of Interior and approved by the Emperor.
The National Land Administration shall be overseen by the Minister of Interior and shall, when requested or ordered, respond to and execute Policy Orders from its oversight parent.
The National Land Administration shall be the national administrative authority responsible for land and parcel registration, land records, land valuation where assigned by law, and the administration of land transactions placed within its jurisdiction.
The National Land Administration shall have authority to:
(a) establish and maintain authoritative records of registered parcels, ownership, transfers, property interests, and other land information assigned by law;
(b) receive, examine, process, approve, record, or refuse land requests, registrations, transfers, and sales in accordance with the Civil Code and other applicable law;
(c) conduct land audits, surveys, record examinations, and other administrative reviews necessary to verify registered land information;
(d) determine fair market value or other official land values where the Civil Code, an Act of Parliament, an Imperial Order, a court, or another competent legal authority assigns that function to the Administration;
(e) develop transparent land-valuation metrics, formulas, standards, and methods by Administration Order and apply them consistently within its jurisdiction;
(f) record easements, rights-of-way, consent agreements, acquisitions, protected designations, and other property interests or restrictions where registration is required by law;
(g) record and maintain the enacted boundaries, legal designation, ownership status, and property interests of National Parks and National Reserves established under Chapter 13;
(h) provide certified land, boundary, ownership, and valuation records to courts and competent state organs where lawfully required;
(i) correct, update, reconcile, and preserve land records in accordance with lawful evidence and applicable procedure; and
(j) exercise other land-administration powers assigned by law or Imperial Order.
Valuation metrics and methods established by the Administration shall be transparent. The Administration shall publish or otherwise provide a public explanation of those metrics and methods and shall provide a further explanation when lawfully required by Parliament, the Emperor, a court, or another competent authority.
The National Parks and Reserves Administration shall be led by the Administrator of the National Parks and Reserves Administration.
The Administration’s second in command shall be the Deputy Administrator of the National Parks and Reserves Administration.
The National Parks and Reserves Administration shall be under the Ministry of Interior, with appointments for leadership being recommended by the Minister of Interior and approved by the Emperor in accordance with Chapter 1.
The Administration shall remain under the oversight of the Minister of Interior and shall comply with lawful Policy Orders issued by its parent Ministry.
The National Parks and Reserves Administration shall exercise unified administration, supervision, protection, and enforcement over National Parks and National Reserves lawfully established within the Totemian Empire. The Administration shall strictly implement the Acts of Parliament, Imperial Orders, court orders, provisions of the Civil Code, and other applicable law governing those lands and shall perform its duties within the authority granted by law.
The National Parks and Reserves Administration shall have authority to:
(a) administer National Parks and National Reserves established by Act of Parliament or Imperial Order;
(b) maintain and implement enacted boundaries, official maps, signs, notices, access conditions, use restrictions, permissions, and other legal requirements governing protected lands;
(c) maintain administrative, boundary, permit, incident, damage, inspection, and enforcement records required for the administration of protected lands;
(d) administer approvals, inspections, registrations, and permits where such requirements are established by law;
(e) conduct supervision and inspection of activities within National Parks and National Reserves;
(f) take temporary control measures authorized by Section 5 where an emergency, fire, imminent danger, active law-enforcement operation, hazardous condition, or immediate threat requires urgent action;
(g) issue Administration Orders and implementing procedures strictly within authority delegated by superior law;
(h) direct and maintain the National Parks and Reserves Enforcement Division and permanent routine enforcement capacity;
(i) commence and conduct proceedings through Enforcement Counsel or another legally authorized officer where Section 8 or other law confers such authority;
(j) coordinate authorized construction, maintenance, restoration, access, transport, and infrastructure work affecting National Parks and National Reserves; and
(k) provide factual records, surveys, maps, ownership information, enforcement information, and technical assistance when lawfully requested by Parliament, the Emperor, a court, or another competent authority.
An ordinary public park, civic open space, landscaped area, or other recreational land shall not become a National Park or National Reserve merely because it is publicly owned, scenic, wooded, recreational, or commonly called a park. National status exists only where it has been expressly created by an Act of Parliament or an Imperial Order.
For purposes of this Chapter, a National Park is land or water expressly designated as a National Park by an Act of Parliament or an Imperial Order. Its legal purpose, permitted uses, restrictions, public access, facilities, and other governing conditions shall be determined by the establishing law and other applicable superior law.
For purposes of this Chapter, a National Reserve is land or water expressly designated as a National Reserve by an Act of Parliament or an Imperial Order. Its legal purpose, permitted uses, restrictions, access rules, and other governing conditions shall be determined by the establishing law and other applicable superior law.
The Administration may not create, alter, or abolish a National Park, National Reserve, enacted boundary, or substantive land restriction unless superior law expressly grants that authority. It may provide factual records, surveys, maps, and technical assistance requested by a competent authority, but that assistance does not confer designation or policy authority.
A National Park or National Reserve may be legally established only by an Act of Parliament or an Imperial Order. The National Parks and Reserves Administration, Ministry of Interior, or any other subordinate organ shall not create or propose the legal creation of a National Park or National Reserve by Policy Order, Administration Order, management plan, administrative direction, map, announcement, recommendation, or other subordinate instrument.
The establishing Act or Imperial Order shall state the official name and whether the land is a National Park or National Reserve; shall state the legal purpose and any substantive restrictions or permissions intended to govern the land; shall designate the National Parks and Reserves Administration as the administering and enforcing authority unless superior law provides otherwise; and shall contain or expressly incorporate as an annex a final Boundary Coordinate Schedule.
The final Boundary Coordinate Schedule shall contain ordered coordinate points sufficient to close and reproduce the legal boundary of each protected area or disconnected protected zone. Where a descriptive map, image, written description, or marker conflicts with the enacted coordinate schedule, the enacted coordinate schedule shall control unless the establishing Act or Imperial Order expressly provides another rule of interpretation.
A material movement, expansion, reduction, or redrawing of an enacted protected-area boundary shall require a later Act of Parliament or Imperial Order. Administrative surveying, mapping, or correction of a transcription error may improve the representation of an enacted boundary but shall not substantively change the land included within it.
A material reduction of a protected area, conversion of a National Reserve into a less restrictive category, or abolition of a National Park or National Reserve shall require an Act of Parliament or Imperial Order. No Policy Order, Administration Order, management plan, permit, or other subordinate instrument may accomplish such action.
The National Land Administration shall register the enacted boundaries and land status of every National Park and National Reserve. After designation, the National Parks and Reserves Administration shall maintain and enforce the protected status according to the establishing Act or Imperial Order and shall provide the National Land Administration with implementation records reasonably necessary for registration.
Government-owned land may be included within a National Park or National Reserve without compensation to another owner. Privately owned land shall not become subject to a National Park or National Reserve designation unless the owner has given written consent to the protected designation or the required property interest has been lawfully acquired with compensation as provided by this Section.
Written owner consent may permit the owner to retain private title while accepting the protected designation and agreed management restrictions. The consent shall identify the parcel or affected property interest and shall be recorded with the National Land Administration together with the protected-area boundary and any material conditions of the agreement.
Where the owner voluntarily accepts a negotiated purchase price, easement price, compensation amount, or other agreed consideration in writing without contesting valuation, no separate fair-market-value determination by the National Land Administration shall be required.
Where private land or a property interest must be acquired without the owner's voluntary agreement in order to establish the National Park or National Reserve, the establishing Act of Parliament or Imperial Order shall expressly authorize the acquisition of the identified property interest and shall provide or identify a lawfully available source of payment sufficient to compensate the affected owner. Parliament may appropriate the required money within the same establishing Act.
Compensation for a contested or non-consensual acquisition under this Section shall be based upon fair market value determined by the National Land Administration. If the National Land Administration is unable to act because of vacancy, incapacity, legal conflict, or operational unavailability, the Minister of Interior shall make or commission the fair-market-value determination. The affected owner may challenge the legality or amount of a compulsory acquisition before a court of competent jurisdiction as provided by the Constitution and applicable law.
No compulsory transfer of private title or protected management interest under this Section shall take final effect until the required compensation has been paid to the owner or lawfully tendered or deposited for the owner's benefit in a manner that makes the compensation available to the owner.
The establishing Act or Imperial Order shall identify every privately owned parcel or property interest requiring consent or acquisition with sufficient specificity to connect it to the enacted Boundary Coordinate Schedule. The National Land Administration shall record the resulting consent, acquisition, ownership status, and protected designation after the legal requirements of this Section have been satisfied.
The Administration shall exercise unified day-to-day administration over each National Park and National Reserve in strict accordance with the Act of Parliament or Imperial Order establishing it and with other applicable law. It shall establish and improve the administrative systems necessary for the implementation of those laws, including boundary records, official maps, signs and notices, patrol arrangements, lawful access control, permit administration where a permit is required by law, maintenance schedules, incident records, damage records, and enforcement procedures.
The Administration shall strictly implement the uses, restrictions, permissions, and access conditions established by competent legal authority. Public access, recreation, construction, resource use, research, restoration, and other activities shall be permitted, restricted, or prohibited only in accordance with the establishing law and other applicable law. The Administration shall not substitute its own policy preference for a rule that Parliament or the Emperor has enacted.
Within National Parks and National Reserves, the Administration shall supervise, inspect, investigate, and address unlawful construction, extraction, resource removal, dumping, pollution, fires, vehicle use, waterway alteration, destruction of protected features, trespass, and other violations within its jurisdiction. Administration Orders may prescribe enforcement procedures but may not create a substantive offense, prohibition, protected-land category, boundary, or permanent land-use restriction unless superior law delegates that power.
Where applicable law requires approval, inspection, registration, or a permit from the Administration, the Administration shall examine the matter in accordance with the legal standards governing that activity and may approve, deny, condition, suspend, or revoke the authorization as provided by law. The Administration shall not create a permit requirement merely because it considers such a requirement desirable.
Where an emergency, fire, imminent danger, active law-enforcement operation, hazardous condition, or immediate threat to protected land requires urgent action, the Administration may take temporary control measures reasonably necessary to protect persons, preserve evidence, prevent further damage, and maintain order. Such temporary measures shall be promptly lifted when the grounds for them cease and shall not be used to establish a permanent restriction that has not been authorized by law.
Where permitted by the establishing Act or Imperial Order and other applicable law, the Ministry of Infrastructure may plan, design, construct, repair, or maintain trails, paths, bridges, visitor facilities, access works, drainage, landscaping, utilities, restoration works, protective structures, and other physical improvements within a National Park or National Reserve. The National Parks and Reserves Administration shall administer and supervise such work to the extent required by law, but shall not independently authorize a class of development that the governing law prohibits.
Physical construction or maintenance by the Ministry of Infrastructure shall not transfer management jurisdiction over the protected area away from the National Parks and Reserves Administration.
A road, railway, metro, waterway, Interlink work, utility, or other infrastructure project within or through a National Park or National Reserve shall comply with the establishing Act or Imperial Order, the Civil Code, court orders, and other applicable law, together with lawful administrative requirements issued solely for their implementation. The Administration shall enforce those requirements according to law. Any compulsory acquisition of private property required for such a project shall remain governed by otherwise applicable law.
The Ministry of Transport, National Interlink Administration, National Railway Administration, and National Highway Administration shall retain their powers under Chapters 2 through 5 but shall coordinate with the National Parks and Reserves Administration where a transport project may materially affect a National Park or National Reserve.
Subnational governments and localities may establish and administer local parks, reserves, conservation areas, or other protected lands under their lawful authority. Such areas shall not become National Parks or National Reserves merely by use of similar terminology.
The designations National Park and National Reserve under this Chapter shall refer only to protected areas established under Section 4. The Administration shall not exercise jurisdiction over a local or subnational park merely because similar terminology is used. It may provide assistance or cooperate with a subnational government or locality where lawfully requested or directed, but such cooperation shall not transfer ownership, jurisdiction, or control unless competent legal authority expressly provides otherwise.
There shall be established within the National Parks and Reserves Administration a National Parks and Reserves Enforcement Division. The Division shall be the permanent internal law-enforcement body responsible for routine enforcement within National Parks and National Reserves and shall not constitute a separate Ministry, Administration, court, or state organ.
The Division shall be led by a Chief Parks Enforcement Officer, who shall be appointed and removable at will by the Administrator of the National Parks and Reserves Administration. The Chief Parks Enforcement Officer shall organize and direct enforcement work in accordance with law and lawful Policy Orders and Administration Orders. Law-enforcement personnel of the Division shall be styled Parks Enforcement Officers. Personnel lawfully authorized to conduct litigation on behalf of the Administration shall be styled Enforcement Counsel.
The Division shall strictly enforce Acts of Parliament, Imperial Orders, the Civil Code, court orders, lawful Policy Orders and Administration Orders implementing superior law, and other applicable legal provisions within National Parks and National Reserves. It shall have primary day-to-day responsibility for maintaining order, protecting enacted boundaries and protected property, enforcing lawful access and land-use restrictions, preventing and stopping violations, and ensuring the implementation of the legal measures governing those lands.
Within its lawful jurisdiction, the Division may conduct patrols and inspections; investigate suspected violations; question or interview persons as permitted by law; collect, secure, and preserve evidence; inspect permits and authorized activities; issue citations and lawful orders to cease, correct, remove, repair, or restore unlawful conditions where such orders are authorized by law; execute warrants and court orders; and take other enforcement measures expressly authorized by law.
A Parks Enforcement Officer may arrest or take into custody a person within a National Park or National Reserve where probable cause exists to believe that the person committed an arrestable offense within the jurisdiction of the Division, or where arrest is authorized by warrant, court order, or other applicable law. Arrest powers shall be exercised prudently and in accordance with law. A person taken into custody shall be brought before a judge within twenty-four to forty-eight hours after arrest and shall receive any representation required by law.
Searches, seizures, compelled production of records, entry into constitutionally protected private areas, and execution of warrants by the Division shall be conducted strictly in accordance with the Constitution, the Civil Code, and other applicable law.
Before independently exercising arrest, search, seizure, or compulsory enforcement authority, every Parks Enforcement Officer shall take an oath of allegiance to the Emperor and complete approved training concerning legal authority, warrants, evidence, arrest and custody, use of force, report writing, and obligations to courts. The minimum initial training shall not be less than that required for a Constable.
A Parks Enforcement Officer may use force only where lawful, reasonably necessary, and proportionate to the threat, resistance, or lawful objective. The Division shall maintain records of arrests, custody, warrants, searches, seized property, evidence, use of force, and transfers of custody, and shall maintain disciplinary procedures for misuse of enforcement authority.
The National Parks and Reserves Administration, acting through Enforcement Counsel or another legally authorized officer, may directly commence and conduct civil, administrative, or criminal proceedings within the jurisdiction assigned by law; seek injunctions, restoration orders, damages, forfeitures, penalties, or other lawful remedies; and appear before courts of competent jurisdiction without requiring approval from the Chancellor's Special Procuratorate.
The jurisdiction of the Division shall be concurrent with the jurisdiction of the Chancellor's Special Procuratorate and any other competent law-enforcement or prosecutorial authority. The National Parks and Reserves Administration shall maintain permanent capacity for routine and continuing enforcement within National Parks and National Reserves.
The Division shall have no general enforcement jurisdiction outside National Parks and National Reserves. Authority outside those lands shall exist only where another law expressly extends the Division's jurisdiction or where Parks Enforcement Officers lawfully assist another competent authority.
The Division is an enforcement body and not a lawmaking body. It shall have no authority to create or propose a National Park or National Reserve, alter an enacted boundary, establish a new substantive land-use restriction, or formulate protected-land policy except for internal enforcement procedures authorized by law. Imprisonment, damages, forfeitures, and other judicial remedies requiring judicial judgment shall be imposed only by a court of competent jurisdiction.
The Ministry of Finance shall be led by the Minister of Finance.
The Ministry of Finance’s second in command shall be the Deputy Minister of Finance.
The official institutional name of this Ministry shall be the Ministry of Finance. Its alternative formal state style shall be His Imperial Majesty's Treasury. The short names MOF, HIM Treasury, and the Treasury may be used interchangeably with the full official name.
His Imperial Majesty’s Treasury is the Ministry of Finance, not a separate state organ or financial institution.
The Ministry of Finance shall possess primary responsibility for fiscal administration, budgeting, appropriations administration, public spending, Treasury fund ownership and management, revenue administration, public-debt administration, and the financial administration of the Imperial Government, subject to the Constitution and superior law.
The Ministry of Finance shall have authority to:
(a) prepare, administer, monitor, and report upon the fiscal plans, budgets, appropriations, expenditures, and financial position of the Imperial Government as assigned by law;
(b) administer Treasury-owned funds and determine their lawful fiscal purpose, allocation, and authorized use subject to appropriations and superior law;
(c) issue lawful Treasury instructions concerning payments, transfers, payroll, allocations, fund movements, and other fiscal operations for execution through the Treasury Operations Administration and IBTE;
(d) exercise ministerial leadership over the Treasury Operations Administration and Central Revenue Administration;
(e) establish, maintain, administer, and account for the Ministry of Finance General Fund, Central Salary Fund, Collections Fund, Imperial Reserve Fund, and other Treasury funds lawfully placed under the Ministry;
(f) establish fiscal, accounting, Treasury, reporting, fund-control, and financial-administration procedures by Policy Order;
(g) administer public revenue functions assigned to the Ministry and supervise the collection and accounting of such revenue through the Central Revenue Administration;
(h) administer public debt and exercise the powers established by Section 4 of this Chapter;
(i) require financial reports, records, reconciliations, and other information from subordinate bodies and public bodies where lawfully necessary for fiscal administration;
(j) coordinate with IBTE concerning public-fund operations, Treasury transactions, public debt, material conversion where the Civil Code assigns a Treasury function, and fiscal-monetary matters; and
(k) exercise other fiscal and Treasury powers conferred by law or Imperial Order.
The following Treasury funds shall be maintained by the Ministry of Finance:
(a) the Ministry of Finance General Fund, as required under Chapter 1, for lawful discretionary expenditure and financial administration of the Ministry;
(b) the Central Salary Fund, for salaries, wages, stipends, and other authorized compensation of public personnel;
(c) the Collections Fund, for taxes, levies, fees, collections, and other public revenue pending lawful transfer, allocation, or use; and
(d) the Imperial Reserve Fund, established by Imperial Order 49 as the principal fund of the Empire and administered by His Imperial Majesty's Treasury. It shall hold public money reserved for future fiscal use, contingencies, national development, defense, revenue shortfalls, and later lawful allocation. It is not a foreign-exchange reserve, monetary reserve, or currency-backing account.
Imperial Order 49 also establishes the Crown Treasury of Omnislavia and the Sovereign's Fund. The Crown Treasury of Omnislavia shall remain the royal treasury of the Kingdom of Omnislavia, held in right of the Crown by the Emperor in his capacity as King of Omnislavia and subordinate to His Imperial Majesty's Treasury as provided by that Order. The Sovereign's Fund shall remain the personal fund of the Emperor and shall not be treated as public revenue, a Ministry General Fund, or property of IBTE.
The Imperial Reserve Fund, Crown Treasury of Omnislavia, and Sovereign's Fund shall retain the allocations, ownership, purposes, control, and restrictions established by Imperial Order 49 until lawfully changed by the Emperor. They shall be maintained as three distinct funds and shall not be merged through accounting or banking administration.
The Ministry shall maintain an authoritative fiscal record of every active fund established or continued by Imperial Order. A fund shall be administered according to its establishing Order and any later lawful amendment.
Treasury funds may be recorded as distinct fund classifications or balances within the centralized banking and account system operated by IBTE. A separate legal purpose for a fund shall not create a separate banking institution, regional balance, or duplicate account balance.
For purposes of this Section, public debt means any bond, loan, borrowing, credit obligation, guarantee, or other repayable financial obligation lawfully assumed, issued, guaranteed, or recognized by the Imperial Government or another public body subject to this Section. Ordinary unpaid invoices, wages, or routine accounts payable shall not constitute public debt unless formally converted into a repayable debt instrument or otherwise designated by law.
The Ministry of Finance shall possess primary authority over the administration of public debt, subject to the Constitution, Acts of Parliament, Imperial Orders, and other superior law.
The Ministry of Finance shall maintain a Public Debt Register recording, to the extent applicable, the debtor public body, creditor, principal amount, interest or other financing cost, maturity, payment schedule, guarantees, outstanding balance, and status of each public debt obligation.
Subject to law, the Ministry of Finance may:
(a) administer and enforce debt ceilings or borrowing limits established by law or Imperial Order and recommend additional ceilings or limits to the competent authority;
(b) approve or deny borrowing by ministries, administrations, public bodies, subnational governments, localities, or state-controlled entities where another law requires Treasury approval;
(c) issue, administer, service, redeem, or retire public debt where the creation of such debt has been lawfully authorized;
(d) refinance, consolidate, restructure, exchange, extend, or otherwise reorganize public debt, including by renegotiating financing costs, maturities, and payment schedules where lawfully permitted;
(e) establish Public Debt Replacement Programs to replace high-cost, short-term, concealed, irregular, or otherwise harmful public debt with standardized or more sustainable obligations, provided that replacement shall not duplicate the principal of the debt being replaced;
(f) require public bodies subject to its authority to disclose debts, guarantees, arrears, contingent obligations, and other information reasonably necessary for public-debt administration;
(g) prohibit, suspend, or refer for investigation any concealed, off-ledger, sham, or evasively structured public borrowing intended to avoid lawful debt controls;
(h) establish reporting, accounting, disclosure, and repayment procedures for public debt; and
(i) coordinate with IBTE regarding debt conditions that may affect the monetary system, financial stability, credit conditions, or the wider economy.
No borrowing, debt issuance, guarantee, or assumption of debt shall be authorized solely by this Section where another law, appropriation, Imperial Order, or superior authority is required for the creation of that obligation.
The Minister of Finance, or the Deputy Minister while lawfully acting as Minister, may issue a Currency Forfeiture Authorization (CFA) only to execute an Imperial Order, court order, final judgment, voluntary surrender, or statutory forfeiture authorized by Title 1, Article 19 of the Civil Code.
Every CFA shall identify the source, amount, destination, superior authority, case or order reference, recorded reason, and signing officer. A Treasury officer may prepare the record, but no other officer may sign a CFA unless an Act of Parliament or Imperial Order expressly authorizes that officer.
A CFA shall not determine guilt, create a forfeiture ground, or convey greater title than the superior authority permits.
The Treasury Operations Administration shall be led by the Administrator of the Treasury Operations Administration.
The Treasury Operations Administration’s second in command shall be the Deputy Administrator of the Treasury Operations Administration.
The Treasury Operations Administration shall be under the Ministry of Finance, with appointments for leadership being recommended by the Minister of Finance and approved by the Emperor.
The Treasury Operations Administration shall administer the operational use of public funds owned or controlled by the Ministry of Finance.
The Treasury Operations Administration shall have authority to:
(a) execute lawful Treasury payment, transfer, payroll, allocation, and fund-movement instructions;
(b) administer the operational use of Treasury funds in accordance with the fiscal purpose and authorization determined by the Ministry of Finance;
(c) maintain Treasury transaction records, payment records, fund classifications, schedules, reconciliations, and other operational financial records;
(d) initiate, submit, process, reconcile, and verify Treasury transactions through the centralized banking and account system of IBTE;
(e) administer payroll and compensation payments charged to the Central Salary Fund or another lawfully designated Treasury fund;
(f) coordinate with IBTE to resolve technical, account, transfer, payment, reconciliation, and public-fund operating matters;
(g) establish Treasury operating procedures and internal controls by Administration Order where authorized by the Ministry of Finance; and
(h) exercise other Treasury-operational powers assigned by the Minister of Finance, this Code, or other applicable law.
The Treasury Operations Administration shall administer the fiscal side of Treasury transactions but shall not possess authority over monetary policy, currency issuance, or financial supervision merely by reason of administering public funds.
The Treasury Operations Administration shall record and carry out the Treasury-side receipt, classification, or transfer of currency after IBTE executes a valid Currency Forfeiture Authorization. It shall not issue a Currency Forfeiture Authorization or adjudicate ownership.
The Central Revenue Administration shall be led by the Administrator of the Central Revenue Administration.
The Central Revenue Administration’s second in command shall be the Deputy Administrator of the Central Revenue Administration.
The Central Revenue Administration shall be under the Ministry of Finance, with appointments for leadership being recommended by the Minister of Finance and approved by the Emperor.
The Central Revenue Administration shall administer the collection of taxes, levies, fees, and other public revenue assigned to the Ministry of Finance.
The Central Revenue Administration shall have authority to:
(a) receive, collect, process, and account for taxes, levies, fees, assessments, and other public revenue lawfully assigned to it;
(b) credit collected revenue to the Collections Fund unless another law designates a different destination;
(c) maintain records of assessments, amounts due, payments, collections, refunds, arrears, and other revenue information required by applicable law;
(d) reconcile collected revenue with Treasury and IBTE records;
(e) issue notices, payment instructions, administrative demands, or other collection documents where authorized by the law establishing the underlying payment or by lawful Policy Order;
(f) examine and verify records or payment information where such examination is authorized by the law governing the revenue being administered;
(g) coordinate with the Ministry of Finance, Treasury Operations Administration, and IBTE concerning collection, payment, accounting, and reconciliation procedures; and
(h) exercise other revenue-administration powers assigned by law or by lawful Policy Order of the Ministry of Finance.
Where there are no taxes, levies, fees, or other collections requiring administration, the Administration may perform other operational functions lawfully assigned by the Ministry of Finance.
The Imperial Bank of the Totemian Empire, hereinafter IBTE, shall be led by the Governor of IBTE, who shall be IBTE's principal executive officer and chair the Imperial Banking Council.
There shall be one Deputy Governor of IBTE. The Deputy Governor shall assist the Governor and may be assigned responsibility for monetary policy administration, banking operations, currency and account-system administration, debt stability, regional banking administration, internal administration, or other IBTE functions by Policy Order or other lawful written direction of the Governor.
The Governor shall be appointed and removable at will by the Emperor, after receiving the advice of the Minister of Finance and the Privy Council, and shall serve at His Imperial Majesty's pleasure. Such advice shall be advisory and shall not bind the Emperor. The office of Governor shall have no fixed statutory term.
The Deputy Governor shall be appointed and removable at will by the Governor with the consent of the Emperor. An appointment or removal by the Governor shall not take legal effect until the Emperor has consented. The office of Deputy Governor shall have no fixed statutory term.
There shall be an Imperial Banking Council of IBTE. The Council shall consist of:
(a) the Governor of IBTE;
(b) the Deputy Governor;
(c) one additional Governor appointed by the Chancellor, hereinafter the Chancellor's Governor;
(d) the Minister of Finance, who shall hold an ex officio voting seat and may designate the Deputy Minister of Finance to exercise that seat during the Minister's absence; and
(e) the six Regional Governors established under Section 14, each of whom shall hold an ex officio voting seat by virtue of regional office.
The Chancellor's Governor shall be appointed and removable at will by the Chancellor, subject to the Emperor's supreme authority to confirm, reject, suspend, or terminate the appointment, and shall have no fixed statutory term. The appointment shall terminate when the appointing Chancellor leaves office unless the succeeding Chancellor expressly reappoints the same person. A vacancy in the Chancellor's seat shall not prevent the Council from operating where quorum is otherwise present.
Appointment as the Chancellor's Governor shall not make that person the head or deputy head of IBTE and shall not give that person independent authority to issue Policy Orders, command IBTE personnel, determine monetary policy, direct a Regional Bank, approve a loan, or alter an account except through a lawful decision of the Council or a delegation made under this Chapter.
The Imperial Banking Council provides collective governance, regional representation, and regulatory supervision. It approves Banking Council Orders; IBTE-wide lending, credit, conversion, purchasing, organizational, administrative, and operational frameworks or programs; and other matters reserved by this Chapter. It oversees regional banking, reviews financial and institutional reports, budgets, and accountability, and advises the Governor.
Regional Governors shall participate in Council decisions as representatives of regional operating conditions but shall exercise their vote in the interest of IBTE and the Totemian financial system as a whole. Council membership shall not create independent regional monetary authority.
The Council shall not displace the monetary-policy authority vested in the Governor under Section 5 or the advisory role of the Monetary Policy Committee under Section 6. The Council shall not alter appropriations, determine the fiscal use of Treasury-owned funds, or exercise a power reserved by law to the Emperor, a court, the Ministry of Finance, or another authority.
Each voting member shall possess one vote. Proxy voting shall not be permitted except where this Chapter expressly allows another officeholder to exercise an ex officio seat while lawfully acting for the member. A Deputy Regional Governor who is lawfully acting as Regional Governor during a temporary absence or incapacity may exercise that regional Council seat for the duration of the acting appointment.
The Council may meet in person, by authenticated electronic communication, or through a formally circulated written vote. Participation by electronic means shall have the same legal effect as physical attendance where the identity and vote of the member can be reliably recorded.
Six eligible voting members shall constitute the ordinary quorum of the Council. Ordinary Council Resolutions shall be decided by a simple majority of votes cast at a meeting possessing quorum. For an ordinary Council Resolution only, the member presiding shall have a casting vote in the event of a tie.
An Order of the Imperial Banking Council shall require not fewer than six affirmative votes when six or more eligible voting members are lawfully in office. Abstention, absence, or a vote against shall not count as an affirmative vote. No casting vote shall be used to adopt, amend, repeal, or ratify a Banking Council Order.
Where fewer than six voting members are lawfully in office and eligible to vote because of vacancies, incapacity, or a legally required recusal, the Council may act under a reduced-membership procedure only if at least four eligible members participate. Action under that procedure shall require the unanimous vote of every eligible member then available and shall include, among the participating members: the Governor or Deputy Governor; either the Minister or Deputy Minister of Finance exercising the Finance seat or the Chancellor's Governor; and at least one Regional Governor or Deputy Regional Governor lawfully acting in that office.
Temporary inconvenience, refusal to attend, failure to respond, or ordinary absence of a member whose office remains occupied shall not by itself activate the reduced-membership procedure. Reasonable efforts shall be made to contact and permit remote participation by every member whose vote is required.
If fewer than four eligible voting members are lawfully in office, the Council shall not adopt a permanent Banking Council Order through the ordinary or reduced-membership procedures. Existing Banking Council Orders, Policy Orders, delegations, appointments, accounts, loans, programs, and other lawful IBTE operations shall continue in force, and the Governor or acting Governor may continue ordinary executive administration subject to this Chapter and other applicable law.
Where two or three eligible voting members are lawfully in office, they may act under a minimal-membership procedure if the Governor or acting Governor participates. Action under this procedure shall require the unanimous affirmative vote of every eligible voting member then lawfully in office. The members may adopt a Provisional Banking Order, Council Resolution, or other temporary collective decision reasonably necessary for continuity of IBTE. A Provisional Banking Order shall not constitute a permanent Banking Council Order and shall not permanently amend or repeal one.
During a staffing deficiency, a Provisional Banking Order may temporarily exercise a function ordinarily requiring a Banking Council Order or Council approval when reasonably necessary to maintain lawful IBTE operations. It may establish, modify, suspend, or continue banking, lending, regulatory, or operating requirements, or approve Council-reserved programs, transactions, or organizational actions whose delay would materially impair IBTE. It shall identify the staffing deficiency, authority, necessity, affected provisions or programs, and expiration date.
While the Governor or acting Governor is the sole eligible voting Council member because all other seats are lawfully unoccupied, Sole-Governor Continuity Authority applies automatically without an emergency finding, and IBTE remains fully operational. The Governor may exercise any Council function reasonably connected to ordinary or strategic IBTE operations, including regulatory, approval, organizational, credit, lending, purchasing, programmatic, regional, and supervisory functions. A generally applicable rule or Council-reserved action under this authority shall issue as a Governor's Continuity Order, not a Banking Council Order.
A Governor's Continuity Order shall state the facts establishing the sole-Governor staffing condition, the legal authority relied upon, the measures adopted, and how those measures relate to the lawful operation of IBTE. The Governor shall not be required to characterize ordinary understaffing as an emergency or prove that restoration of Council membership is imminent. The Governor shall transmit the Order to the Emperor as soon as practicable and ordinarily within twenty-four hours after issuance. The Emperor may affirm, amend, suspend, revoke, or replace the Order at any time.
Unless earlier revoked, replaced, or ratified, a Provisional Banking Order expires within thirty days and may be renewed in thirty-day periods by the same unanimous minimal-membership procedure while the staffing deficiency continues. Renewals after the first shall state the continuing need and be sent promptly to the Emperor. A Governor's Continuity Order remains effective during a sole-Governor condition, subject to a recorded thirty-day review and short continuation certification to the Emperor; no new emergency finding is required.
When a second eligible voting member enters office, Sole-Governor Continuity Authority ends for new actions. Existing Governor's Continuity Orders remain effective for seven days unless sooner ratified, replaced, amended, or revoked under the procedure then available. Two or three eligible members use unanimous minimal-membership procedure; four or five use reduced-membership procedure; and six or more use ordinary Council procedure. Failure to ratify does not invalidate completed lawful actions.
Neither a Provisional Banking Order nor a Governor's Continuity Order may amend this Code; alter statutory Council composition, quorum, voting requirements, or the number of Regional Banks; extend the Governor's tenure or compensation; grant the Governor another seat or vote; use Treasury funds without lawful fiscal authority; extinguish lawful debt; permanently waive, amend, or repeal a Banking Council Order; create a permanent exemption from superior law; or override superior law or a court order.
During a material staffing deficiency, the Governor may personally perform, or temporarily assign a qualified IBTE officer to perform, an administrative or operational function of a vacant IBTE office where this Chapter does not expressly require the function to be exercised by a distinct named officeholder. One person may temporarily perform more than one operational function when reasonably necessary for continuity, but no person shall acquire more than one Council vote, count more than once toward quorum, or manufacture additional Council membership merely by holding or performing multiple offices or functions.
A vacancy shall not invalidate Council action where the applicable quorum and voting requirement has otherwise been satisfied. Appointing authorities shall fill Council vacancies without unreasonable delay. Where a Regional Governor seat becomes vacant, the Governor shall ordinarily appoint a replacement within fourteen calendar days. If the vacancy cannot reasonably be filled within that period, the Governor shall record the reason and report the vacancy to the Emperor and the remaining Council members.
No Council member shall vote on a matter involving that member's own removal, discipline, compensation, or direct personal financial interest. A required recusal shall be entered in the voting record. A member shall not be removed, left unappointed, suspended, directed not to participate, or induced to recuse for the purpose of manufacturing or defeating quorum or altering the voting threshold required by this Chapter. Nothing in this paragraph shall limit the Emperor's constitutional authority to appoint, remove, suspend, or direct IBTE officers or Council members.
Every formal Council vote shall be recorded. The record shall identify the matter considered; the members participating; each affirmative vote, negative vote, abstention, and recusal; whether ordinary, reduced-membership, or minimal-membership procedure was used; and the final decision. A written or electronically authenticated vote shall be preserved as part of the Council record. Provisional Banking Orders and Governor's Continuity Orders shall likewise be preserved in the official records of IBTE.
A lawful Council Resolution concerning a matter within the Council's authority shall be implemented by the Governor through Policy Order, written direction, appointment action, or other lawful instrument where implementation is required. A Banking Council Order shall be adopted and promulgated according to Section 10. No Council action shall override a lawful directive of the Emperor.
The Governor shall have general command and superintendence over IBTE, subject to the Constitution, superior law, lawful decisions of the Council within its jurisdiction, and the lawful directives of the Emperor. The Governor shall direct IBTE's personnel, internal organization, regulatory administration, and execution of its statutory functions except where a power is expressly reserved to another authority.
Where the Governor is absent, incapacitated, or the office is vacant, the Deputy Governor shall exercise the powers of Governor until the Governor returns or the Emperor appoints or designates another person. If both offices are vacant or unavailable, the Emperor may designate an acting Governor.
The Governor shall be an ex officio monetary and financial advisor to the Emperor and a member of His Imperial Majesty's Most Honorable Privy Council under Chapter 1. The Governor may attend and speak on IBTE, monetary, and financial matters. Privy Council membership shall not subject an IBTE decision to Council vote or diminish the Governor's statutory authority.
The official institutional name of the central bank is the Imperial Bank of the Totemian Empire. The authorized statutory short name is IBTE. The full name shall be used in the Chapter heading, establishment and continuity provisions, the institutional seal, Banking Council Orders, credentials, and formal state instruments; IBTE may be used in ordinary statutory and administrative text.
The Imperial Bank of the Totemian Empire shall be the central bank and principal monetary and financial authority of the Totemian Empire. It shall constitute a specialized state organ of the Imperial Government under the authority of the Emperor and shall remain institutionally separate from the Ministry of Finance.
IBTE shall exercise its functions under the authority of the Emperor and in accordance with the Constitution, Acts of Parliament, Imperial Orders, and other applicable law.
IBTE is not His Imperial Majesty’s Treasury and shall not be construed as a subdivision, account, fund, administration, office, or banking unit of the Ministry of Finance. Custody or operation of Treasury funds by IBTE shall not convert those funds into property of IBTE.
IBTE shall possess its own leadership chain, personnel, internal organization, records, seal, technical systems, and administrative operations. The Governor shall report directly to the Emperor and shall not report through the Minister of Finance.
IBTE may receive an administrative budget or other lawful funding for its operations. Such funding may be recorded within the centralized banking and account system without requiring creation of a duplicate Treasury balance or a separate banking institution. Provisions of Chapter 1 that apply specifically to Ministries or Administrations shall not apply to IBTE unless this Chapter or another law expressly incorporates them.
IBTE shall operate the official centralized banking and account system of the Totemian Empire. The authoritative record of Totemic Shilleng held in a registered account shall be the balance recorded for that account in the official banking database or successor system lawfully operated by IBTE.
IBTE shall provide the official banking, account-registration, payment, transfer, and related account services of the Totemian Empire to persons, businesses, organizations, public bodies, state organs, and other account holders eligible under Totemian law. Unless superior law expressly establishes or authorizes another institution, no separate private bank, commercial bank, regional bank, payment bank, or other institution shall independently maintain an official Totemic Shilleng deposit balance outside the IBTE system.
All registered Totemic Shilleng accounts and balances shall be administered through the same centralized system regardless of whether the account holder is a private person, business, organization, Ministry, Administration, locality, subnational government, or other lawful entity. Use of a Regional Bank or another office of IBTE shall not change where an account legally exists and shall not create a regional ledger, regional balance sheet, local money supply, separate currency pool, or duplicate balance.
Administration of a person's or entity's account by IBTE shall not, by itself, make the money recorded in that account property of the Imperial Government. Ownership and lawful control of account balances shall remain determined by the Civil Code, account law, public-finance law, court orders, and other applicable law.
The Ministry of Finance, formally styled His Imperial Majesty's Treasury, shall retain fiscal ownership and control over public funds lawfully assigned to it. Where a Treasury fund is recorded through the IBTE system, the Ministry of Finance shall retain authority over the lawful fiscal purpose and use of the money; the Treasury Operations Administration shall administer and execute lawful fiscal instructions; and IBTE shall maintain the authoritative account record, process authorized transactions, and exercise its lawful banking and account-administration powers.
IBTE shall not expend, appropriate, or redirect money owned by the Ministry of Finance on its own authority except where expressly authorized by law, Imperial Order, court order, or other lawful authority. IBTE may refuse, suspend, restrict, reverse, or hold a transaction or account action where it is unlawful, unauthorized, technically invalid, fraudulent, duplicative, or subject to a lawful banking, account, credit, or enforcement restriction.
IBTE shall have power, subject to law, to:
(a) formulate and implement monetary policy;
(b) issue, withdraw, manage, and regulate the Totemic Shilleng;
(c) regulate the supply and circulation of currency and, where applicable, interest rates, credit conditions, and other monetary instruments;
(d) operate and maintain the official centralized banking, account-registration, payment, transfer, and public-funds recording systems of the Totemian Empire;
(e) provide lawful banking, account, payment, transfer, lending, and related financial services to persons, businesses, organizations, public bodies, state organs, and other eligible account holders, and act as banker and fiscal agent to the Imperial Government;
(f) administer lending and credit issued by IBTE and regulate or supervise any additional financial-service institution, payment provider, lender, or other financial entity that may be separately authorized by Totemian law;
(g) establish technical, security, identity-verification, account-registration, recordkeeping, payment, transfer, lending, conversion, and operational standards for the IBTE system and for any additional financial entity lawfully subject to its authority;
(h) require reports, records, identity or entity information, account information, debt information, loan information, transaction records, or other financial information where lawfully necessary for account administration, lending, auditing, regulation, or enforcement;
(i) inspect and examine accounts, transactions, lending activity, conversion activity, IBTE operations, and any additional financial-service entity subject to its jurisdiction;
(j) open, register, maintain, verify, restrict, suspend, or close accounts and IBTE services where authorized by law, and license, authorize, restrict, suspend, or revoke any additional financial-service provider where a law permits such a provider to exist;
(k) freeze, restrict, suspend, block, or reverse accounts or transactions where authorized by law, court order, Imperial Order, or a lawful regulatory power of IBTE;
(l) issue Policy Orders within the Governor's executive authority and adopt or issue Banking Council Orders, Provisional Banking Orders, Governor's Continuity Orders, Emergency Banking Directions, and other instruments authorized by Section 10 in accordance with the procedures applicable to each instrument; and
(m) monitor debt, leverage, arrears, credit concentration, and other financial exposures capable of creating material risk to the Totemian economy or financial system;
(n) require borrowers, creditors, account holders, public bodies, and any additional financial-service entities within its jurisdiction to report debt, lending, leverage, repayment, default, concentration, and related financial-risk information where lawfully necessary;
(o) impose lawful prudential limits or conditions upon lending, borrowing, leverage, credit concentration, collateral, repayment structures, and financial exposure where necessary to protect financial stability;
(p) classify debt risks and apply debt-stability measures in accordance with Section 13 of this Chapter;
(q) designate Priority Credit Areas and establish lawful lending targets, incentives, restrictions, preferential conditions, or other structural credit measures for the development or protection of sectors of the Totemian economy;
(r) coordinate with the Ministry of Finance in lawful public-debt replacement, refinancing, restructuring, and risk-reduction programs; and
(s) perform such other financial, banking, currency, debt-stability, credit, or regulatory functions as may be conferred by law or Imperial Order.
IBTE shall have authority to formulate and implement monetary policy for the Totemian Empire, including regulation of the money supply, currency issuance, interest rates where applicable, credit conditions, and other monetary instruments relevant to the Totemian financial system.
Monetary policy decisions shall be made by the Governor, with the advice of the Monetary Policy Committee.
No ministry, administration, office, or other state organ shall direct the formulation or implementation of monetary policy except where expressly authorized by law, Imperial Order, or an Executive Order approved by the Emperor.
There shall be established a Monetary Policy Committee of the Imperial Bank of the Totemian Empire.
The Monetary Policy Committee shall consist of:
(a) the Governor, who shall preside;
(b) the Deputy Governor;
(c) the Minister of Finance or a representative designated by the Minister of Finance;
(d) the Chancellor or a representative designated by the Chancellor; and
(e) such other members as the Emperor may appoint.
The Monetary Policy Committee shall advise the Governor on monetary policy decisions.
The advice of the Monetary Policy Committee shall not bind the Governor. Where the Governor acts contrary to a recorded recommendation of the Committee, the Governor shall record the principal reasons and transmit them to the Emperor. The Emperor may affirm, amend, suspend, reverse, or replace the decision. The Chancellor shall possess no independent power to approve, veto, or direct a monetary-policy decision except through an Executive Order approved by the Emperor or another authority expressly granted by superior law.
IBTE shall have the exclusive right to issue, withdraw, and regulate the Totemic Shilleng within the Totemian Empire, except as otherwise expressly provided by superior law.
No person or entity shall create, print, mint, generate, or issue Totemic Shilleng without authority of IBTE or other authority expressly established by law.
IBTE shall determine the quantity, form, denominations, technical method, security features, and circulation of the Totemic Shilleng, subject to Imperial Order and applicable law.
There shall be maintained a Totemic Shilleng Issuance Account under the exclusive administration of IBTE. The Issuance Account shall record the creation, issuance, withdrawal, destruction, cancellation, or other authorized adjustment of the Totemic Shilleng.
The Totemic Shilleng Issuance Account shall not constitute a spendable Treasury fund, revenue account, or discretionary balance of the Ministry of Finance. Entries within the Issuance Account shall represent monetary issuance and withdrawal activity rather than an appropriation of public money.
The existing Totemic Shilleng Printing Account may be converted, renamed, or migrated into the Totemic Shilleng Issuance Account without creating a second balance or duplicating existing currency records.
IBTE shall have authority to administer and protect the official banking and account system of the Totemian Empire and to regulate the use of IBTE accounts, transfers, payment functions, lending services, material-conversion services, and other IBTE services. Where another financial-service entity is expressly authorized by law, that entity shall be subject to IBTE supervision to the extent provided by law.
Within its jurisdiction, IBTE may issue the instruments authorized by this Chapter for account services, payments, lending, repayment, material conversion, fraud prevention, technical operations, and system protection. A generally applicable substantive rule requires a Banking Council Order unless Section 10 authorizes a temporary Provisional Banking Order, Governor's Continuity Order, or Emergency Banking Direction.
For purposes of banking administration and enforcement, IBTE may lawfully require information, verify identity and entity status, inspect records, investigate account or transaction irregularities, examine loan or conversion activity, impose lawful account or service conditions, restrict activities, suspend services, freeze or limit transactions, recover or reverse erroneous or fraudulent entries where legally authorized, and take other corrective action authorized by law.
Except when immediate temporary action is reasonably necessary to prevent fraud, unlawful dissipation, material loss, or compromise of the account system, an account holder affected by a freeze, restriction, suspension, closure, blocking, or reversal shall receive written notice of the authority, reason, scope, and expected duration. Emergency action may precede notice, which shall follow as soon as practicable. The account holder may request administrative review and seek judicial review where permitted. An Imperial Order or court order shall be executed without delay.
Upon certification by the National Organizations Administration, IBTE shall create or activate every organization account required by the Civil Code. No separate approval by the Ministry of Finance or further account application shall be required. IBTE shall maintain the account class, authorized representatives, restrictions, and status shown by the Unified Register of Organizations and lawful fiscal directions.
IBTE shall freeze, seize, or forfeit currency only on a facially valid Imperial Order, court order, Currency Forfeiture Authorization, or other authority expressly recognized by the Civil Code. IBTE shall record the source, amount, destination, legal authority, reference, reason, and executing officer for each movement.
Where conduct appears to constitute a violation requiring judicial prosecution or enforcement beyond the lawful administrative powers of IBTE, IBTE may refer the matter and its records to the Chancellor’s Special Procuratorate or another authority of competent jurisdiction.
IBTE shall, in coordination with the Ministry of Finance and the Treasury Operations Administration, maintain and operate the centralized banking and account system through which public funds are recorded and transferred.
The Ministry of Finance shall determine the lawful fiscal purpose, allocation, and authorized use of Treasury funds. The Treasury Operations Administration shall administer Treasury transactions and instructions. IBTE shall execute or process such transactions through the centralized banking and account system, subject to law and IBTE's lawful banking, account-security, and technical authority.
Custody or maintenance of a public fund by IBTE shall not transfer legal ownership of that fund to IBTE.
The same public money shall not be treated as a separate Ministry balance and a separate IBTE balance merely because both institutions possess jurisdiction over different aspects of its administration.
An Order of the Imperial Banking Council, hereinafter a Banking Council Order, shall be the principal generally applicable regulatory instrument of IBTE. A Banking Council Order may establish, amend, or repeal rules governing persons, account holders, borrowers, public bodies, Regional Banks, or other persons or entities subject to the lawful authority of IBTE.
A Banking Council Order is required for a generally applicable rule materially affecting accounts, lending, collateral, repayment, material conversion, reporting, prudential limits, debt-risk classifications, Priority Credit Areas, IBTE-wide restrictions, or another substantive banking requirement. The continuity and emergency instruments authorized by this Section may exercise Council functions only within their stated limits.
The Governor may issue Policy Orders for internal administration and execution of existing law. Policy Orders may govern personnel, internal organization, technical procedures, work assignments, implementation of Banking Council Orders, case-management procedures, internal controls, and other matters within the executive administration of IBTE. A Policy Order shall not create, amend, suspend, or repeal a rule that is required by this Section to be established by Banking Council Order.
The legal character of an instrument shall be determined by its substance and effect. A generally applicable banking requirement shall not avoid Council approval merely because it is styled as a Policy Order, standard, directive, circular, technical rule, condition, instruction, or another form of document.
Any voting member of the Imperial Banking Council may propose a Banking Council Order. IBTE personnel may prepare or submit a proposed text through the Governor, Deputy Governor, a Regional Governor, or another Council member. Except where urgent action is lawfully justified, the complete proposed text shall be circulated to all voting members at least twenty-four hours before the vote.
A Banking Council Order shall be adopted only in accordance with the voting and quorum requirements of Section 1. The Council shall not delegate its power to adopt, amend, repeal, or ratify a Banking Council Order to the Governor, Deputy Governor, an Office, a Regional Bank, a committee, or another person or body. Administrative execution of an adopted Order may be delegated according to law.
Every Banking Council Order shall prominently display the seal of IBTE and shall state at a minimum:
(a) the title “Order of the Imperial Banking Council”;
(b) a consecutive Order number and year of adoption;
(c) the statutory or other legal authority under which the Order is made;
(d) the subject, purpose, and scope of the Order;
(e) the operative rules or requirements being established;
(f) the date of adoption;
(g) the names of the Council members voting in favor, voting against, abstaining, or recused;
(h) the name of the Governor and Deputy Governor holding office on the date of adoption;
(i) the name of the reigning Emperor; and
(j) the effective date of the Order.
A Banking Council Order shall ordinarily take legal effect on the third calendar day after official publication by IBTE or on a later date stated in the Order. The Council may provide for immediate or earlier effect where the Order contains a written finding that delay would materially threaten the banking system, payment system, currency administration, account security, credit stability, or another substantial financial interest requiring prompt action.
The Governor shall authenticate and promulgate an adopted Banking Council Order by signature. The Governor’s signature shall certify promulgation and shall not constitute a separate power to veto an Order lawfully adopted by the Council. Where the Governor is unavailable or fails to authenticate an adopted Order within seventy-two hours, the Deputy Governor shall authenticate it. Where both are unavailable, the Council member lawfully presiding shall certify the recorded vote and promulgate the Order.
A Banking Council Order may be amended, suspended, or repealed only by a later Banking Council Order, by superior law, or by lawful directive of the Emperor possessing sufficient legal authority. An individual Policy Order, Regional Bank instruction, internal directive, or administrative decision shall not amend or displace a Banking Council Order.
The Council may act by Council Resolution on matters of collective governance that do not require a Banking Council Order, including organizational approvals, major internal programs, individual or case-specific approvals, reports, recommendations, appointments or designations placed within Council authority, and other internal collective decisions. A Council Resolution shall not be used to impose a new generally applicable substantive obligation where a Banking Council Order is required.
Where an immediate and substantial threat exists to the integrity of the centralized banking system, payment operations, currency administration, account security, or financial stability, and delay necessary to obtain ordinary Council approval would materially increase the threat, the Governor may issue an Emergency Banking Direction with the written concurrence of two other Council members. At least one concurring member shall be the Deputy Governor, the Minister or Deputy Minister of Finance exercising the Finance seat, or the Chancellor's Governor.
With only two eligible Council members, the Governor or acting Governor may issue an Emergency Banking Direction with the other's written concurrence. As the sole eligible Council member, the Governor may act alone if the written emergency finding states why obtaining prior Imperial approval, restoring another member, or waiting would materially increase the harm. A sole-Governor Direction shall be sent to the Emperor as soon as practicable and ordinarily within twenty-four hours.
No person other than the Governor or a person lawfully acting as Governor may exercise the sole-member emergency authority established by this Section. Performance of multiple vacant IBTE functions or offices shall not give another person sole-member emergency authority unless that person has lawfully become acting Governor.
An Emergency Banking Direction may impose only temporary measures reasonably necessary to contain or mitigate the stated threat and shall identify the facts and legal authority supporting the emergency action. Except for a sole-Governor Emergency Banking Direction, it shall expire seven calendar days after issuance unless earlier revoked or replaced by a Banking Council Order, Provisional Banking Order, or other lawful instrument. The Council may ratify, amend, or replace the temporary measure through the procedure available under this Chapter. A substantially identical Emergency Banking Direction shall not be repeatedly reissued for the purpose of avoiding Council approval.
A sole-Governor Emergency Banking Direction shall expire seventy-two hours after issuance unless the Emperor confirms or extends it, or unless it is earlier replaced by a Governor's Continuity Order, Provisional Banking Order, or Banking Council Order as applicable. Imperial confirmation may permit the Direction to continue for a total period not exceeding seven calendar days from its original issuance. Where the Council remains legally unable to act after that period, any continuing non-immediate measure shall proceed under the Governor's Continuity Order or Provisional Banking Order procedure rather than through repeated emergency directions.
There shall be maintained within IBTE a Banking Operations Office responsible for the ordinary administration and integrity of the centralized account system, account registration and maintenance, payments and transfers, public-fund banking operations, currency and conversion records, and other central banking operations assigned by the Governor.
There shall be maintained within IBTE a Credit Administration Office responsible for loan and credit administration, borrower and collateral records, repayment administration, debt-workout and restructuring administration, Priority Credit programs, and other credit functions assigned by the Governor.
There shall be maintained within IBTE a Regional Operations Office responsible for coordinating the six Regional Banks, establishing uniform regional service procedures consistent with Banking Council Orders, supporting Regional Governors, consolidating regional reports, and ensuring that regional offices operate as extensions of the same centralized IBTE system. The Governor may provide that the functions of the Central Regional Bank are physically or administratively performed through the national headquarters or the Regional Operations Office.
The Governor may, by Policy Order, establish, reorganize, combine, or dissolve subordinate teams, technical units, committees, or other internal bodies of IBTE; assign functions among them; and appoint or remove their heads unless appointment authority is reserved by law or by the Emperor. The Governor may reorganize subordinate teams within the Offices required by this Section but shall not abolish the required banking-operations, credit-administration, or regional-operations functions except as otherwise provided by law.
The Governor may authorize internal divisions or subordinate bodies of IBTE to issue subordinate Policy Orders within delegated internal authority. Policy Orders of the Governor shall supersede conflicting subordinate Policy Orders. All Policy Orders shall comply with superior law, Banking Council Orders, and lawful directives of the Emperor.
IBTE shall not be subordinate to the Ministry of Finance, and the Ministry of Finance shall not be subordinate to IBTE. Each shall exercise the powers vested in it by law.
The Ministry of Finance shall possess primary fiscal authority over budgeting, appropriations, public spending, revenue administration, Treasury fund ownership, public-debt issuance and administration, debt refinancing and restructuring, debt repayment, and the lawful fiscal purposes for which public money is used.
IBTE shall possess primary authority over monetary policy, currency issuance, the centralized banking and account system, payments and transfers, IBTE lending and credit administration, account supervision and enforcement, debt-risk supervision, credit conditions, leverage and exposure regulation, financial stability, and the technical operation of public-fund balances recorded within the IBTE system.
The Ministry of Finance shall not direct IBTE’s monetary policy, currency issuance, financial-supervision decisions, internal command, or appointments except as expressly authorized by law or Imperial Order.
IBTE shall not alter appropriations, determine government spending priorities, or redirect Ministry-owned funds except as expressly authorized by law or superior legal authority.
IBTE and the Ministry of Finance shall cooperate on public-fund administration, government transactions, public-debt administration, debt replacement and restructuring, fiscal and monetary coordination, financial-system development, and other matters in which their jurisdictions overlap.
Any unresolved jurisdictional conflict between IBTE and the Ministry of Finance may be submitted to the Emperor for direction, without prejudice to the authority of a court to interpret the law where judicial interpretation is required.
IBTE shall report to the Emperor on the state of the Totemic Shilleng, the financial system, and the performance of its functions.
IBTE shall provide the Ministry of Finance and the Treasury Operations Administration with such account statements, fund-balance records, transaction records, and Treasury information as are reasonably necessary for the lawful administration and accounting of public funds.
IBTE shall provide such additional reports and records as may be required by law, Imperial Order, or other lawful authority.
IBTE shall monitor debt and credit conditions throughout the Totemian financial system where such conditions may threaten monetary stability, financial stability, public finance, productive investment, or the orderly operation of the Totemian economy.
IBTE may maintain a Debt Risk Register or equivalent regulatory record containing such information as is lawfully necessary to identify material debt risks, including the identity or class of debtors and creditors, outstanding amounts, financing costs, maturities, repayment status, arrears, guarantees, collateral, concentration, and other relevant exposure information. Such information may be restricted from public disclosure where confidentiality is required by law or necessary for lawful financial supervision.
The Imperial Banking Council may, by Banking Council Order adopted under Section 10, establish criteria for classifying a borrower, creditor, account holder, public body, debtor class, economic sector, lending product, debt portfolio, or other financial exposure as:
(a) Ordinary;
(b) Watch;
(c) High Risk; or
(d) Systemic Risk.
A risk classification shall be regulatory in nature and shall not by itself constitute a finding of criminal or civil wrongdoing.
Where a matter is classified as Watch, IBTE may require enhanced reporting, monitoring, examination, disclosure, or corrective planning.
Where a matter is classified as High Risk, IBTE may, in addition to Watch measures, restrict or condition new IBTE lending or credit, require additional collateral or other financial safeguards, impose lawful account or credit conditions, limit further exposure, and require the submission and implementation of a repayment, restructuring, or risk-reduction plan.
Where a matter is classified as Systemic Risk, IBTE may exercise all measures available for lower classifications and may temporarily suspend specified forms of new IBTE lending or credit activity, establish exposure ceilings, require a formal debt-resolution or restructuring framework, require affected borrowers, creditors, public bodies, account holders, or any separately authorized financial-service entity to participate to the extent permitted by law, and coordinate necessary financial measures with the Ministry of Finance and other competent state organs.
IBTE may designate sectors, activities, projects, or classes of economic development as Priority Credit Areas. The designation and any generally applicable lending targets, allocations, preferential interest or repayment conditions, reduced or waived IBTE fees, priority consideration rules, specialized loan programs, or other structural credit measures shall be established by Banking Council Order adopted under Section 10.
IBTE shall not create or issue Totemic Shilleng solely for the purpose of satisfying an unfunded government expenditure or extinguishing a public debt unless such monetary financing is expressly authorized by an Act of Parliament, Imperial Order, or other superior law.
IBTE shall not extinguish a lawful public or private debt merely by administrative declaration unless such authority is expressly granted by law, Imperial Order, court order, or other superior legal authority. IBTE may nevertheless require affected borrowers, creditors, account holders, public bodies, or any separately authorized financial-service entity to submit, negotiate, or participate in lawful restructuring or risk-reduction measures where authorized by this Chapter.
For public debt, the Ministry of Finance shall determine whether debt is lawfully issued, refinanced, restructured, serviced, redeemed, or replaced. IBTE shall determine and regulate the monetary, banking, credit, leverage, exposure, and financial-stability consequences of that debt within its jurisdiction.
There shall be six Regional Banks of the Imperial Bank of the Totemian Empire, corresponding to six regional banking districts of the Empire:
(a) the Western Regional Bank;
(b) the Northwestern Regional Bank;
(c) the Central Regional Bank;
(d) the South Central Regional Bank;
(e) the Eastern Regional Bank; and
(f) the Northeastern Regional Bank.
The Regional Banks are territorial service and execution branches of IBTE and shall not constitute separate banks, separate state organs, independent legal persons, independent account systems, or separate issuers of currency. All Regional Banks shall form part of the same IBTE and shall use the same centralized banking database, account system, and monetary authority.
No account, balance, loan, Treasury fund, or currency holding shall legally belong to a Regional Bank merely because a person or entity uses that regional office. A Regional Bank shall not maintain an independent regional ledger, independent balance sheet, local money supply, separate currency pool, or duplicate copy of an account balance.
The exact territorial district and administrative headquarters of each Regional Bank need not be fixed by this Chapter. The Governor may, by Policy Order approved by the Imperial Banking Council, establish or adjust district boundaries and administrative locations according to geography, population, settlement patterns, financial activity, operational efficiency, and other relevant considerations. The number of Regional Banks established by this Section shall not be changed by Policy Order.
The Central Regional Bank is the Regional Bank serving the Central district and shall not be construed as the central headquarters, governing Council, or national policy-making office of IBTE merely because it uses the word Central in its name.
Each Regional Bank shall be headed by a Regional Governor. A Regional Governor shall be appointed and removable at will by the Governor of IBTE and shall have no fixed statutory term. Appointment to regional office shall automatically carry the voting seat on the Imperial Banking Council established by Section 1, and removal from regional office shall terminate that Council seat.
The Governor of IBTE may appoint, remove, transfer, or reassign a Regional Governor according to the operational needs of IBTE. Regional Governors shall serve at will and shall have no guaranteed period of service.
The Governor may authorize a Deputy Regional Governor or other regional leadership position where operationally necessary. Such subordinate regional officers shall be appointed and removed in the manner established by IBTE Policy Order, subject to the authority of the Council and the Governor.
A Regional Bank shall, within its district and subject to central law and Policy Orders, provide local execution and service for the one centralized IBTE system. Its functions may include:
(a) receive applications for account registration, verify identity, organization status, ownership, authority, and supporting documents, and submit or process approved registrations through the centralized account system;
(b) provide local assistance concerning accounts, payments, transfers, Treasury transactions, access problems, transaction disputes, and other IBTE services without creating a separate regional account system;
(c) receive loan and credit applications; verify borrower information, project information, guarantees, collateral, repayment capacity, and other facts required by IBTE policy; administer approved loans and repayments; and approve credit only where the Governor or an IBTE Policy Order has expressly delegated approval authority and limits;
(d) perform local material-conversion intake authorized by the Civil Code, including inspection, anti-fraud and ownership verification, physical receipt, recording, temporary safeguarding, and transfer of eligible materials, while any resulting Totemic Shilleng credit is issued and recorded only through the centralized IBTE account system;
(e) conduct delegated account, lending, conversion, fraud, compliance, inspection, or corrective-administration work and execute IBTE restrictions or enforcement actions within the district;
(f) coordinate with subnational governments, localities, state organs, businesses, organizations, account holders, borrowers, and other persons concerning the local execution of IBTE functions;
(g) gather, verify, analyze, and report regional information concerning credit demand, debt conditions, business activity, payment activity, account-service problems, material conversion, development needs, fraud risks, and other conditions relevant to IBTE; and
(h) execute other national banking, currency, credit, account, or operational instructions lawfully assigned by the Governor, Imperial Banking Council, or central Offices of IBTE.
A Regional Bank shall not independently formulate monetary policy; change the national money supply; establish a separate currency or account database; determine an independent interest-rate policy or national credit policy; change national loan terms outside delegated authority; alter the Civil Code's currency-conversion values or limits; alter Totemic Shilleng issuance rules; override a Policy Order of the Governor; or create banking rules inconsistent with IBTE rules.
A Regional Bank may issue local operational instructions only to the extent necessary to implement IBTE law, Policy Orders, technical standards, or delegated authority within its district. Any subordinate Policy Order authority shall exist only where expressly delegated under Section 10 and shall remain subject to immediate amendment, suspension, or revocation by the Governor.
Each Regional Governor shall provide the central IBTE with regular reports on account-service conditions, credit demand, debt risks, business and development conditions, material-conversion activity, fraud or compliance issues, payment-system problems, and other significant regional matters. At least once every ninety days, each Regional Governor shall submit a regional conditions report to the Imperial Banking Council.
Each Regional Governor shall hold a voting seat on the Imperial Banking Council by virtue of regional office and may be required to present regional advice or information to the Council. Regional office shall not, by itself, confer a seat or vote on the Monetary Policy Committee.
The Regional Banks are intended to make the centralized IBTE physically and administratively accessible throughout the Empire, permit local verification and execution of IBTE functions, and provide continuing regional representation on the Imperial Banking Council. Regional administration shall remain subordinate to the single national banking system and shall not fragment account ownership, monetary authority, or currency administration.
IBTE may extend loans, credit, payment accommodations, or other repayable financing to persons, businesses, organizations, public bodies, and other lawful account holders where such financing is permitted by law and consistent with IBTE's monetary, credit, debt-stability, and development functions.
The Imperial Banking Council shall establish the general IBTE-wide lending framework by Banking Council Order. The Governor shall implement that framework by Policy Order and may establish or approve specific lending programs consistent with it. The framework may establish eligibility requirements, permitted or priority purposes, principal limits, interest or financing charges, zero-interest or preferential programs, collateral or guarantee requirements, repayment schedules, maturity limits, documentation standards, underwriting or verification requirements, restructuring procedures, default procedures, and delegated approval limits.
Every loan or extension of credit shall be recorded in the centralized IBTE system. The record shall identify, to the extent applicable, the borrower, original principal, financing rate or charge, date of issuance, maturity or repayment schedule, restricted purpose if any, collateral or guarantee, amounts repaid, outstanding obligation, modifications, and current status.
A Regional Bank may receive and investigate a loan application, verify the applicant and supporting facts, inspect or verify proposed collateral, administer documentation and repayments, and approve or modify a loan only within authority expressly delegated by the Governor or IBTE Policy Order. A Regional Governor's Council membership shall not by itself create independent loan-approval authority.
A loan or credit extended to a Ministry, Administration, subnational government, locality, state-controlled entity, or other public body shall also constitute public debt where it falls within the definition established by Chapter 14, Section 4. The loan shall not be issued unless the public body possesses all borrowing approval or authority required by law, and the Ministry of Finance shall record and administer the resulting public debt as required by this Code.
IBTE credit shall not be structured as a sham loan for the purpose of evading an appropriation requirement, grant restriction, public-debt control, currency-issuance rule, or other law.
A loan may be disbursed from lawfully available existing IBTE funds or, where monetary law and IBTE policy authorize the extension of new credit through account entry, by an authorized credit to the borrower's account. Any extension of credit that creates new Totemic Shilleng shall be recorded as a money-supply and IBTE-credit event in the manner required by the Governor and shall create a corresponding enforceable debt owed to IBTE. Such a credit shall not be treated as Treasury revenue, a Treasury appropriation, or free public money merely because it was created through IBTE's centralized account system.
IBTE may purchase, lease, receive, own, store, safeguard, transfer, or dispose of materials, equipment, technology, services, buildings, land, inventory, and other property reasonably necessary for IBTE operations or another lawful IBTE program. A major purchasing program may be subject to Council approval under Section 1, while ordinary operational procurement may be authorized in the manner established by the Governor.
An IBTE purchase shall be made only from money or other resources lawfully available to IBTE. IBTE shall not use money owned by the Ministry of Finance, another Ministry, a private account holder, or another person or entity for an IBTE purchase without lawful authority from the owner or other legal authority.
An ordinary purchase in which IBTE pays an existing Totemic Shilleng balance for goods, materials, property, or services shall not constitute currency conversion merely because the item purchased could also be eligible for conversion under the Civil Code.
Where a transaction in substance consists of issuing or crediting newly created Totemic Shilleng in exchange for physical material under the Civil Code's currency-conversion system, the transaction shall be treated as currency conversion regardless of whether it is described as a purchase, procurement, exchange, acquisition, or another term. IBTE shall not use its purchasing power to evade the eligibility rules, official conversion values, minimum transaction requirement, monthly conversion limit, physical-receipt requirement, storage requirement, ownership rules, anti-fraud requirements, or other substantive protections of the Civil Code.
The Imperial Bank of Totemia established by Imperial Order 28 continues as the same legal institution under the official name Imperial Bank of the Totemian Empire. All assets, liabilities, accounts, balances, records, appointments, contracts, powers, and obligations continue without transfer or duplication. Existing references to the Imperial Bank of Totemia, another Imperial Bank, or an authorized Imperial Bank refer, as context requires, to IBTE or one of its Regional Banks or offices and do not create a separate institution.
Where the Civil Code authorizes the Ministry of Finance to participate in currency conversion, the Ministry of Finance may perform the intake, verification, custody, or other function permitted by the Civil Code. Any newly issued Totemic Shilleng credited to an account as a result of conversion shall nevertheless be created and recorded through the centralized IBTE system in accordance with IBTE's currency-issuance authority and the Civil Code.
A Regional Bank or other authorized IBTE office performing conversion intake may inspect materials, verify ownership and authenticity, receive and safeguard eligible materials, create the required conversion record, and arrange transfer to an authorized government storage location. No account shall be credited with newly issued Totemic Shilleng before the physical material required by the Civil Code has actually been received and recorded as required by law.
Materials lawfully converted under the Civil Code shall become property of the Government as provided by that Code. Custody by IBTE or a Regional Bank shall not by itself determine which state organ may later use, transfer, sell, allocate, or dispose of those materials; such disposition shall occur only under lawful authority.
Eligibility for material conversion, conversion values, minimums, monthly limits, and other substantive conversion conditions shall remain governed by the Civil Code until lawfully amended.
The Ministry of Engineering shall be led by the Minister of Engineering.
The Ministry of Engineering’s second in command shall be the Deputy Minister of Engineering.
The Ministry of Engineering shall be the principal Ministry responsible for redstone engineering, automation, circuitry, control systems, powered technical systems, mechanical or logic-based devices, and other technical engineering within the Totemian Empire.
The Ministry of Engineering shall have authority to:
(a) research, design, prototype, construct, install, test, repair, improve, and maintain redstone systems, automation systems, circuitry, control systems, powered mechanisms, logic systems, and other technical mechanisms within its jurisdiction;
(b) conduct technical studies, experiments, trials, demonstrations, and prototype development;
(c) prepare technical designs, schematics, specifications, testing procedures, engineering methods, and operating requirements;
(d) establish technical and engineering standards within its jurisdiction by Policy Order;
(e) acquire, own, operate, and maintain technical equipment, tools, materials, workshops, laboratories, test systems, components, and inventories required for its work;
(f) employ, assign, and organize engineers, technicians, designers, researchers, builders, testers, and other technical personnel;
(g) inspect, test, verify, and certify systems where such responsibility is assigned by law, Policy Order, or project agreement;
(h) provide redstone and technical-engineering assistance to other state organs and public projects;
(i) procure materials, equipment, components, and specialist services required for technical-engineering work; and
(j) exercise other technical-engineering powers assigned by law or Imperial Order.
The Ministry of Engineering shall remain institutionally distinct from the Ministry of Infrastructure. Construction of ordinary buildings, roads, bridges, and general infrastructure shall not fall within the Ministry of Engineering merely because a project contains technical or redstone components; however, the two Ministries may cooperate on projects requiring both infrastructure construction and redstone engineering.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs shall be led by the Minister of Foreign Affairs.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ second in command shall be the Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs shall be the principal Ministry responsible for the foreign relations, diplomacy, external representation, diplomatic communications, and international administrative affairs of the Totemian Empire.
The Ministry shall conduct and coordinate official relations with foreign governments, foreign public authorities, international organizations, diplomatic representatives, and other external entities recognized or dealt with by the Totemian Government. It shall exercise its functions subject to the Constitution, Imperial Orders, Acts of Parliament, lawful directives of the Emperor, and other applicable law.
The Ministry shall not, merely by virtue of its foreign-affairs jurisdiction, possess authority to declare war, recognize a foreign state or government, cede territory, alter domestic law, assume public debt, appropriate public money, or otherwise exercise a power reserved by law to the Emperor, Parliament, or another competent authority.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs shall have authority to:
(a) conduct and administer diplomatic relations and official foreign communications on behalf of the Totemian Empire within authority lawfully assigned to the Ministry;
(b) represent the Totemian Empire in diplomatic meetings, negotiations, conferences, ceremonies, and other official external engagements where authorized;
(c) communicate official positions, requests, notices, protests, explanations, invitations, and other diplomatic messages approved by competent authority;
(d) negotiate, prepare, review, transmit, and administer proposed treaties, agreements, accords, memoranda, joint statements, and other international instruments, subject to Section 7 of this Chapter;
(e) establish and administer diplomatic missions, embassies, consulates, representative offices, delegations, and other foreign posts in accordance with Section 5 of this Chapter;
(f) maintain official diplomatic correspondence, credentials, foreign-relations records, international-agreement records, mission records, and other records necessary for the conduct of foreign affairs;
(g) coordinate official visits, diplomatic meetings, delegations, ceremonies, and communications involving foreign governments or international organizations;
(h) advise the Emperor, the Privy Council, the Chancellor, and other competent state organs on foreign relations and international matters;
(i) coordinate with other Ministries and state organs where their lawful functions involve foreign governments, international organizations, external agreements, foreign projects, or other matters materially affecting the foreign relations of the Empire;
(j) issue Policy Orders governing diplomatic administration, Ministry procedures, missions, records, personnel, communications, and other matters within the Ministry’s lawful jurisdiction; and
(k) exercise other foreign-affairs powers conferred by law, Imperial Order, or lawful direction of the Emperor.
The foreign-affairs functions established by this Chapter shall ordinarily be carried out directly through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and its personnel. Separate Administrations or Offices shall not be created merely to divide treaty work, consular work, citizenship assistance, diplomatic protocol, mission administration, or ordinary diplomatic relations where those functions can reasonably be performed by the same Ministry personnel.
Below the Minister and Deputy Minister, there shall be one principal permanent operational position, styled the Director-General of Foreign Affairs. The Director-General shall be the senior operational diplomatic officer of the Ministry, shall coordinate the ordinary diplomatic work of the Ministry and its missions, and shall remain subordinate to the Minister and Deputy Minister.
The Minister may appoint no more than three Senior Foreign Affairs Officers at one time. Together with the Director-General, there shall therefore be no more than four principal diplomatic officers below the Minister and Deputy Minister unless a higher number is expressly authorized by an Act of Parliament or Imperial Order.
The Director-General and Senior Foreign Affairs Officers shall be appointed and removable at will by the Minister of Foreign Affairs unless the Emperor directs otherwise. They shall have no fixed statutory term.
The Minister may assign to the Director-General or to any Senior Foreign Affairs Officer one or more functional designations, including Treaty and Legal Officer, Consular and Citizenship Officer, and Protocol and Missions Officer. A functional designation shall identify responsibility and shall not create a separate office, division, Administration, or additional statutory position. The same person may hold more than one such designation at the same time, and the Director-General may directly perform any of those functions.
A Treaty and Legal Officer shall coordinate treaty drafting, legal review, negotiation records, Full Powers, signature authority, treaty registration, amendment and termination records, and legal questions arising from foreign agreements.
A Consular and Citizenship Officer shall coordinate consular assistance, citizen protection abroad, citizenship-related applications and records received through the Ministry, lawful oath administration, travel or identity documents where authorized by law, and liaison with the Ministry of Interior or other competent authority responsible for the authoritative civil record.
A Protocol and Missions Officer shall coordinate credentials, foreign diplomatic representatives, state visits, diplomatic ceremonies, mission administration, embassy and consular premises, and official diplomatic communications.
The Ministry may employ additional Diplomatic Officers for mission, language, negotiating, consular, research, or support work, but the total number of persons holding Diplomatic Officer status, including the Director-General and Senior Foreign Affairs Officers but excluding the Minister, Deputy Minister, and purely administrative, technical, security, or locally hired support personnel, shall not exceed twelve at one time unless a higher number is expressly authorized by an Act of Parliament or Imperial Order.
Diplomatic Officers may receive mission or functional titles including Ambassador, Envoy, Permanent Representative, Consul-General, Consul, Chargé d’Affaires, Diplomatic Secretary, Treaty Officer, Consular Officer, or another appropriate title. Assignment of such a title shall not create a separate state organ or independent source of authority.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs may establish, maintain, relocate, or close embassies, consulates-general, permanent missions to international organizations, representative missions, and other permanent foreign posts by Policy Order approved by the Emperor. The Ministry may establish a temporary delegation, negotiating mission, or special mission for a period not exceeding ninety days by written direction of the Minister where no permanent post is created and no superior law requires further approval.
The Totemian Empire shall not maintain more than six permanent foreign missions at one time unless a higher number is expressly authorized by an Act of Parliament or Imperial Order. Not more than one Totemian embassy shall be maintained in the same foreign state at the same time. A consulate-general or permanent mission shall count toward the six-mission limit.
A permanent embassy shall ordinarily be staffed by the Ambassador or other head of mission and no more than two additional Diplomatic Officers. A larger permanent diplomatic staff for a particular embassy shall require written approval of the Emperor. Administrative, technical, security, maintenance, or locally hired support personnel shall not count toward that mission staffing limit.
An Ambassador, Envoy, Permanent Representative, Consul-General, or other permanent head of mission shall be appointed and removable at will by the Emperor unless superior law provides otherwise. The Minister of Foreign Affairs may recommend a person for appointment. Ordinary diplomatic and support personnel may be appointed, assigned, transferred, or removed by the Minister unless appointment authority is reserved by law or by the Emperor.
During the temporary absence, incapacity, or vacancy of a head of mission, the Minister may designate a qualified Diplomatic Officer as Chargé d’Affaires ad interim to conduct the ordinary business of the mission. The designation shall not constitute appointment as Ambassador or permanent head of mission.
Every permanent Totemian embassy and consulate shall maintain a public-facing reception or consular area reasonably available for official business. Access, secure support, and mission resources shall be prioritized according to urgency, security, and official responsibility.
The Emperor, members of the Imperial Family, and persons acting on their direct instructions shall receive immediate and overriding priority.
The Chancellor, Vice Chancellor, members of the Privy Council, Ministers, and Members of Parliament acting on official business shall receive expedited state priority.
Members of the Armed Forces and officers or personnel of the Ministry of State Security acting on official duty shall receive operational priority over routine business. A senior military commander or State Security organ head who is also a Privy Council member shall receive the higher priority attached to that office.
Other Totemian officials and citizens shall receive reasonable ordinary access. Detention, serious danger, displacement, loss of essential documents, and comparable emergencies shall take priority over routine services within the applicable category.
A mission may require secure identity verification and screening and may restrict non-public areas because of an immediate threat, operational secrecy, capacity, or the law of the receiving state. Verification shall be conducted through a secure Totemian channel where public confirmation could expose a classified assignment or protected identity.
The head of mission shall resolve competing requests within the same category by the immediacy of the threat, operational necessity, direct Imperial instruction, and the mission's lawful capacity. No rank or office requires the mission to perform an impossible or manifestly unsafe act.
The Ministry may receive citizenship applications and supporting records abroad, administer an authorized oath, transmit the matter to the competent Totemian authority, and notify the applicant of the decision. It shall not create a duplicate authoritative civil registry.
The Ministry shall operate on a generalist diplomatic model. A Diplomatic Officer may be assigned responsibility for more than one country, organization, negotiation, treaty, consular matter, citizenship matter, protocol matter, or mission function where the Minister determines that the officer is competent to perform the combined assignment.
The Minister may, by written diplomatic instruction, authorize the Director-General, a Senior Foreign Affairs Officer, Ambassador, Envoy, Permanent Representative, Consul-General, Chargé d’Affaires, or other Diplomatic Officer to act for the Totemian Empire in dealings with a specified foreign government, international organization, foreign authority, or diplomatic representative. The instruction may define the subject, territorial scope, duration, negotiating authority, communications authority, consular authority, and any authority to initial or sign documents.
Within the scope of lawful credentials, written instructions, Full Powers, or other competent authority, an authorized Diplomatic Officer may meet and correspond with foreign officials; negotiate; present and explain approved Totemian positions; deliver and receive diplomatic notes, protests, requests, invitations, notices, and proposals; prepare draft language; initial negotiating texts where authorized; coordinate visits and delegations; assist Totemian citizens and state organs abroad; receive foreign proposals for transmission to competent authority; and perform administrative or diplomatic acts reasonably connected to the officer’s assignment.
An Ambassador shall be the principal accredited representative of the Totemian Empire to the receiving foreign state and shall supervise the embassy. An Ambassador may exercise the broad diplomatic and consular functions assigned by this Chapter and by the Ambassador’s credentials, but shall not bind the Totemian Empire beyond lawful signature authority.
An Envoy or Permanent Representative shall exercise the functions assigned by the instrument of appointment, credentials, or written instructions governing the particular state, international organization, conference, or mission. A Consul-General or Consul shall principally provide consular, citizenship-related, documentary, citizen-assistance, economic, cultural, and administrative services, but may perform broader diplomatic work where separately authorized.
Authority to negotiate shall not, by itself, include authority to bind the Totemian Empire. Authority to initial a text shall identify an agreed negotiating text but shall not constitute final assent, ratification, or legal commitment.
Without authority required by superior law, no Diplomatic Officer shall recognize a foreign state or government; declare war or peace; transfer Imperial territory; create or assume public debt; appropriate or promise public money outside existing authority; alter domestic law; create a binding military or security guarantee; dispose of public property outside existing authority; or commit the powers, funds, property, personnel, or programs of another state organ.
The Minister of Foreign Affairs may, in coordination with the Minister of State Security or Minister of Defense as appropriate, assign an authorized State Security officer, military member, or supporting officer to a diplomatic mission under diplomatic, consular, administrative, technical, liaison, or other protected official cover. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs may also use protected cover for its own officers when the Minister determines it necessary for diplomacy, security, liaison, or protection of an authorized mission.
A written authorization by the responsible Ministers may permit a covered officer to use an assumed identity, conceal or deny the officer's true affiliation or mission, make a false cover statement to a receiving state or foreign person, and use supporting cover records or credentials necessary to sustain the authorized identity. An act within that authorization shall be lawful under Totemian law.
No cover authorization permits a false statement or false evidence to the Emperor or a Totemian court, fabrication of an Imperial instrument, unauthorized personal gain, or conduct outside the authorized mission. A court request concerning protected cover shall proceed under Chapter 28, Section 8.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs may withhold a covered officer's true identity and affiliation from the receiving state, local personnel, and ordinary mission staff. A sealed true record shall remain accessible to the Emperor and to the responsible Ministers and organ heads, and to the head of mission only where operational need requires.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of State Security, and Ministry of Defense shall prepare secure communications and withdrawal or extraction measures for covered personnel. Diplomatic status, immunity, or privilege outside Totemian jurisdiction depends upon applicable international law, agreement, accreditation, and acceptance by the receiving state; this Section does not compel foreign recognition.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs shall be the principal administrative authority for the negotiation, preparation, review, authentication, registration, custody, and diplomatic administration of treaties, agreements, accords, memoranda, joint declarations, and other international instruments of the Totemian Empire.
The Ministry may conduct or coordinate negotiations on behalf of the Totemian Empire where authorized. Where a proposed international commitment substantially concerns the statutory jurisdiction of another state organ, the Ministry may manage the external negotiation and diplomatic communication, but shall obtain any participation, approval, concurrence, funding authority, or substantive decision legally required from that organ before its powers, funds, property, personnel, or programs are committed.
No international instrument shall bind the Totemian Empire merely because it was drafted, negotiated, initialed, transmitted, or administratively approved by the Ministry. Final legal effect shall depend upon the signature, assent, ratification, approval, or other authorization required by the Constitution, this Code, an Imperial Order, an Act of Parliament, or other applicable law.
A Minister, Ambassador, Envoy, Permanent Representative, Director-General, Senior Foreign Affairs Officer, or other Diplomatic Officer may sign an international instrument intended to bind the Totemian Empire only where the person possesses Full Powers, Imperial authorization, diplomatic credentials expressly sufficient for signature, or other written legal authority sufficient for the particular instrument, and every other approval required by law has been satisfied. General negotiating authority does not by itself authorize a binding signature.
An instrument of Full Powers shall identify the person authorized, the foreign party or international organization concerned where applicable, the particular instrument or class of instruments covered, and any material limit upon authority. Full Powers shall be issued by the Emperor or by another authority expressly empowered by law or Imperial Order.
The Minister of Foreign Affairs may sign an administrative or technical arrangement that falls wholly within the Ministry’s existing lawful authority where no superior law requires another approval. Such an arrangement shall not amend domestic law, create an unauthorized appropriation, assume public debt, transfer Imperial territory, dispose of property outside existing authority, or bind another state organ without the concurrence legally required from that organ.
Every international agreement or other formal foreign instrument executed by or through the Ministry shall comply with Chapter 1, Section 9 and shall additionally identify the foreign party or parties, the diplomatic or legal capacity of each signatory, the authority under which each Totemian signatory acts, the date and place of signature, any required approval or ratification, the date or condition of entry into force, the duration or termination rule where applicable, and the Totemian organ principally responsible for implementation.
The Ministry shall maintain an official Register of Treaties and International Agreements recording the title, parties, signatories, signature authority, date of signature, required approvals, entry into force, duration, amendments, termination status, and responsible implementing organs.
The Ministry shall receive and administer credentials and official communications presented by foreign diplomatic representatives accredited or proposed to the Totemian Empire and may maintain an official diplomatic list. Recognition of diplomatic status and any privilege or immunity shall exist only to the extent provided by law or international agreement.
The Ministry shall preserve diplomatic correspondence, credentials, international instruments, mission records, consular records, citizenship-related foreign-service records, and other foreign-affairs records. Confidential diplomatic records may be restricted from public disclosure where secrecy is lawfully required for negotiations, foreign relations, security, privacy, or another legitimate governmental purpose.
The Ministry of Agriculture shall be led by the Minister of Agriculture.
The Ministry of Agriculture’s second in command shall be the Deputy Minister of Agriculture.
The Ministry of Agriculture shall be the principal Ministry responsible for agricultural administration, agricultural development, farmer assistance, agricultural science and technology, state agricultural production, agricultural supplies, and the implementation and enforcement of laws within its agricultural jurisdiction.
The Ministry shall exercise unified administration over the agricultural functions assigned to it by law and shall establish and improve systems for crop production, farm development, agricultural inputs, technical assistance, agricultural mechanization and automation, production support, emergency agricultural supply, and the orderly development of farming within the Totemian Empire.
The Ministry of Agriculture shall have authority to:
(a) prepare, maintain, and implement agricultural development plans and programs;
(b) administer and enforce agricultural laws, lawful Policy Orders, agricultural agreements, and Ministry programs within its jurisdiction;
(c) establish agricultural technical, administrative, production, supply, inspection, and program standards by Policy Order;
(d) organize and provide farmer assistance, agricultural extension, training, technical guidance, supply support, and production support;
(e) inspect and supervise agricultural matters where inspection or supervision is authorized by law, agreement, or Ministry program;
(f) establish, operate, manage, and support National Farms through the National Farm Administration;
(g) conduct agricultural research, trials, technical testing, demonstrations, and applied agricultural science through the National Farm Administration under the scientific direction of the Chief Agricultural Scientist;
(h) purchase, procure, lease, receive, store, transport, maintain, allocate, and distribute agricultural goods, materials, inputs, equipment, machinery, and supplies;
(i) maintain agricultural reserves, emergency stocks, seed stocks, planting materials, and other agricultural supplies required for public or productive purposes;
(j) contract persons, businesses, organizations, or other entities for agricultural labor, services, construction, transportation, storage, technical work, equipment, materials, or supplies in accordance with law;
(k) sell, donate, subsidize, exchange, or otherwise distribute agricultural output and property through the procedures established by this Chapter and Chapter 1, Section 8;
(l) coordinate agricultural development with subnational governments and localities, other state organs, businesses, organizations, farmers, and other lawful agricultural operators;
(m) issue Policy Orders governing matters within the Ministry's agricultural jurisdiction; and
(n) exercise other agricultural powers assigned by law or Imperial Order.
Agricultural assistance may include farm planning, production advice, seeds and planting materials, tools, bonemeal and other agricultural inputs, fencing, gates, lighting, storage, water systems, building materials, equipment, machinery, redstone components, automation systems, labor support, and other resources reasonably connected to agricultural development.
There shall be two Administrations of the Ministry of Agriculture:
(a) the Agricultural Affairs Administration; and
(b) the National Farm Administration.
The leadership of each Administration shall be appointed in accordance with Chapter 1. Each Administration shall remain under the oversight of the Minister of Agriculture and shall strictly implement lawful Policy Orders of the Ministry.
There is established within the Ministry the position of Director-General of Agricultural Supply and Logistics. The Director-General shall be appointed and removable at will by the Minister of Agriculture and shall coordinate Ministry-wide procurement, purchasing, storage, inventories, distribution, transportation, equipment, materials, and supply planning among the Ministry and its Administrations.
The Ministry of Agriculture and its Administrations may purchase, lease, receive, store, transport, maintain, and distribute seeds, crops, bonemeal or bone materials, tools, fencing, gates, lighting, building materials, storage materials, equipment, machinery, redstone components, automation equipment, and other agricultural supplies reasonably necessary for their functions.
The Director-General of Agricultural Supply and Logistics shall coordinate inventories and movement of agricultural supplies; identify shortages and expected demand; organize storage and delivery; coordinate purchasing among the Administrations; maintain supply records; and support the establishment and operation of National Farms and approved farmer-assistance programs.
The Ministry and its Administrations may contract persons, businesses, organizations, or other entities to provide agricultural labor, farming services, construction or installation work, technical services, equipment, machinery, seeds, crops, materials, transportation, storage, or other goods and services necessary for agricultural functions.
Contracts for labor or services shall comply with the Civil Code and applicable wage, payment, working-time, safety, and employment law. Procurement and contracting shall be recorded in accordance with Ministry financial and administrative procedures.
The Ministry may also sell agricultural goods, materials, supplies, output, or other property to persons or entities in accordance with Section 5 of this Chapter and Chapter 1, Section 8.
Agricultural output, seeds, planting materials, bonemeal, tools, supplies, equipment, or other property under the control of the National Farm Administration may be used for government operations, agricultural reserves, emergency response, farmer support, settlement development, economic support, public distribution, or lawful sale.
Notwithstanding the general direct-sale authority in Chapter 1, a sale, donation, free distribution, subsidized transfer, or other external supply of property controlled by the National Farm Administration shall be authorized through an Agricultural Supply and Distribution Agreement or an Agricultural Market Sale Authorization in accordance with this Section.
An Agricultural Supply and Distribution Agreement shall be a formal written instrument governing a named external supply, transfer, distribution, donation, exchange, subsidized disposition, or sale of agricultural property controlled by the National Farm Administration.
An Agricultural Supply and Distribution Agreement shall display the official seal of the principal state organ administering the transaction.
Immediately below the seal, the instrument shall display the title "Agricultural Supply and Distribution Agreement," the official agreement number, the Date of Drafting, the principal state organ administering the transaction, the recipient, and a concise Transaction Summary stating in plain and definite terms what property is being supplied, in what quantity, on what financial basis, for what purpose, and under what principal delivery or use conditions.
The agreement shall fully and accurately state the substance of the transaction. It shall not rely upon an undefined reference, informal message, oral understanding, or separate communication for a material term. Schedules, inventories, maps, delivery tables, technical specifications, or other annexes may be incorporated where necessary, but the body of the agreement shall identify each incorporated annex and shall contain enough information to establish the essential transaction without ambiguity.
Every Agricultural Supply and Distribution Agreement shall state, at a minimum:
(a) a unique agreement number or other official identifying reference assigned under Ministry procedures;
(b) the date on which the agreement was formally drafted and opened for signature, hereinafter the Date of Drafting;
(c) the full legal or recognized name of each party and, where a party is an organization, government, business, locality, or other entity, the name and official title of the person authorized to sign for that party;
(d) the goods, materials, supplies, crops, seeds, equipment, or other property to be supplied;
(e) the quantity, maximum quantity, unit of measure, stated value, or other authorized limit applicable to each category of property supplied;
(f) whether the transfer is free, subsidized, exchanged, or sold and, where applicable, the unit price or unit value, pricing or valuation method, gross value of the property, subsidy or state-covered portion, amount payable by the recipient, exchange consideration, payment schedule, payment method, and the state account or fund to which payment shall be credited;
(g) an itemized statement of material costs borne or expected to be borne by the state in carrying out the agreement, including as applicable production or acquisition cost, packaging, storage, transportation, delivery, installation, labor, equipment use, or another material implementation cost, together with the total known or reasonably estimated public cost of the arrangement;
(h) the purpose of the arrangement;
(i) the duration, delivery schedule, authorized distribution period, or expiration of the substantive arrangement after it takes legal effect;
(j) any material delivery, storage, use, redistribution, resale, reporting, inspection, return, or other conditions applicable to the recipient; and
(k) a separate signature and signature date for every person whose signature is required by this Section.
Where the recipient is a natural person, that person shall sign for the recipient. Where the recipient is a business, organization, public body, subnational government, locality, cooperative, or other entity, the agreement shall be signed by the lawful head of that entity or by the officer lawfully acting in that leadership office. A subordinate employee, agent, representative, or other person shall not sign in place of the proper leadership merely for administrative convenience unless another law expressly authorizes that person to exercise the leadership authority required for the agreement.
On behalf of the National Farm Administration and Ministry of Agriculture, an Agricultural Supply and Distribution Agreement shall be signed by the Administrator of the National Farm Administration and approved by the Minister of Agriculture. The Emperor may approve or sign any agreement and shall do so where superior law or Imperial direction requires it. An acting officer may sign only while lawfully exercising the powers of the required office.
The recipient or proper recipient leadership shall sign the completed proposed agreement before governmental approval. Approval shall then proceed from the Administrator of the National Farm Administration to the Minister of Agriculture. If superior law or Imperial direction requires the Emperor's approval or signature, it shall follow the Minister's approval.
Every required signer shall personally record or cause to be recorded the date on which that signer's signature was given. No signature may be backdated, predated, or treated as having occurred on a date other than the date on which approval or assent was actually given.
All signatures required for an Agricultural Supply and Distribution Agreement shall be completed no later than sixteen calendar days after the Date of Drafting. The Date of Drafting shall be counted as day one. The agreement shall remain proposed and shall have no legal effect until every required signature has been completed within that period.
If every required signature has not been completed by the end of the sixteenth calendar day, the proposed agreement shall automatically expire without legal effect. No later signature may revive, ratify, complete, or extend the expired instrument. If the parties and competent officials wish to continue the proposed arrangement, a new Agricultural Supply and Distribution Agreement shall be prepared with a new Date of Drafting and the entire signature and approval process required by this Section shall begin again.
The sixteen-day signature period shall not be extended, suspended, tolled, or restarted by inactivity, absence, administrative delay, pending review, or a partial set of signatures. A new period may begin only through preparation of a new agreement after expiration or lawful abandonment of the prior instrument.
Any material amendment after a required signature invalidates all signatures to that version and requires a newly dated agreement and restarted approval. A material amendment changes the recipient, supplied property, quantity or limit, price or consideration, purpose, duration, material conditions, or another substantive obligation. A clearly documented clerical correction that changes no substantive right, duty, quantity, value, identity, duration, or condition does not restart approval.
Where an exact material cost cannot reasonably be determined before execution, the agreement shall state that the cost is estimated or not separately calculated, identify the basis used for the estimate or treatment, and state which party will bear the resulting cost. A material cost field shall not be left blank merely because the transaction is free or subsidized to the recipient.
The Ministry of Agriculture shall preserve the final executed agreement and signature record. The executed copy shall show the seal of the principal administering state organ, the Transaction Summary, Date of Drafting, complete financial and cost statement, and the name, office or capacity, signature, and signature date of each required signer.
An Agricultural Market Sale Authorization shall identify the goods or materials approved for open sale, the quantity or stock authorized for sale, the price or pricing method, the period of authorization, and any transaction limits or conditions established for the sale program.
An Agricultural Market Sale Authorization shall first be approved by the Administrator of the National Farm Administration, then by the Minister of Agriculture, and shall take legal effect upon approval by the Emperor.
An approved agreement or Market Sale Authorization may govern repeated deliveries or individual transactions within its approved quantity, value, purpose, duration, and other limits. Each delivery or sale shall be recorded against the applicable agreement or authorization.
Money received from agricultural sales shall be credited to the Ministry of Agriculture General Fund as Own Receipts under Chapter 1, Section 8 and shall remain available for the lawful functions of the Ministry of Agriculture.
In determining the disposition of agricultural production, the Ministry and the National Farm Administration shall give priority to state requirements, agricultural reserves and emergency stocks, support for agricultural development and farmers, economic stabilization, settlement needs, and public or targeted distribution. Market sale remains a lawful method of disposition and may be used where the approved sale advances agricultural production, efficient stock management, economic activity, or another lawful Ministry purpose.
The Ministry may assist subnational governments, localities, communities, farmers, businesses, cooperatives, organizations, and other lawful agricultural operators in establishing or improving agricultural production.
Assistance may include technical plans, farm layouts, seed or crop supply, fencing, lighting, bonemeal, equipment, machinery, storage, collection systems, redstone-assisted farming, labor support, training, construction coordination, and other agricultural resources available to the Ministry.
Where a project requires substantial infrastructure construction, the Ministry may coordinate with the Ministry of Infrastructure. Where a project requires specialized redstone engineering or automation, the Ministry may coordinate with the Ministry of Engineering. The Ministry of Agriculture shall determine the agricultural production requirements and intended agricultural use of the supported project.
The Agricultural Affairs Administration shall be the principal administrative, legal-compliance, and farmer-service Administration of the Ministry of Agriculture.
The Agricultural Affairs Administration shall have authority to:
(a) administer agricultural laws, lawful Policy Orders and Administration Orders, agricultural agreements, support programs, and other administrative measures assigned to it;
(b) receive, examine, process, approve, refuse, or refer applications and requests for agricultural assistance in accordance with applicable law and Ministry policy;
(c) provide farmers and agricultural projects with information, administrative guidance, program assistance, and agricultural extension services;
(d) administer grants, subsidies, supply programs, permits, registrations, or other agricultural measures where authorized by law;
(e) coordinate the delivery of Ministry assistance and agricultural supplies to approved recipients;
(f) conduct inspections where authorized by law, agreement, permit, or Ministry program;
(g) require records and information reasonably necessary for the administration of matters within its jurisdiction;
(h) issue lawful compliance notices and corrective directions and suspend or recommend suspension of Ministry assistance where authorized for material noncompliance;
(i) maintain administrative, assistance, agreement, inspection, and compliance records; and
(j) exercise other agricultural-administration powers assigned by law or lawful Policy Order of the Ministry.
Personnel assigned principally to agricultural administration may be styled Agricultural Affairs Officers. Personnel assigned principally to direct farmer assistance, field guidance, and agricultural extension may be styled Agricultural Extension Officers. Additional functional titles may be established by Administration Order.
The National Farm Administration shall be the principal national agricultural-production and applied agricultural-research Administration of the Ministry of Agriculture. It shall establish, operate, manage, expand, improve, and maintain National Farms and use them to conduct practical agricultural research.
The National Farm Administration shall have authority to:
(a) establish and operate National Farms with the approval of the Minister of Agriculture;
(b) cultivate, harvest, store, process, allocate, and distribute crops and other lawful agricultural products;
(c) maintain and reproduce seed stocks, planting materials, bonemeal supplies, crop stocks, agricultural reserves, and emergency stocks;
(d) produce, acquire, store, and distribute agricultural inputs, materials, tools, equipment, and supplies;
(e) establish, build, operate, and maintain farm grids, plots, fencing, gates, lighting, water and irrigation works, paths, storage, collection systems, farm buildings, machinery, redstone mechanisms, and automatic or semi-automatic farming systems;
(f) conduct agricultural research, field trials, experimental cultivation, demonstration projects, technical testing, and applied studies;
(g) study crops, seeds, farm layouts, planting density, lighting, hydration, growing conditions, bonemeal and fertilizer use, harvesting, storage, production efficiency, and other agricultural methods;
(h) evaluate agricultural equipment, machinery, inputs, methods, and technologies for Ministry use, National Farm operations, or farmer assistance;
(i) test redstone-assisted farming, automation, collection systems, machinery, and other agricultural technology in coordination with the Ministry of Engineering, which retains primary jurisdiction over engineering design, circuitry, control systems, and technical engineering standards;
(j) establish and operate experimental plots, test areas, demonstration systems, and other practical research facilities on National Farms;
(k) appoint and direct National Farm Managers and organize National Farmers and other farm personnel;
(l) maintain production, inventory, reserve, distribution, sale, supply, productive-capacity, research, testing, and experimental records;
(m) prepare research findings, recommended practices, production guidance, and expert recommendations and provide technical advice, training, demonstrations, and field assistance;
(n) reserve agricultural output or supplies for government use, emergencies, shortages, agricultural development, farmer support, economic stabilization, settlement development, and other lawful public purposes;
(o) supply property through Agricultural Supply and Distribution Agreements and Agricultural Market Sale Authorizations in accordance with Chapter 20, Section 5; and
(p) exercise other state agricultural-production or applied agricultural-research powers assigned by law or lawful Policy Order of the Ministry.
The position of Chief Agricultural Scientist is established in the National Farm Administration. The Chief Agricultural Scientist shall be appointed and removable at will by the Administrator of the National Farm Administration with the approval of the Minister of Agriculture and shall report to the Administrator.
The Chief Agricultural Scientist shall direct and personally conduct agricultural research, trials, testing, and experimental cultivation; determine and evaluate suitable conditions for lighting, hydration, planting density, bonemeal or fertilizer use, harvesting, storage, and other farming methods; prepare findings and recommendations; advise the Ministry, Agricultural Affairs Administration, National Farm Managers, and farmers; and coordinate agricultural-technology testing with the Ministry of Engineering.
The Chief Agricultural Scientist is a position and does not constitute a separate Administration, bureau, office, service, or independent chain of command. The position does not independently issue Policy Orders or Administration Orders.
The Administration may establish a National Farm with the approval of the Minister of Agriculture on land owned by the Imperial Government or otherwise lawfully made available for that purpose. A National Farm shall remain under the control of the National Farm Administration unless transferred by competent legal authority.
Each National Farm may be placed under a National Farm Manager appointed and removable by the Administrator of the National Farm Administration. A Deputy Farm Manager may be appointed where necessary. Government personnel assigned principally to cultivation, harvesting, crop production, maintenance of productive fields, or other ordinary farm work may be styled National Farmers.
The Ministry of Infrastructure shall be led by the Minister of Infrastructure.
The Ministry of Infrastructure’s second in command shall be the Deputy Minister of Infrastructure.
The Ministry of Infrastructure shall be the principal Ministry responsible for the physical development of the Totemian Empire, including infrastructure planning, construction, improvement, maintenance, renewal, and the development of places and facilities that support public, social, civic, cultural, or economic life.
The Ministry shall operate on the principle that physical development may promote social and economic development. Its authority shall therefore not be limited to property owned by the Imperial Government or to projects used exclusively by government offices.
The Ministry may plan, sponsor, design, construct, improve, repair, maintain, and, where lawfully assigned, operate physical infrastructure. Its jurisdiction includes transport works, waterways, public spaces, utilities, government and community facilities, places of worship, private facilities, and related supporting works.
The jurisdiction of the Ministry concerns the physical development, construction, improvement, and maintenance of infrastructure and shall not depend solely upon whether the completed work is publicly owned, privately owned, operated by another state organ, or intended for public, community, social, cultural, or economic use. Ownership, regulatory jurisdiction, protected status, and operational control after completion shall remain governed by applicable law and the project authorization.
The Ministry may prepare and maintain a national development and infrastructure plan identifying long-term construction priorities, maintenance needs, major corridors, settlement needs, public-service needs, future infrastructure requirements, and other development objectives of the Totemian Empire.
The Ministry may maintain a register or pipeline of proposed, approved, active, suspended, completed, and future projects for purposes of planning, budgeting, coordination, and public administration.
The Ministry may originate projects on its own initiative and may receive project requests or proposals from the Emperor, Parliament, the Chancellor, other Ministries, Administrations, subnational governments, localities, religious organizations, nonprofit or civic organizations, businesses, other entities, or private persons.
In deciding whether and when to undertake a project, the Ministry may consider public need, social development, community benefit, economic activity, connectivity, safety, public-service access, cultural or civic value, construction feasibility, cost, available labor and materials, regional balance, future expansion, maintenance requirements, and other lawful development considerations.
The Ministry of Infrastructure shall have authority to:
(a) originate, initiate, sponsor, plan, and develop infrastructure and physical-development projects within its jurisdiction;
(b) conduct or direct surveys, site studies, feasibility studies, architecture, engineering, design, cost estimation, construction planning, project scheduling, and other preparatory work;
(c) construct, reconstruct, expand, improve, repair, renew, maintain, and, where lawfully assigned, operate infrastructure and physical works;
(d) undertake or assist public, civic, community, social, cultural, economic, religious, and privately owned development projects in accordance with Section 5 of this Chapter;
(e) develop roads, streets, paths, trails, bridges, tunnels, waterways, canals, docks, landings, utilities, drainage and water-control works, public parks, public spaces, buildings, government facilities, community facilities, transport works, and other lawful physical infrastructure;
(f) acquire, own, assign, operate, and maintain machinery, vehicles, tools, construction equipment, works yards, depots, workshops, materials, inventories, plans, designs, and other property necessary for direct development and construction;
(g) procure materials, equipment, components, property, and services and enter external contracts in accordance with Section 6 of this Chapter;
(h) establish technical requirements, project specifications, design criteria, construction procedures, inspection requirements, maintenance standards, and other infrastructure or construction standards within its jurisdiction by Policy Order;
(i) designate Major Infrastructure Projects, appoint Project Directors, and issue or amend Project Authorizations in accordance with Section 11 of this Chapter;
(j) conduct inspections and require project and construction records in accordance with Section 7 of this Chapter, and direct lawful temporary suspension of affected work and require correction or remedial work in accordance with Section 12 of this Chapter;
(k) provide survey, design, construction, project-management, maintenance, labor, materials, equipment, and other physical-development support to other state organs and lawful project recipients;
(l) enter written joint project arrangements with the Ministry of Transport, Ministry of Engineering, other state organs, and lawful project participants where coordinated execution is required;
(m) participate in land or property acquisition for infrastructure projects where acquisition authority and procedure are supplied by applicable law; and
(n) exercise other physical-development and infrastructure powers assigned by law or Imperial Order.
The Ministry may undertake or assist a project even where the completed land, building, facility, or other property will not be owned by the Imperial Government, provided that the Minister determines that the project serves a substantial lawful public, social, civic, cultural, economic, infrastructural, or community-development purpose.
Assistance under this Section may include planning, design, materials, labor, construction, reconstruction, repair, improvement, project management, technical assistance, or maintenance. Such assistance may be provided without charge, at a subsidized cost, on a cost-sharing basis, or on other lawful terms determined by the Ministry according to the purpose of the project and available resources.
Before substantial Ministry labor, materials, or money are committed to a project under this Section, the Ministry shall create a written project record identifying the recipient or property owner, the purpose and scope of the work, the public resources to be committed, the expected development benefit, the intended ownership of the completed work, and any continuing maintenance or use arrangement known at the time.
No person or entity shall possess an entitlement to free or subsidized Ministry work merely because another person or entity received such assistance. The Ministry may select and prioritize projects according to lawful development needs and available resources.
A project shall not be approved solely for private enrichment without an identified development benefit. The Ministry may impose reasonable conditions intended to preserve the stated public or social purpose of a project or to protect a substantial public investment.
Religious organizations and places of worship may receive assistance under the same neutral development criteria applicable to secular organizations and facilities. Assistance shall not be granted or denied for the purpose of favoring or disfavoring a religion, and any project involving a religious organization must be justified by a lawful development purpose independent of the religious doctrine of the recipient.
Unless otherwise agreed or provided by law, Ministry participation in a project shall not transfer ownership of privately owned land or facilities to the Imperial Government, nor shall construction by the Ministry make the recipient a state organ.
Compulsory acquisition authority shall not be used primarily for the purpose of providing a project to a private recipient under this Section.
The Ministry of Infrastructure shall maintain permanent internal capability sufficient to perform ordinary planning, surveying, architecture, design, engineering, construction, project management, construction logistics, inspection, repair, and maintenance required by its development program.
The Minister shall organize the Ministry through Offices, project teams, works crews, specialist groups, or other lawful internal arrangements so that those capabilities can be maintained and deployed. The detailed names, staffing, leadership, and procedures of such internal units may be established or changed by Policy Order except as otherwise provided by law.
The Ministry may employ or assign architects, engineers, surveyors, designers, planners, builders, construction workers, equipment operators, project managers, inspectors, maintenance personnel, and other technical or operational personnel necessary for its work.
Direct execution by Ministry personnel shall be the ordinary method for substantial construction and development work where the Ministry possesses reasonable internal capacity. The Ministry shall not outsource substantial work merely for administrative convenience.
External contracting may be authorized by the Minister where a written finding determines that direct execution is not reasonably practicable or would materially prejudice the project because of specialized capability unavailable internally, temporary lack of sufficient capacity, an emergency or urgent deadline, specialized equipment or technology, or another substantial technical or operational reason.
The procurement of materials, equipment, software, specialized components, or ordinary supplies shall not by itself constitute contracting out the development or construction of a project.
Every contractor and subcontractor performing work for the Ministry shall comply with the Civil Code and all applicable labor, wage, payment, working-time, safety, and employment laws. No contract may be used to evade obligations applicable to labor performed on a Ministry project.
Use of a contractor shall not transfer the Ministry’s statutory authority or public responsibility. The Ministry shall retain authority over project approval, design acceptance, standards, inspection, completion, and final acceptance.
Major projects shall ordinarily proceed through such stages as planning, feasibility, design, authorization, construction, inspection, completion, and maintenance as are appropriate to the project. The Ministry may establish detailed approval procedures for major projects by Policy Order.
The Ministry may require cost reports, design reviews, construction inspections, completion records, maintenance plans, material records, and other project information necessary to determine whether a project remains lawful, technically sound, financially reasonable, and consistent with its approved purpose.
Minor works, repairs, routine maintenance, urgent works, and small community-development projects may be subject to simplified procedures established by Policy Order.
Completion or transfer of a project shall not prevent later correction of defective work, enforcement of warranties, recovery for misconduct, or lawful investigation of failures in design, construction, procurement, or supervision.
Where a project is built for another state organ or a non-state recipient, the Ministry may transfer the completed work, leave ownership with the existing owner, retain maintenance responsibility, or establish another lawful arrangement according to the project authorization or written agreement.
The Ministry of Infrastructure may plan and develop integrated physical networks connecting settlements, public services, economic activity, and major destinations by road, rail, metro, Interlink, waterway, pedestrian route, path, trail, bridge, tunnel, or other appropriate infrastructure.
The Ministry may establish, expand, reconstruct, or maintain metro systems, railways, waterways, canals, roads, paths, trails, ordinary public parks, public squares, green spaces, and related physical facilities where lawfully authorized or assigned. Such authority includes stations, stops, docks, landings, crossings, access works, drainage, landscaping, lighting, seating, shelters, recreation facilities, water features, retaining works, and other supporting infrastructure reasonably connected to the project.
An ordinary public park or green space may be planned, constructed, improved, or maintained by the Ministry of Infrastructure without becoming a National Park or National Reserve. The physical-development authority of the Ministry over ordinary public parks shall be distinct from the administration, supervision, and enforcement authority of the National Parks and Reserves Administration over National Parks and National Reserves under Chapter 13.
Where a transport system or project falls within the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Transport, the National Interlink Administration, the National Railway Administration, or the National Highway Administration, the competent transport authority shall govern the network classification, transport purpose, operating requirements, safety requirements, service requirements, and continuing transport administration established by Chapters 2 through 5.
The Ministry of Infrastructure may nevertheless originate, survey, design, construct, reconstruct, improve, repair, or maintain the physical works of a transport project within its development mandate, whether on its own initiative or at the request of the competent transport authority. Physical development by Infrastructure shall not transfer transport-system jurisdiction away from the Ministry of Transport or its competent Administration.
Where Infrastructure proposes work inside a National Park or National Reserve, the Ministry shall coordinate with the National Parks and Reserves Administration and shall comply with the establishing Act or Imperial Order, Chapter 13, the Civil Code, court orders, and other applicable law. The National Parks and Reserves Administration shall enforce those requirements within its jurisdiction. Urgent safety work and infrastructure expressly authorized by competent legal authority may proceed in accordance with applicable law.
The National Interlink Administration, National Railway Administration, and National Highway Administration shall remain specialized Administrations of the Ministry of Transport and shall retain the powers and duties established by Chapters 3, 4, and 5 respectively. The Ministry of Infrastructure shall not be their parent Ministry and shall not exercise transport-policy or operational command over them merely because Infrastructure performs physical development work on their projects.
The Ministry of Infrastructure may fund, support, survey, design, construct, repair, maintain, or otherwise provide physical-development capacity to projects of the Ministry of Transport or its Administrations. It shall comply with lawful transport-system requirements established by the competent transport authority and shall not use its construction authority to override a route classification, safety rule, operating requirement, service decision, or other transport power vested by law in the Ministry of Transport, the National Interlink Administration, the National Railway Administration, or the National Highway Administration.
For a major project materially involving both Ministries, the Ministry of Infrastructure and Ministry of Transport may establish a written joint project arrangement identifying the lead project authority, design responsibility, construction responsibility, funding, technical acceptance, ownership, operating authority after completion, and continuing maintenance responsibility. An unresolved jurisdictional dispute may be submitted to the Emperor for direction.
The Ministry of Engineering shall remain a separate Ministry responsible principally for redstone engineering and related technical systems. The Ministry of Infrastructure may request or coordinate redstone engineering, automation, circuitry, controls, or other technical work from the Ministry of Engineering for an infrastructure project.
Where a project materially involves both infrastructure development and redstone engineering, the two Ministries may establish a joint project arrangement identifying the lead Ministry, division of work, funding responsibilities, and responsibility for the completed systems. An unresolved jurisdictional dispute may be submitted to the Emperor for direction.
The Ministry of Infrastructure shall maintain a permanent professional command structure sufficient to direct planning, design, construction, inspection, maintenance, and technical acceptance. The following principal technical and operational positions shall be established within the Ministry:
(a) the Chief Infrastructure Engineer;
(b) the Chief Architect;
(c) the Director of Development Planning;
(d) the Director of Construction; and
(e) the Director of Maintenance and Assets.
The officers established by this Section shall be appointed and removable at will by the Minister of Infrastructure unless the Emperor directs otherwise. They shall have no fixed statutory term and shall remain subordinate to the Minister and Deputy Minister.
The Chief Infrastructure Engineer shall be the principal technical engineering officer of the Ministry and shall supervise or review engineering standards, technical designs, structural and civil works, engineering calculations where applicable, technical conformity, and engineering acceptance of major works.
The Chief Architect shall be the principal architectural and spatial-design officer of the Ministry and shall supervise or review architectural design, building layout, civic and public-space design, functional planning of buildings and facilities, and architectural conformity for projects requiring such work.
The Director of Development Planning shall coordinate the national development and infrastructure plan, project pipeline, feasibility work, project prioritization, preliminary scope development, inter-agency planning, and preparation of projects for authorization.
The Director of Construction shall direct the Ministry’s ordinary construction organization, works crews, construction logistics, site execution, equipment deployment, materials coordination, and implementation of approved designs.
The Director of Maintenance and Assets shall coordinate inspection, asset-condition records, preventative maintenance, repairs, renewal, rehabilitation, and continuing maintenance programs for infrastructure for which the Ministry bears maintenance responsibility.
The Minister may organize Offices, teams, or other internal units around the positions established by this Section without creating a separate Administration. Where staffing is temporarily insufficient, the Minister may designate one qualified person to perform more than one principal function; however, for a major project, final technical acceptance shall, where reasonably practicable, be reviewed by a qualified officer who did not exercise primary day-to-day command over the construction of the work being accepted.
The Minister may designate a substantial, strategically important, technically complex, high-cost, multi-stage, or inter-agency project as a Major Infrastructure Project. Every Major Infrastructure Project shall be governed by a written Project Authorization approved by the Minister before substantial construction begins, except where emergency works lawfully require immediate action.
A Project Authorization shall record, to the extent applicable:
(a) the official project name and principal development purpose;
(b) the project site, corridor, geographic scope, or affected facilities;
(c) the Project Director responsible for integrated execution;
(d) the approved scope of work and the principal design or technical requirements known at authorization;
(e) the lawful source of funding and the public labor, materials, equipment, or other resources expected to be committed;
(f) the owner, recipient, or state organ for whom the work is being undertaken where the project is not solely for the Ministry itself;
(g) the Ministry units, Administrations, other state organs, or outside entities assigned material responsibility for planning, design, construction, inspection, operation, or support;
(h) the intended ownership, operational authority, and maintenance responsibility following completion; and
(i) any known land acquisition, protected-land approval, transport-system approval, court authorization, or other material legal requirement that must be satisfied before the relevant stage of work proceeds.
A Project Director shall be appointed and removable at will by the Minister or, where the Minister has authorized it, by the Deputy Minister. Appointment as Project Director shall continue for the duration determined by the appointing authority and shall terminate upon removal, replacement, completion of the project, or other written direction of the Minister.
The Project Director shall exercise unified operational coordination over Ministry personnel, project teams, works crews, assigned materials and equipment, schedules, project records, and authorized project activity within the scope of the Project Authorization. The Project Director may issue internal project instructions to personnel assigned to the project and may coordinate directly with participating state organs and project recipients as necessary for execution.
A Project Director shall exercise only the authority conferred by the Project Authorization, this Code, and lawful delegations of the Minister.
A material change to the approved purpose, geographic scope, principal recipient, ownership arrangement, or funding structure of a Major Infrastructure Project shall be recorded through an amended Project Authorization or another competent legal instrument before the change is implemented, except for temporary emergency measures necessary to protect life, property, public safety, or the work itself.
Before final acceptance of a Major Infrastructure Project, the Ministry shall conduct an appropriate technical, construction, and completion review. The Chief Infrastructure Engineer, Chief Architect, Director of Construction, Director of Maintenance and Assets, Project Director, or other qualified personnel shall certify or report upon the portions falling within their respective responsibilities. Final Ministry acceptance shall occur in the manner directed by the Minister or Deputy Minister.
The Ministry shall establish and improve a unified project-quality responsibility system. Responsibility for planning, design, construction, inspection, technical acceptance, maintenance, and project records shall be assigned clearly enough to determine which officer, team, contractor, or participating body was responsible for each material stage of a Ministry project.
The Ministry shall strictly implement the Civil Code and all applicable labor, wage, payment, working-time, break, safety, and employment requirements in the direct execution of public works. Where the Civil Code requires worker, payment, or public-works records, the Ministry or other managing authority shall maintain those records accurately and in a form capable of audit.
No Ministry unit, Project Director, project recipient, contractor, subcontractor, or other participating person or entity shall use a project label, private recipient, donation arrangement, contract structure, personnel classification, or other administrative device for the purpose of evading a labor, wage, payment, or public-works obligation that would otherwise apply under the Civil Code.
The Ministry shall strengthen construction inspection and shall promptly correct material defects, unsafe conditions, unauthorized deviations from approved design, misuse of public materials, falsified completion records, and other serious failures discovered during construction or maintenance.
The Minister, Deputy Minister, Chief Infrastructure Engineer, Director of Construction, Project Director, or an inspector lawfully authorized by the Ministry may direct a temporary suspension of affected work where there is a reasonable basis to believe that continued work would create an imminent safety danger, cause serious damage, materially violate an approved design or legal requirement, or conceal a substantial construction defect. A suspension under this paragraph shall be used for corrective and protective purposes and shall be reviewed or lifted when the grounds for it have been resolved.
No person shall knowingly certify as complete or compliant a work that materially fails the applicable approved design, technical standard, inspection requirement, or legal condition. The Ministry may require correction, reconstruction, replacement, further inspection, or other lawful remedial work before final acceptance.
Where project records indicate fraud, theft, corruption, deliberate falsification, unlawful diversion of public materials, serious labor-law violations, or other conduct requiring enforcement beyond the Ministry’s administrative authority, the Ministry shall preserve relevant records and may refer the matter to any competent investigative, prosecutorial, financial, labor, or other enforcement authority.
The Ministry of Defense shall be led by the Minister of Defense. The second in command shall be the Deputy Minister of Defense.
The Minister and Deputy Minister shall be appointed and removable at will by the Emperor and shall serve at His Imperial Majesty's pleasure. The Minister shall be the principal Minister responsible for national defense and the ministerial administration of His Imperial Majesty's Armed Forces.
The Emperor, as Grand Marshal of the Imperial Armed Forces, shall possess supreme command, direction, and control of the Ministry of Defense, the Armed Forces, every Armed Service Command, and all military personnel. No provision of this Chapter shall limit the Emperor's constitutional authority. The Emperor may issue commands directly to any military office, formation, commander, or member without proceeding through an intermediate office.
There shall be a Marshal of the Empire, who shall be the senior uniformed officer below the Emperor and the principal uniformed military advisor to His Imperial Majesty. The Marshal shall be appointed and removable at will by the Emperor and shall coordinate joint military command subject to the Emperor's direct authority. The office of Marshal shall not displace the ministerial responsibilities of the Minister of Defense.
There shall be a Chief of the General Staff, appointed and removable at will by the Emperor after receiving the advice of the Minister of Defense and the Marshal of the Empire. The Emperor may direct that the Marshal concurrently serve as Chief of the General Staff where staffing or command efficiency requires.
His Imperial Majesty's Armed Forces shall constitute the unified military institution of the Totemian Empire. They shall remain directly subject to the Emperor and shall be placed under the Ministry of Defense for ministerial administration, defense policy, joint planning, personnel support, logistics, procurement, readiness, military corrections, and other functions assigned by this Chapter.
The principal military branches shall be organized as Armed Service Commands. An Armed Service Command is a military command and shall not constitute a Ministry, Administration, Office, civil agency, or separate legal person. The general provisions of Chapter 1 governing the creation or dissolution of Administrations shall not apply to an Armed Service Command.
Placement under the Ministry shall not dissolve or reduce the distinct identity, traditions, ranks, internal formations, personnel, equipment, or specialist functions of a Service. Each Service shall maintain its own professional chain of command and internal military organization, subject to joint command and the supreme authority of the Emperor.
The Imperial Defense Council advises the Emperor and coordinates the senior leadership of the Ministry and Armed Forces. It is not a separate state organ.
The Council shall consist of the Emperor, who shall preside; the Minister and Deputy Minister of Defense; the Marshal of the Empire; the Chief of the General Staff; and the commanders of the Armed Service Commands. The Emperor may appoint additional participants or exclude a participant from a particular matter.
The Council may consider defense strategy, readiness, mobilization, senior appointments, joint operations, force development, military intelligence, defense expenditure, procurement, and other matters submitted by the Emperor or Minister. The Council shall possess no veto over the Emperor, and no meeting, quorum, or recommendation shall be required before the Emperor exercises military authority. Ordinary coordination may proceed with the available members when the Emperor is not personally participating.
The principal internal components of the Ministry of Defense shall be:
(a) the Office of the Minister;
(b) the General Staff of the Imperial Armed Forces;
(c) the Defense Logistics and Materiel Directorate;
(d) the Defense Personnel and Readiness Directorate; and
(e) the Military Intelligence and Security Directorate.
The Minister may organize, combine, assign, or temporarily leave internal directorates and offices unstaffed. A Directorate is an internal Ministry component, not an Administration or separate state organ.
The Defense Logistics and Materiel Directorate shall coordinate military supply, transport, maintenance, procurement administration, stock control, and materiel support. The Defense Personnel and Readiness Directorate shall coordinate personnel records, recruitment, assignments, welfare, training administration, readiness reporting, and mobilization administration. The Military Intelligence and Security Directorate shall support defense intelligence, counterintelligence, operational security, threat assessment, and protection of military information and facilities, but shall possess no general civil police jurisdiction.
Each Directorate may be led by a Director appointed and removable by the Minister with the approval of the Emperor. The Minister may assign one qualified person to lead or perform the work of more than one Directorate where staffing requires, without merging their legal functions.
The General Staff shall be the permanent joint military staff responsible for converting Imperial direction into coordinated military plans and orders. It shall support strategic and operational planning, joint operations, mobilization, readiness assessment, doctrine, military communications, intelligence integration, contingency planning, and coordination among the Armed Service Commands.
The Chief of the General Staff shall direct the General Staff and shall be the principal joint operations officer of the Armed Forces. A Deputy Chief of the General Staff may be appointed by the Emperor where staffing permits. The General Staff shall not constitute a separate Armed Service and shall not permanently absorb the personnel or internal command of a Service.
Subject to the direct authority of the Emperor and any authority assigned to the Marshal of the Empire, the Chief may issue General Staff Directives necessary to coordinate joint plans, readiness, mobilization, exercises, operations, and common military standards. A General Staff Directive shall not alter an Imperial command or abolish an Armed Service Command.
The Armed Forces shall contain the following Armed Service Commands:
(a) the Imperial Army Command;
(b) the Imperial Navy Command;
(c) the Imperial Aerospace Forces Command; and
(d) the Imperial Special Operations Forces Command.
The Imperial Army Command shall maintain land forces and land-combat capability. The Imperial Navy Command shall maintain naval forces, vessels, maritime operations, and naval capability. The Imperial Aerospace Forces Command shall maintain air, aerospace, air-defense, surveillance, aviation, and space-support capability. The Imperial Special Operations Forces Command shall maintain forces organized for special, sensitive, rapid, strategic, or unconventional operations assigned by the Emperor or joint command.
Each Armed Service Command shall be led by a Service Commander appointed and removable at will by the Emperor. The Army, Aerospace Forces, and Special Operations Forces may be commanded by a General or another officer designated by the Emperor. The Navy shall be commanded by an Admiral or another officer designated by the Emperor.
A Service Commander may organize internal units, formations, fleets, wings, groups, detachments, bases, and specialist elements by Service Order within the authority of the Service. Such internal formations shall not constitute separate state organs. Each Service shall remain responsible for service-specific training, discipline, personnel development, equipment, doctrine, and force readiness, subject to Ministry policy, joint requirements, and Imperial command.
The Belekovsky Life Guard Regiment established by Imperial Order 32 and later Imperial direction shall continue within the Imperial Army Command as the senior guard regiment of the Armed Forces.
The Regiment shall protect the Emperor, the Imperial Family, Imperial residences, and other persons or places assigned by the Emperor; perform state ceremonial and honor duties; and undertake military operations ordered by Him. It shall maintain the selection, training, readiness, and ceremonial standards prescribed by the Emperor.
The Emperor shall command the Regiment as Grand Marshal through a Regimental Commander appointed and removable at His pleasure.
The Imperial Army Command shall provide personnel administration, discipline, training, supply, and readiness support. The Minister, Marshal, Chief of the General Staff, and Army Service Commander may coordinate within their lawful fields but may not reassign, deploy, or alter the Regiment's guard mission without the Emperor's approval.
The Regiment shall use Imperial Army ranks. The Emperor may select its personnel from any Armed Service Command and determine the rank or equivalent held on assignment.
The chain of command shall begin with the Emperor as Grand Marshal. Subject to a direct Imperial command, ministerial administration and defense policy shall proceed through the Minister of Defense; joint operational coordination shall proceed through the Marshal of the Empire and Chief of the General Staff; and service-specific command shall proceed through the appropriate Service Commander. The Belekovsky Life Guard Regiment shall follow the special command arrangement in Section 7.
The Minister may issue Defense Policy Orders governing Ministry administration, personnel systems, procurement administration, logistics, readiness reporting, common service standards, facilities, welfare, records, and other matters within the Ministry's statutory authority. A Defense Policy Order shall not countermand an Imperial command or a lawful joint operational order.
The Marshal or Chief of the General Staff may issue General Staff Directives within authority granted by the Emperor or this Chapter. A Service Commander may issue Service Orders within the Commander's Service. Within their lawful fields, an Imperial command shall prevail over every other instrument; a General Staff Directive concerning joint command shall prevail over a conflicting Service Order; and a Defense Policy Order shall prevail on ministerial administration but shall not independently replace an operational command.
No officer may refuse, delay, or alter a lawful command merely because it was transmitted directly by the Emperor rather than through the ordinary chain. Where two subordinate instruments conflict and the proper priority is uncertain, the matter shall be referred immediately to the Emperor or an officer designated by Him, without suspending an urgent lawful measure necessary to protect the Empire.
The highest military authority and rank shall be the Emperor as Grand Marshal. The Marshal of the Empire shall rank immediately below the Grand Marshal and above all Service officers. The office and title of Grand Marshal shall belong to the Emperor and shall not be conferred as an ordinary promotion.
The ranks of the Imperial Army, in descending order, shall be: General (GEN), Colonel (COL), Major (MAJ), Captain (CPT), First Lieutenant (1LT), Second Lieutenant (2LT), Sergeant Major (SGTM), Sergeant (SGT), Corporal (CPL), Lance Corporal (LCpl), and Private (PVT).
The ranks of the Imperial Navy, in descending order, shall be: Admiral (ADM), Vice Admiral (V-AD), Rear Admiral (R-AD), Captain (NF-CT), First Officer (F-OF), Ensign (ESN), High Sailor (H-SLR), Sailor (SLR), and Seaman (SMN).
The ranks of the Imperial Aerospace Forces, in descending order, shall be: General (AE-GN), Colonel (AE-CL), Captain (AE-CT), Staff Sergeant (AE-SS), Senior First Class (AE-S), Senior Airman (A2), and Airman (A1).
The ranks of the Imperial Special Operations Forces, in descending order, shall be: General (S-GN), Commander (S-CM), Captain (S-CP), Officer (S-OF), Specialist (S-SP), and Recruit (S-RE).
The Emperor may establish, abolish, rename, reorder, or equate military ranks by Imperial Order. Appointment or promotion to Marshal, General, Admiral, Vice Admiral, or Rear Admiral shall require the approval of the Emperor. The Emperor may delegate authority for lower promotions to the Minister, Marshal, Chief of the General Staff, or a Service Commander.
Military personnel shall owe direct allegiance to the Emperor and shall take the oath required by Imperial Order 25 or another oath approved by His Imperial Majesty before assuming a commissioned command or other office requiring inauguration. Service-specific enlistment, appointment, promotion, training, conduct, and disciplinary requirements may be established by Defense Policy Order, General Staff Directive, or Service Order within the lawful authority of the issuing officer.
A vacancy in the office of Minister, Deputy Minister, Marshal, Chief of the General Staff, Director, Service Commander, or Regimental Commander shall not suspend the Armed Forces or dissolve the affected command. The Emperor may appoint an acting officer at any time. Until an acting appointment is made, the next senior available officer within the relevant lawful chain may preserve existing operations and carry out urgent or routine duties without assuming the vacant officer's permanent rank.
Where staffing is limited, one person may concurrently perform more than one Ministry, staff, directorate, or service function when authorized by the Emperor or competent appointing authority. Concurrent service shall not give the person more than one rank, permit self-promotion, or authorize the person to manufacture additional command positions. A genuine low-staff condition shall not prevent a Service from training, maintaining equipment, preserving readiness, or executing lawful standing and Imperial orders.
The Ministry of Defense shall prepare defense requirements, program priorities, expenditure plans, and procurement requests. The Ministry of Finance shall retain fiscal ownership and Treasury administration of public defense funds; IBTE shall maintain the authoritative account and transaction records within the centralized banking system; and the Ministry of Defense shall exercise programmatic control over the lawful military purposes for which appropriated money, materiel, and services are used.
The Ministry of Infrastructure shall remain responsible for authorized land development and construction work assigned to it, and the Ministry of Engineering shall remain responsible for technical-engineering work within its jurisdiction. The Ministry of Defense, General Staff, and affected Service Command shall establish military requirements, security conditions, operational specifications, and acceptance standards for defense facilities and equipment.
The National Defense and Armed Forces Development Act shall continue in force. Its funds shall be administered through the fiscal and banking arrangements established by this Code; its construction functions shall continue through the Ministry of Infrastructure; and its military technical approvals shall be exercised through the Ministry of Defense, General Staff, or affected Service Command as the subject requires.
The National Gendarmerie and Police shall remain under the Ministry of Interior for civil policing, police administration, and ordinary law-enforcement operations. Its status under Imperial Order 48 as a branch of the Imperial Armed Forces shall not transfer it into the Ministry of Defense or make it an Armed Service Command.
The Ministry of Defense may coordinate military training, mobilization, defense planning, equipment compatibility, and wartime support involving the National Gendarmerie where directed by the Emperor or permitted by law. The direct accountability of the National Gendarmerie and Police to the Emperor and the courts shall remain intact.
The Army, Navy, Aerospace Forces, and Special Operations Forces shall possess no general civil police authority merely because they are Armed Service Commands. Domestic enforcement authority shall exist only where expressly granted by the Constitution, an Imperial Order, an Act of Parliament, a court order, or a direct lawful command of the Emperor.
References in existing law to His Imperial Majesty's Armed Forces, the Imperial Armed Forces, the Imperial Military, or the military of the Totemian Empire shall refer to the unified Armed Forces governed by this Chapter unless the context clearly requires otherwise.
A reference in Imperial Order 32 or existing law to the Imperial Life Guard Regiment, the Belekovsky Life Guard Regiment, or the Life Guard shall refer to the Belekovsky Life Guard Regiment established by Section 7. A reference to the Naval Division of His Imperial Majesty's Armed Forces shall be treated as a reference to the Imperial Navy Command. A reference to an Army, Navy, Air Force, Aerospace Force, Special Operations Force, military branch, or military command shall be interpreted consistently with the corresponding Armed Service Command established by this Chapter.
Existing military appointments, ranks, commands, units, facilities, property, equipment, procurement actions, development projects, orders, and lawful disciplinary arrangements shall continue without interruption unless lawfully altered by the Emperor or competent military authority. Nothing in this Chapter shall repeal an existing military offense, punishment, oath, appropriation, or Imperial Order except to the extent expressly provided by this Code.
There is established within the Ministry of Defense the Military Corrections Service as the unified military organ for confinement, custodial transport, discipline in confinement, rehabilitation, and release of persons lawfully committed to military custody. It shall operate the military imprisonment center required by the National Defense and Armed Forces Development Act and any military stockade, brig, detention center, field confinement facility, or prisoner-of-war facility established by lawful authority.
The Provost Marshal-General shall command the Service, and the Deputy Provost Marshal-General shall be second in command and shall act during the absence or incapacity of the Provost Marshal-General. Both shall be appointed and removable at will by the Emperor. Subject to the Emperor's supreme command, the Minister of Defense shall direct administration, facilities, resources, and welfare standards, while the Marshal of the Empire and Chief of the General Staff shall direct joint operational custody, transfers, and wartime requirements. An unresolved command conflict shall be referred to the Emperor.
The Service is a joint military body under the Ministry and is not a separate Armed Service Command or civilian Administration. Its personnel shall retain the ranks of their Armed Service Commands. Military Corrections Officer and Facility Commandant are functional assignments and do not create additional military ranks. The Provost Marshal-General may place one officer over more than one facility and may combine compatible commands when staffing requires.
The Service may receive persons committed by court-martial, legally effective court order, other lawful military process, or direct Imperial authority; maintain the central military custody register; verify and calculate terms; classify, search, transport, transfer, and release prisoners; operate and inspect facilities; prevent escape, violence, sabotage, self-harm, and contraband; and use reasonable and proportionate force for a lawful military-corrections purpose.
The Provost Marshal-General may issue Military Corrections Directives governing custody, security, discipline, records, rehabilitation, and facility operations.
Military confinement shall be secure, orderly, and humane. The Service shall provide food, shelter, sanitation, necessary health care, exercise, communication, and rehabilitative activity consistent with security and law. It shall not alter a sentence, extend confinement through discipline, or hold a person after lawful authority expires.
A civilian may be held in a military facility only under a legally effective court order, direct Imperial authority, the law of armed conflict, or immediate operational necessity. When the military basis ends, the person shall be released or transferred without unnecessary delay to the Civil Corrections Administration or another competent authority.
The Ministry of State Security shall be headed by the Minister of State Security, assisted by the Deputy Minister of State Security.
The Minister and Deputy Minister shall be appointed and removable at will by the Emperor. The Minister shall be the principal civilian state-security and intelligence officer of the Totemian Empire, shall sit on the Privy Council, and shall report directly to the Emperor.
The Ministry is outside the Chancellor's chain of command. Neither the Chancellor nor the Chancellor's Special Procuratorate may exercise authority over the Ministry, its officers, or a State Security matter except under a specific written delegation of the Emperor.
The Minister shall exercise unified command, allocate personnel and resources, approve major operations, submit strategic assessments to the Emperor, and issue the instruments authorized by this Chapter.
The Ministry shall be the principal civilian organ for state security and intelligence and shall exercise the protective, intelligence, ideological, cultural, information-control, correctional-education, and prosecutorial functions assigned by this Chapter.
Its jurisdiction includes espionage, treason, sabotage, terrorism, violent subversion, coup activity, assassination directed against the Crown or state leadership, unlawful disclosure of state secrets, hostile penetration of public institutions, attacks against essential state systems, and threats operating across realms.
Its ideological and cultural jurisdiction includes Vasili Thought, Totemian national identity and history, the Imperial system, public ethics, official state symbolism, ideological education, cultural mobilization, propaganda, counterpropaganda, statutory information control, and correctional reeducation.
There is established the State Security Commission as the highest coordinating body for civilian state security and national intelligence.
The Emperor shall chair the Commission. The Minister shall serve ex officio as Secretary-General, maintain its records, and execute its decisions. The heads of the four principal organs established by Section 4 shall be ex officio members. The Emperor may summon any other officer or expert required for a matter.
The Commission shall review major threats, set strategic priorities, and coordinate state organs. No quorum, vote, or concurrence is required for a direction of the Emperor.
The principal organs of the Ministry shall be the General Directorate for State Protection, the General Intelligence Directorate, the General Directorate for Ideological Security, and the Office of the Chief State Security Procurator. They shall be headed respectively by the Director-General of State Protection, the Director-General of Intelligence, the Director-General of Ideological Security, and the Chief State Security Procurator.
The Emperor shall appoint and remove the heads of the principal organs. The Minister may recommend candidates and may appoint not more than one Deputy Director-General for each Directorate and one Deputy Chief State Security Procurator.
Below the Minister, Deputy Minister, and heads of principal organs, the principal coordinating positions shall be the Chief of State Security Staff, Chief of Joint State Security Operations, Chief State Security Analyst, and Chief of Technical Operations. These are positions within the Ministry and are not separate organs.
The Chief of State Security Staff shall serve as the Minister's chief of staff and coordinate Ministry directives, personnel, finance, records, interorgan business, and execution of decisions.
The Chief of Joint State Security Operations shall coordinate operations involving more than one principal organ when assigned by the Minister. This coordinating authority shall not displace the lawful command of a Director-General or the independent prosecutorial decisions of the Chief State Security Procurator.
The Chief State Security Analyst shall direct all-source assessment, strategic warning, and intelligence briefings for the Emperor and Minister, using analysts from any principal organ or other Ministry component.
The Chief of Technical Operations shall coordinate technical collection, cyber operations, surveillance support, secure communications, specialist equipment, and technical protection within lawful authorization.
The Minister shall appoint and remove the principal coordinating officers unless the Emperor reserves or exercises the appointment. The Minister may leave a coordinating position vacant, combine compatible positions in one person, or assign a position to the Deputy Minister or a head of a principal organ.
The Minister may assign the functional titles State Security Officer, State Security Investigator, Intelligence Officer, State Security Procurator, Chief of Station, and Ideological Security Officer, and may combine compatible assignments in one qualified person.
No person may approve that person's own intrusive warrant application, finally review that person's own alleged misconduct, or exercise judicial power.
The Minister may establish temporary teams, stations, desks, sections, and joint task forces by Policy Order. Creation of another permanent principal organ requires the Emperor's written approval.
The General Directorate for State Protection shall be commanded by the Director-General of State Protection and shall conduct civilian counterintelligence and state-security investigations.
The Directorate shall conduct counterespionage, detect hostile penetration, investigate offenses within the Ministry's jurisdiction, protect state secrets and essential state systems, administer assigned security vetting, and support the security of senior state institutions.
For matters within its jurisdiction, the Directorate may arrest, search, seize, question, conduct surveillance, take protective action, and exercise other investigative powers authorized by law. It may operate joint task forces with police, military, customs, border, banking, and regulatory organs.
The Director-General may deploy officers throughout the Empire and assign commands by function or territory. Mixed ordinary-crime and state-security cases may be investigated jointly with the Ministry of Interior.
The General Intelligence Directorate shall be commanded by the Director-General of Intelligence and shall conduct clandestine intelligence and strategic collection.
The Directorate may recruit and handle sources, establish stations and protected communications, collect human and technical intelligence across realms, penetrate hostile organizations, and produce strategic intelligence. Successor networks derived from the former FSB or CSS shall be revalidated and placed under a current registered command.
A Chief of Station shall direct an authorized station or network and may hold another compatible intelligence assignment.
A covert action intended to influence events rather than collect intelligence requires the Emperor's written authorization. The Minister may approve intelligence collection and defensive countermeasures within approved policy.
When compulsory action is required within the Empire, the Directorate shall transfer the operational lead to the General Directorate for State Protection unless the Emperor directs otherwise.
The General Directorate for Ideological Security shall be commanded by the Director-General of Ideological Security, assisted by not more than one Deputy Director-General of Ideological Security.
The Directorate shall be the principal state-security organ for national ideological security, cultural direction, official state symbolism, public ethical formation, propaganda and counterpropaganda, statutory information control, correctional reeducation, and the study and dissemination of Vasili Thought. It shall cultivate a unified Totemian national consciousness grounded in devotion to the Emperor, confidence in the Imperial system, service to the Totemian people, historical memory, social discipline, collective responsibility, the dignity of labor, and the continuing development of Totemian civilization.
Appointments and removals shall be governed by Section 4. One qualified person may hold compatible assignments, and the Director-General may establish temporary missions, campaign staffs, teaching groups, or cultural teams without creating another permanent principal organ.
The General Directorate for Ideological Security shall have authority to:
(a) study Totemian history, culture, public conduct, social attitudes, state symbols, traditions, institutions, press and media conditions, and ideological conditions and report its findings to the Emperor and Minister;
(b) prepare and conduct ideological and cultural education, lectures, courses, manuals, exhibitions, ceremonies, commemorations, public programs, and training for state personnel and the public;
(c) design and conduct propaganda, counterpropaganda, cultural mobilization, public-ethics campaigns, and programs advancing national unity, Imperial institutions, lawful state policy, and the interests of the Totemian people;
(d) prepare educational publications, recordings, artwork, audiovisual material, curricula, and authorized explanations of Vasili Thought and Imperial doctrine;
(e) advise state organs on cultural policy, ideological consistency, public conduct, historical presentation, ceremonial practice, and the cultural effects of official programs;
(f) organize cultural and ideological work with Ministries, the Armed Forces, subnational governments and localities, schools, libraries, museums, cultural bodies, public institutions, workplaces, and registered organizations;
(g) design, review, standardize, authenticate, register, protect, and teach the meaning and proper use of official state symbols under Section 10;
(h) establish and maintain the Totemian Common Instruction under Section 10;
(i) investigate and administer information controls under Section 11;
(j) conduct correctional ideological education and reeducation under Section 12; and
(k) deploy officers and temporary teams throughout the Empire and exercise other ideological, cultural, educational, and regulatory powers conferred by law or Imperial Order.
Vasili Thought shall mean the developing body of Imperial doctrine concerning the Totemian state, society, culture, national purpose, public conduct, the Imperial system, the Totemian people, and any other subject that the Emperor expressly places within it.
The General Directorate may conduct research, commission studies, develop proposed theories and principles, and draft proposed Theses, explanations, and teaching material for submission to the Emperor. No proposal, theory, or draft shall form part of Vasili Thought unless the Emperor expressly designates it as such.
The Emperor may, by Imperial Order, promulgate a numbered or titled document styled an Imperial Thesis on Totemian State and Civilization. Every such Thesis, together with any other writing, speech, principle, or exposition expressly designated by the Emperor, shall form part of the authoritative corpus of Vasili Thought.
Only the Emperor may establish, amend, supersede, withdraw, or authoritatively interpret Vasili Thought. The General Directorate shall maintain the authoritative register, prepare faithful editions, commentaries, summaries, courses, and public explanations, and ensure that no adaptation alters the meaning or authority of the Imperial source.
The General Directorate shall be the central expert and custodial authority for the symbolic expression of the Totemian state and nation. It may design, review, standardize, authenticate, register, reproduce, protect, and teach the meaning and proper use of coats of arms, flags, banners, emblems, seals, anthems, state colors, regalia, insignia, honors, official portraits, ceremonies, commemorations, and other state symbols.
The adoption, alteration, or abolition of an Imperial or national symbol shall occur only by law, Imperial Order, or the act of any other authority legally competent for that symbol. The Minister may, on the recommendation of the General Directorate, issue State Security Policy Orders establishing technical, display, reproduction, ceremonial, and usage standards for an adopted symbol. The General Directorate may certify or reject an official reproduction under those standards.
The General Directorate may establish and maintain the Totemian Common Instruction, a concise national curriculum identifying the history, institutions, public duties, cultural principles, standards of conduct, state symbols, and elements of Vasili Thought that every Totemian should learn. Unless law or Imperial Order provides otherwise, the Common Instruction shall guide education and public formation and shall not by itself create an offense or civil penalty.
Where a session law, statute, or Imperial Order having force of law expressly makes specified expression, publication, portrayal, use of a symbol, or information unlawful or subject to control, the General Directorate shall be the central administrative authority for investigation and enforcement unless the controlling enactment assigns another authority. This jurisdiction includes an enactment protecting the dignity, privacy, safety, or lawful public representation of the Emperor, the Imperial Family, Imperial institutions, or state symbols.
Within the scope of the controlling enactment, the General Directorate may monitor public distribution, question persons, inspect publicly accessible or licensed media premises, require the production, preservation, or copying of relevant records and materials, and issue binding administrative directions requiring withholding, delay, redaction, correction, labeling, removal, blocking, de-indexing, surrender, or cessation of distribution. It may refer or assign searches, seizures, arrests, and other coercive field action to the General Directorate for State Protection or the National Gendarmerie and Police.
An administrative measure under this Section shall not require a warrant or prior judicial approval unless the Constitution or the controlling enactment expressly requires it. An urgent oral or electronic direction shall take immediate effect and shall be entered in the Directorate record as soon as practicable.
An affected person may challenge a measure through the ordinary lawsuit or appellate process after the measure takes effect. Filing a challenge shall not stay the measure unless a competent court grants a stay or the Emperor directs otherwise. Judicial review shall be remedial and shall not be a condition precedent to investigation or administrative enforcement.
The general ideological or cultural mission of the General Directorate shall not, without an express controlling enactment, constitute independent authority to restrict private press or expression.
Upon a direction of the Emperor, a request of the competent corrections command, or an interorgan arrangement under Chapter 1, Section 12, the General Directorate may conduct individual or group ideological, cultural, historical, ethical, and civic reeducation within civilian or military confinement facilities.
Correctional education may address Vasili Thought, Totemian identity and history, the role of the Emperor and Imperial institutions, lawful conduct, public discipline, responsibility to the Totemian people, the social value of labor, and preparation for constructive return to society.
The Civil Corrections Administration or Military Corrections Service shall retain custody, security, movement, discipline, facility command, and release authority. The General Directorate shall direct the curriculum, instructors, and educational assessment. Participation may be required only under a legally effective sentence or order, a lawful corrections program, or direct Imperial authority, and the Directorate shall not alter or extend a term of confinement.
The General Directorate shall lead the substance of official cultural doctrine and ideological education. The Chancellor's State Communications Directorate shall retain Chancellery press, media-channel, public-information, and Low Government messaging functions and may present or distribute authorized cultural material without altering Vasili Thought or an Imperial Thesis.
Except as expressly authorized under Section 11, the ideological, cultural, and educational authority of the General Directorate shall not by itself confer general police command, custodial command, or authority to create a criminal offense or punishment.
The Office of the Chief State Security Procurator shall conduct the Ministry's warrant, prosecution, and judicial-process work and shall be institutionally separate from the Chancellor's Special Procuratorate.
The Office may review and present applications for compulsory process, advise on operational legality, institute and conduct prosecutions, present classified evidence, seek lawful restraints and forfeitures, and conduct appeals.
The Chief State Security Procurator shall independently determine charges, disclosures, courtroom positions, and appeals. The Minister may set general priorities and allocate resources.
The Chancellor's Special Procuratorate may exercise concurrent jurisdiction under Chapter 26 but may not direct or take over a Ministry prosecution. The two offices shall share evidence lawfully, avoid duplicate proceedings, and refer an unresolved executive jurisdictional conflict to the Emperor. A court retains its lawful authority over the proceeding before it.
An authorized State Security Officer may seek warrants, summonses, production orders, interception orders, detention orders, and other compulsory process through a State Security Procurator.
Except for administrative inspection, production, preservation, and information-control authority expressly conferred by Section 11 or another law, an officer may use an intrusive search, seizure, interception, or detention without prior judicial process only under a lawful arrest power or urgent exception. An intrusive emergency measure shall be reported promptly to the Chief State Security Procurator and submitted for judicial review within the period required by law or, if none is stated, within twenty-four hours.
The Ministry shall obey legally effective court orders, judgments, and outcomes. It may seek clarification, a stay, an appeal, or another lawful remedy. Judicial process does not give a court administrative command over Ministry personnel, resources, or operations beyond the matter before it.
The Chief State Security Procurator shall receive and answer judicial requests for classified Ministry information, identities, methods, records, or operations. Such material shall not be disclosed through ordinary process and shall be handled under Chapter 28, Section 8.
The Ministry of Interior retains ordinary policing, public order, and routine criminal investigation. Interior shall refer a substantial state-security element to the General Directorate for State Protection and may continue by joint command.
The Ministry of Defense retains military intelligence, service counterintelligence, and military protection. State Protection shall provide threat intelligence and investigative support to the Belekovsky Life Guard Regiment, while the Regiment retains command of its military guard mission. The Emperor shall settle an unresolved command question.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs retains diplomacy and official relations. IBTE and financial authorities retain banking and monetary administration and shall provide lawful assistance in tracing hostile finance and attacks against the Empire's financial systems.
No other state or territorial organ may maintain a civilian state-security service or cross-realm spy service except by Act or written order of the Emperor.
Upon commencement of this Chapter, the body formerly called the FSB and the Committee for State Security, or CSS, are dissolved as separate legal organs. Their former chief offices, independent commands, and authority to act under those names are abolished.
The powers, property, funds, records, facilities, contracts, sources, investigations, operations, obligations, and personnel of the dissolved bodies shall vest in the Ministry, except for the Life Guard transfer provided below.
Counterintelligence and state-security investigations shall pass to the General Directorate for State Protection. Clandestine networks and strategic collection shall pass to the General Intelligence Directorate. Prosecution and court work shall pass to the Office of the Chief State Security Procurator.
The Life Guard Regiment, together with its assigned personnel, property, records, funds, facilities, and protective duties, shall transfer without dissolution to the Ministry of Defense and continue as the Belekovsky Life Guard Regiment under Chapter 24.
An existing investigation, operation, warrant, authorization, contract, proceeding, liability, or evidence duty shall continue with the proper successor organ until lawfully completed, amended, or terminated.
Personnel may be provisionally assigned without a break in service. Continued office, clearance, command, and functional title shall be reviewed by competent authority, and no former FSB or CSS rank or independent command shall survive merely by succession.
A prior legal reference to the FSB or CSS shall refer to the Ministry or the successor organ holding the corresponding function. Neither former name may be used as the official name of a current organ, office, command, or network.
The Minister may issue State Security Policy Orders for standing policy and administration and State Security Directives for operations and classified tasks. An emergency Directive may be oral but shall be recorded as soon as security permits.
A State Security Policy Order or State Security Directive may be classified in whole or part. Only the portion necessary for an officer's duty need be distributed, but the complete instrument and its controlling authorization shall be preserved in the sealed Ministry register.
Access to a classified Ministry instrument or register shall be limited by operational need, lawful authorization, and any specific requirement of superior law. A title, rank, advisory seat, or general oversight function shall not alone create access.
The Ministry shall maintain a classified register of its principal officers, standing delegations, active stations, major operations, and controlling authorizations. The complete register shall remain available to the Emperor.
The Chief State Security Procurator shall review alleged criminal misconduct within the Ministry. The Emperor may appoint a special inquiry or direct another competent organ to investigate.
The Minister shall report major threats, operations, unlawful conduct, and material jurisdictional conflicts to the Emperor. No classification, compartment, oath, or internal order may be used to withhold information from Him.
The Chancellor’s Special Procuratorate of the Totemian Empire shall be led by the Special Procurator-General.
The second in command of the Chancellor’s Special Procuratorate shall be the Deputy Special Procurator-General.
The purpose of the Chancellor’s Special Procuratorate of the Totemian Empire shall be to investigate violations of law, prosecute such violations before courts of competent jurisdiction, and uphold the laws of the Totemian Empire at the direction of the Chancellor.
The Special Procuratorate may investigate and prosecute any violation of law in force within the Totemian Empire, including national, subnational, and local law, and may seek judicial enforcement before a court of competent jurisdiction.
Its jurisdiction extends throughout the Empire and is concurrent with that of every other competent investigative, prosecutorial, or enforcement authority.
The Special Procuratorate may select matters according to lawful priorities established by the Chancellor, Special Procurator-General, or Deputy Special Procurator-General. In a matter it accepts, it may investigate, interrogate where lawful, obtain records and compulsory process, prosecute, and seek lawful remedies.
(a) Subject at all times to the Emperor's supreme authority, the Chancellor shall have primary authority to appoint and remove, at will, the Special Procurator-General and the Deputy Special Procurator-General. The Chancellor shall possess supervisory authority over the appointment and removal of the heads of all internal administrations, offices, and other subordinate divisions within the Chancellor’s Special Procuratorate and may appoint, remove, replace, or override the appointment of any such head at will. The Emperor may directly appoint, remove, suspend, replace, or confirm any officer or head governed by this subsection without further approval.
(b) Any appointment or removal made directly by the Chancellor under this Section shall be made by a written instrument of appointment or removal and shall take effect immediately upon issuance unless the instrument provides otherwise.
(c) No appointment or removal under this Section shall require the advice, consent, or approval of Parliament, the Privy Council, or another body, except as expressly required by the Constitution, other superior law, or a lawful direction of the Emperor.
(d) The Special Procurator-General may appoint and remove subordinate personnel, including the heads of internal divisions or subordinate bodies, in accordance with applicable law, Policy Orders, and directives issued by the Chancellor. All such appointments and removals shall remain subject to the Chancellor's supervisory authority and the Emperor's supreme authority under this Section.
(e) The Chancellor may, by Executive Order, override, amend, suspend, or revoke any Policy Order issued by the Chancellor’s Special Procuratorate of the Totemian Empire or by any internal administration, office, or subordinate division thereof.
(f) The Special Procurator-General shall occupy one of the three seats on the Advisory Council of the Low Government. Appointment to the office by the Chancellor shall simultaneously constitute appointment to that seat. A direct appointment by the Emperor shall carry the same seat unless He directs otherwise. Removal or departure from the office shall vacate the seat. The Special Procurator-General shall advise the Chancellor and Vice Chancellor on investigation, prosecution, enforcement priorities, and other matters within the functions of the Special Procuratorate.
(g) The Chancellor may issue lawful written directives to the Special Procuratorate concerning investigations, prosecutions, enforcement priorities, personnel, internal organization, or any other matter within its statutory functions. Such directives shall be binding within the Special Procuratorate. A written directive shall not, merely by reason of its issuance, create a generally applicable legal obligation outside the Special Procuratorate where another form of legal instrument is required by superior law.
(a) The Special Procurator-General shall have general command and superintendence over the Chancellor’s Special Procuratorate of the Totemian Empire, subject to the Constitution, superior law, and the lawful directives of the Chancellor.
(b) The Deputy Special Procurator-General shall assist the Special Procurator-General and shall act in the Special Procurator-General’s absence or incapacity. Unless otherwise directed, the Deputy shall exercise all powers of the Special Procurator-General when the Special Procurator-General is unavailable.
(c) A power vested in a subordinate unit may be exercised directly by the Special Procurator-General. The Deputy Special Procurator-General may exercise that power while acting as Special Procurator-General or when lawfully directed.
(d) The Special Procuratorate shall include:
(i) the Prosecutions Division; and
(ii) the Investigations Division.
(e) The functions, leadership, and duties of the Prosecutions Division and the Investigations Division shall be as set out in Sections 7 and 8 of this Chapter.
(f) The Special Procurator-General may establish, reorganize, or dissolve further internal units by Policy Order, subject to the Chancellor’s authority to override, amend, or revoke such Policy Orders.
(g) The Special Procurator-General may assign personnel within the Special Procuratorate and may establish internal operating procedures. Appointment and removal of heads of internal divisions or subordinate bodies shall remain subject to Section 4 of this Chapter.
(h) The Special Procuratorate shall have authority to issue Policy Orders governing its internal operations, organization, procedures, personnel, investigative administration, prosecutorial administration, case management, and other matters within its statutory authority.
(i) Any personnel within the Special Procuratorate may propose a Policy Order. A Policy Order shall enter into legal effect only upon the signature of the Special Procurator-General. During the absence or incapacity of the Special Procurator-General, the Deputy Special Procurator-General may sign Policy Orders while lawfully exercising the powers of that office.
(j) Policy Orders of the Special Procuratorate shall comply with the recording requirements of Chapter 1, Section 4, with the necessary substitutions.
(k) The Special Procurator-General may authorize or restrict subordinate divisions or bodies from issuing Policy Orders. Policy Orders issued by the Special Procurator-General shall supersede conflicting Policy Orders of subordinate bodies, and all Policy Orders of the Special Procuratorate shall remain subject to the Chancellor’s authority under Section 4 of this Chapter.
The Review Board shall screen proposed prosecutions and the continuation of major investigations for legal sufficiency, evidentiary viability, and consistency with lawful priorities of the Chancellor.
The permanent members shall be the Special Procurator-General, Deputy Special Procurator-General, and Chancellor. The Special Procurator-General may appoint or remove additional members, and the Chancellor may appoint or remove any additional member or alter the Board's composition. A sitting judge may not serve as an additional member. A member shall not participate in a matter involving that member's own investigation, prosecution, direct personal or financial interest, or another disqualification imposed by superior law.
Two eligible members constitute a quorum and decide by simple majority. If fewer than two eligible members are reasonably available, one eligible member may issue a provisional decision effective for not more than fourteen days unless sooner confirmed, replaced, or overridden.
A prosecution may proceed upon approval of the Board, Chancellor, Special Procurator-General, or Deputy Special Procurator-General. Routine investigative steps do not require Board approval.
The Chancellor may direct, approve, continue, expand, suspend, reopen, close, reverse, amend, or nullify any matter or Board decision by Executive Order or other lawful written directive, subject to the Emperor and superior law.
The Board shall record each decision, its basis, and the participating members.
(a) There shall be established within the Special Procuratorate a Prosecutions Division.
(b) The Prosecutions Division shall be led by a Chief Prosecutor, who may be assisted by a Deputy Chief Prosecutor.
(c) The Chief Prosecutor and Deputy Chief Prosecutor shall be appointed and removable at will by the Special Procurator-General, subject to the Chancellor’s authority under Section 4 of this Chapter.
(d) The Prosecutions Division shall have primary responsibility for:
(i) preparing charges;
(ii) filing prosecutions;
(iii) presenting cases before courts of competent jurisdiction;
(iv) conducting court advocacy;
(v) seeking lawful punishments and remedies; and
(vi) handling appeals arising from prosecutions.
(e) The Prosecutions Division may conduct or direct limited investigative steps necessary for trial preparation, including reviewing evidence, preparing witnesses, and requesting further investigation by the Investigations Division.
(f) No prosecution shall be filed or commenced unless approved in accordance with Section 6 of this Chapter.
(g) Staff of the Prosecutions Division shall be styled Prosecutors.
(a) There shall be established within the Special Procuratorate an Investigations Division.
(b) The Investigations Division shall be led by a Chief Investigator, who may be assisted by a Deputy Chief Investigator.
(c) The Chief Investigator and Deputy Chief Investigator shall be appointed and removable at will by the Special Procurator-General, subject to the Chancellor’s authority under Section 4 of this Chapter.
(d) The Investigations Division shall have primary responsibility for:
(i) gathering evidence;
(ii) obtaining records;
(iii) conducting interviews and interrogations where the law permits;
(iv) executing lawful search or seizure actions where authorized;
(v) maintaining the chain of custody of evidence; and
(vi) preparing investigative reports for the Special Procurator-General, the Deputy Special Procurator-General, and the Prosecutions Division.
(e) The Investigations Division may refer matters to the Prosecutions Division and may assist the Prosecutions Division in court when required.
(f) Personnel of either Division may assist or be cross-assigned to the other by the Special Procurator-General, Deputy Special Procurator-General, or Chancellor. A person may file or conduct a prosecution only with lawful prosecutorial authority and approval under Section 6.
(g) Staff of the Investigations Division shall be styled Investigators.
There is established within the Chancellery a Chancellor's State Communications Directorate. The Directorate shall be an organ of the Low Government under the direct authority of the Chancellor and may be referred to as the CSCD.
The Directorate shall be led by the Director-General of State Communications. No separate statutory deputy office is created. During the Director-General's absence or incapacity, the Press Secretary to the Chancellor or another Directorate officer designated in writing by the Chancellor shall act with the powers stated in the designation.
The Directorate is not a Ministry, police authority, intelligence service, prosecutorial body, electoral authority, or regulator of private media. It shall exercise only the communications, press, media, and public-information powers established by this Chapter or another law.
Subject at all times to the Emperor's supreme authority, the Chancellor shall appoint and remove at will the Director-General of State Communications, the Press Secretary to the Chancellor, and the Director of State Media and Information. The Emperor may directly appoint, confirm, suspend, replace, or remove any of those officers.
An appointment or removal by the Chancellor shall be made by written instrument and shall not require the advice or consent of Parliament, the Privy Council, or another body unless superior law expressly provides otherwise. An appointment made by a Chancellor shall terminate when that Chancellor leaves office unless the succeeding Chancellor reappoints the officer.
The Chancellor may issue binding written directions concerning any Directorate function, appoint or remove subordinate personnel, approve, revise, replace, delay, or withdraw any proposed publication, assume direct editorial control of any Directorate channel, and override any decision or internal directive of a Directorate officer. A lawful direction of the Emperor shall prevail.
The Directorate shall present, explain, defend, and advance the lawful program of the Chancellor and the Low Government; communicate official positions and actions; support public understanding and mobilization; and conduct state information, strategic communications, propaganda, counterpropaganda, and rapid-response messaging as directed by the Chancellor.
The Directorate may:
(a) prepare and issue official statements, press releases, briefings, fact sheets, speeches, interviews, public notices, audiovisual material, and digital communications for the Chancellor and Vice Chancellor;
(b) establish, operate, and manage official Chancellery publications, broadcast services, social-media channels, websites, press rooms, and other communications platforms;
(c) plan and conduct domestic or external information campaigns in support of lawful state policy, public order, civic unity, national programs, and the interests of the Totemian Empire;
(d) publish favorable or adverse reporting, commentary, rebuttal, criticism, advocacy, or comparative material concerning policies, conduct, persons, institutions, organizations, events, or governments, subject to Section 8;
(e) monitor news, public statements, and media narratives; research claims and public reaction; and prepare corrections, responses, talking points, and rapid-response material;
(f) coordinate the timing and presentation of Low Government announcements and provide communications guidance to Low Government officers;
(g) request nonclassified factual information reasonably necessary to prepare an official communication and verify it with the organ responsible for the underlying matter; and
(h) perform any other communications or public-information function assigned by the Chancellor or Emperor.
The Director-General of State Communications shall occupy one of the three seats on the Advisory Council of the Low Government. Appointment to the office by the Chancellor shall simultaneously constitute appointment to that seat. A direct appointment by the Emperor shall carry the same seat unless He directs otherwise. Removal or departure from the office shall vacate the seat.
The Director-General shall advise the Chancellor and Vice Chancellor on communications strategy, media, public opinion, information campaigns, and the presentation of policy.
There is established within the Directorate an Office of the Press Secretary, led by the Press Secretary to the Chancellor.
The Press Secretary shall be the principal public spokesperson for the Chancellor and the Directorate and shall conduct press briefings, issue and authenticate press releases and official statements, answer media inquiries, arrange interviews and appearances, coordinate spokesperson assignments, maintain the official public record of Chancellery statements, and perform other press functions directed by the Chancellor or Director-General.
The Press Secretary may speak in the name of the Chancellor only within actual authority granted by the Chancellor. A statement issued by the Press Secretary may be corrected, replaced, or withdrawn by the Chancellor at any time.
There is established within the Directorate an Office of State Media and Information, led by the Director of State Media and Information.
The Office shall produce and distribute official publications, broadcasts, graphics, recordings, digital media, public-information campaigns, propaganda, counterpropaganda, civic-education material, and other communications approved by the Chancellor or Director-General. It may maintain production facilities, official channels, media archives, and research necessary for those functions.
The Director of State Media and Information shall direct production, publishing, audience research, message planning, rapid response, and campaign execution and may assign projects across available Directorate personnel.
The Director-General shall exercise general command and superintendence over the Directorate, subject to the Chancellor and Emperor. Any function of either internal Office may be exercised directly by the Director-General or Chancellor.
The Chancellor may authorize one person to hold any two or all three principal Directorate offices concurrently. Other personnel may be styled Communications Officers, Press Officers, Media Officers, Producers, Researchers, or receive another functional title by written assignment. No additional Administration or separate state organ is created by a title or assignment under this Section.
The Director-General may issue Communications Directives governing internal workflow, publishing procedure, message coordination, records, security, personnel assignments, and use of Directorate channels. A Communications Directive shall bind only the Directorate and shall not create a criminal offense, regulate private media, or impose a legal duty on the public. The Chancellor may amend, suspend, or revoke it at any time.
The Directorate may advocate forcefully for lawful state policy and may publish favorable or adverse official commentary, but it shall not use official resources to promote or oppose the Chancellor, a candidate, a political party, or another electoral participant in violation of the Civil Code. Neutral election notices and necessary reporting of official acts may identify an incumbent but shall not be directed toward conferring an unequal electoral advantage.
Nothing in this Chapter grants power to censor, license, close, seize, or compel a private press or media organization, or to punish protected speech, unless another law expressly grants that power consistently with the Constitution.
The Directorate shall not falsely attribute a statement or approval to the Emperor, fabricate an Imperial or legal instrument, disclose classified information without authority, or present an official communication as an Act, Imperial Order, Executive Order, Policy Order, Administration Order, judgment, or other legal instrument that it is not.
A Ministry or other High Government organ may coordinate with the Directorate or provide a communications liaison, but the Directorate shall not command a High Government organ except under a lawful direction or delegation of the Emperor. The General Directorate for Ideological Security shall retain the ideological-security, cultural-doctrine, state-symbolism, statutory information-control, and ideological-education functions assigned by Chapter 25.
The Directorate shall preserve an official archive of final releases, major campaigns, channel authority, corrections, withdrawals, and controlling written directions. Records may be classified or restricted according to law, and no classification may be used to withhold information from the Emperor.
The Supreme Court of the Totemian Empire shall be the highest and final appellate court in all matters of law and justice within the Totemian Empire and shall exercise the judicial authority vested in it by the Constitution and other applicable law. The Court shall remain institutionally independent from the governmental tributaries and shall serve under the Emperor in the manner established by the Constitution.
The Supreme Court shall be composed of the Chief Justice and not more than six Associate Justices. The Emperor shall appoint the Chief Justice and Associate Justices with the advice of the Privy Council. The Court may operate with the Chief Justice and such number of Associate Justices as are lawfully in office; the maximum number of seats need not be filled for the Court to exercise its jurisdiction.
A Justice shall possess legal expertise, integrity, and substantial knowledge or experience in Totemian law. Legal scholars, former judges, and other persons with substantial experience in Imperial law may be appointed where the Emperor determines them qualified.
The Supreme Court shall have authority to:
(a) exercise exclusive authority to interpret the Constitution of the Totemian Empire and its amendments;
(b) interpret and apply Imperial Orders, the Constitution, Acts of Parliament, the Civil Code, Executive Orders, Policy Orders, Administration Orders, administrative rules, laws of subnational governments and localities, and other applicable law in accordance with the lawful hierarchy of law;
(c) exercise judicial review over Acts of Parliament, provisions of the Civil Code, laws of subnational governments and localities, Executive Orders, Policy Orders, Administration Orders, and other subordinate legal or executive acts properly before the Court and determine whether such acts are constitutional;
(d) strike down or declare without legal effect an Act of Parliament, provision of the Civil Code, law of a subnational government or locality, Executive Order, Policy Order, Administration Order, or other subordinate legal or executive act found to violate the Constitution, subject to the Imperial approval requirement applicable to Supreme Court decisions;
(e) exercise original jurisdiction over matters assigned to the Court by the Constitution or other superior law, including constitutional disputes, disputes concerning the interpretation of the laws of the Empire, conflicts between lower courts or state organs, Imperial trials, and disputes of the highest national importance;
(f) exercise final appellate jurisdiction over judgments, orders, and other appealable decisions of lower courts throughout the Totemian Empire;
(g) resolve conflicts of law, jurisdiction, or controlling legal interpretation between lower courts;
(h) affirm, reverse, vacate, modify, or remand a judgment or order under appellate review;
(i) issue judgments, mandates, procedural orders, and other lawful judicial directions necessary to resolve matters within its jurisdiction and require compliance by lower courts, parties, and state organs subject to the judgment;
(j) exercise the contempt, remedial, and other judicial powers available to a lawful court under the Civil Code where applicable to proceedings before the Supreme Court; and
(k) exercise other judicial authority expressly conferred by the Constitution, an Act of Parliament, an Imperial Order, the Civil Code, or other superior law.
A matter falling within the original jurisdiction of the Supreme Court may be commenced directly before the Court where the Constitution or other superior law authorizes the Court to hear that category of dispute.
In an original proceeding, the Court may receive evidence, determine disputed facts where necessary, hear legal argument, issue procedural orders, and enter the judgment or remedy authorized by law.
Ordinary matters that do not fall within the Supreme Court's original jurisdiction shall proceed through the competent lower court before appellate review by the Supreme Court.
An appeal to the Supreme Court shall constitute review of the proceedings and decision of the lower court and shall not constitute a new trial.
In appellate proceedings, the Court shall review the lower-court record, the judgment or order appealed from, the legal arguments of the parties, applicable law, and prior rulings relevant to the appeal. The Court shall determine whether the lower court committed legal, constitutional, jurisdictional, or material procedural error and whether the judgment was legally supportable on the record before that court.
The Supreme Court shall not receive new evidence for the purpose of retrying an appealed case. Where resolution of an appeal requires factual development or evidence not properly determined below, the Court may remand the matter to the competent lower court with instructions.
Upon appellate review, the Court may affirm the decision below; reverse it in whole or in part; vacate it; modify the judgment where the record and law permit; or remand the matter for further proceedings consistent with the Supreme Court's legal ruling.
A lower court receiving a remanded case shall follow the legal holdings and instructions contained in the Supreme Court's approved mandate.
The Chief Justice shall preside over sessions of the Supreme Court and shall be the principal judicial and administrative officer of the Court.
The Chief Justice shall determine the Court's schedule and docket, allocate cases and judicial work among the Justices, oversee the administration and records of the Court, and ensure the proper functioning of Supreme Court proceedings.
The Chief Justice, in collaboration with the Associate Justices, may establish judicial protocols and procedures governing filing, service, hearings, oral argument, case records, deliberation, opinions, mandates, and other matters necessary for the orderly exercise of the Court's jurisdiction, provided such procedures remain consistent with superior law.
The Chief Justice shall represent the Supreme Court in official matters before the Emperor and other state organs and shall exercise the constitutional function assigned to the Chief Justice in impeachment proceedings concerning the Chancellor or Vice Chancellor.
The Chief Justice may assign necessary clerical, recording, research, or administrative duties to available judicial or lawfully assigned support personnel.
Each Justice participating in a case shall have one vote. Where more than one Justice participates, a judgment or substantive ruling shall require the concurrence of a majority of the participating Justices.
Where an appellate case is equally divided, the judgment under review shall remain in force for that case and the divided Supreme Court disposition shall not establish controlling precedent. Where an original matter is equally divided, the Chief Justice shall retain the matter for further consideration when a lawful majority can be obtained or may issue such temporary procedural directions as are necessary to preserve the matter pending further consideration.
A final judgment, constitutional ruling, appellate disposition, or other substantive decision of the Supreme Court shall be submitted to the Emperor for approval in accordance with the Constitution. Before Imperial approval, the decision shall not possess final and binding effect as a decision of the Supreme Court.
Upon Imperial approval, the decision shall be final and binding upon the parties, lower courts, state organs, subnational governments and localities, institutions, and other persons subject to Totemian law to the extent governed by the decision.
Where the Emperor withholds approval or returns a decision for further consideration, the Court may reconsider the matter and issue a revised decision. Actions taken under lawful interim or procedural orders before final disposition shall remain governed by the terms of those orders unless altered by the Court or superior authority.
Routine scheduling, docketing, filing, and clerical directions may issue without Imperial approval if they do not determine substantive rights, obligations, remedies, appeals, or merits. Any order or ruling that does so is a Supreme Court decision and shall be submitted to the Emperor.
The Supreme Court shall maintain an official docket and judicial record sufficient to identify each case, the parties, the questions presented, material filings, the Justices participating, the disposition, the date of decision, and the date of Imperial approval where required.
An approved Supreme Court interpretation of the Constitution shall control the constitutional question decided. Approved holdings of the Supreme Court on questions of Imperial law shall bind lower courts unless displaced by superior law, a later controlling Supreme Court decision, or a lawful change in the underlying law.
The Court may issue majority opinions, concurring opinions, dissenting opinions, orders, or other written judicial explanations as appropriate. The controlling judgment and legal holding shall be identifiable from the official record.
Judicial records shall be preserved as official records of the Totemian Empire. Records may be restricted or sealed where required by law, protection of confidential information, safety, national security, or a lawful judicial order.
The following procedure shall govern the Supreme Court and every lower court when a filing, application, order, or request concerns classified information held by the Ministry of State Security. The matter shall be filed under seal, the public docket shall use a neutral description, and the Chief State Security Procurator shall represent the Ministry on disclosure and security handling.
A court may examine classified material in camera and, where necessary, ex parte; restrict attendance and access to persons authorized for the matter; and use redactions, summaries, admissions, substitute evidence, protective orders, secure facilities, and return or destruction requirements. A court may not declassify information by its own authority.
Before classified material is disclosed to a party, the public, a foreign person, or an unauthorized officer, the Minister of State Security or Chief State Security Procurator may file a sealed security certificate and transmit the disputed question directly to the Emperor. The filing shall stay only the disputed disclosure until the Emperor acts.
The presiding court may also transmit a sealed question directly to the Emperor when an Imperial security determination is necessary to decide the matter. The Emperor may authorize, limit, condition, substitute for, or prohibit disclosure and may direct the secure manner of judicial examination.
The Court shall determine the remaining legal effect within the case, including whether a summary or substitute is sufficient and what remedy follows if protected information cannot be used. The Ministry shall comply with the legally effective judicial outcome after this procedure, and every substantive Supreme Court decision remains subject to Imperial approval under Section 6.
Nothing in this Section authorizes false evidence, a false statement to a Totemian court, concealment from the Emperor, or refusal to obey a final legally effective order after the authorized security procedure is complete.
The Supreme Court and every lower court shall uphold the Imperial system and take the authoritative corpus of Vasili Thought as the guiding doctrine of judicial work. Vasili Thought shall inform judicial administration, judicial education, legal interpretation, adjudication, execution of judgments, and the development of court procedure, consistently with the Constitution and the lawful hierarchy of law.
Every Justice, judge, and judicial officer shall study the current authoritative corpus maintained under Chapter 25, Section 9. The Chief Justice shall ensure regular instruction in Vasili Thought, Totemian law, judicial ethics, and the proper exercise of judicial authority. A court may rely upon official editions and authenticated materials maintained by the General Directorate for Ideological Security, but only a source designated by the Emperor and an interpretation issued by Him shall be authoritative.
In deciding cases, courts shall apply written law according to its lawful hierarchy. Within the meaning reasonably permitted by that law, courts shall use Vasili Thought to ascertain legal purpose, resolve genuine ambiguity, guide judicial discretion and remedies, and pursue the unity of legal, political, and social effects. No court shall depart from clear controlling law merely because it prefers a different ideological, political, or policy result.
Vasili Thought shall not, by itself, create a criminal offense, civil cause of action, tax, fine, forfeiture, detention power, evidentiary burden, or other legal disability. An Imperial Thesis or other component of Vasili Thought shall possess independent force of law only to the extent that the Emperor promulgates it as an Imperial Order or otherwise gives it legal effect through a form recognized in the lawful hierarchy of law.
A judicial opinion may cite and explain a relevant Imperial Thesis or other authoritative component of Vasili Thought, but it shall identify the legal authority supporting the decision and explain the relationship among the material facts, governing law, and judgment. No court may amend, supersede, withdraw, or purport to issue an authoritative interpretation of Vasili Thought.
Where a genuine question concerning the meaning of Vasili Thought is material to the disposition of a case and cannot be resolved from the authoritative corpus, the Supreme Court shall submit the question to the Emperor for authoritative interpretation. A lower court shall transmit such a question through the Supreme Court. The court may stay the affected proceedings or issue necessary interim orders while the question is pending, and the Imperial interpretation shall govern the matter.
The duty to uphold and apply Vasili Thought shall not authorize a Ministry, Directorate, advisory body, officer, or other person to dictate a finding of fact, legal interpretation, judicial vote, judgment, sentence, or remedy in a particular case. The General Directorate for Ideological Security may, at a court's request, authenticate an Imperial source or submit an advisory explanation through the lawful judicial process, but adjudication shall remain with the court subject to the Constitution, applicable law, and the constitutional authority of the Emperor.
The National Library and Imperial Archives of the Totemian Empire (NLIA), established by the National Library and Imperial Archives Act, is continued as a direct Administration of the Totemian State. It is not subordinate to a Ministry and shall operate under the supreme direction of the Emperor.
The Imperial Library of Parliament established by Imperial Order 13 is continued within the NLIA as its parliamentary library, designated collection, and research service. It shall not have separate legal personality or a separate chain of command.
The collections, archives, facilities, systems, funds, and other public property assigned to the NLIA are owned by the Government of the Totemian Empire and held in the administrative custody of the NLIA. A loan, deposit, or conditional gift shall retain any ownership terms lawfully accepted when it was received.
The Ministry of Finance of the Totemian Empire shall maintain an operating account for money appropriated or lawfully received for the NLIA. The Imperial Librarian may administer that account for the functions of the NLIA, subject to fiscal law and Imperial direction. This Section does not create a separate statutory fund.
The Imperial Librarian shall be the head and Administrator of the NLIA. The Deputy Imperial Librarian shall be the Deputy Administrator and second in command. Both officers shall be appointed and removable at will by the Emperor and shall serve at His Imperial Majesty's pleasure.
The Emperor alone exercises parent oversight of the NLIA. No other state officer may exercise general command over it unless superior law or Imperial direction expressly provides otherwise.
The Imperial Librarian shall command the NLIA. The Deputy Imperial Librarian shall perform every lawful task assigned by the Imperial Librarian and shall exercise automatic acting succession under Chapter 1, Section 5. The other default rules for Administrations apply with references to a parent Minister read as references to the Emperor where necessary.
Within its jurisdiction, the NLIA may:
(a) acquire, receive, copy, catalog, preserve, restore, digitize, and hold books, manuscripts, maps, recordings, official publications, documentary works, and archival records;
(b) maintain national catalogs, archival inventories, finding aids, repositories, reading services, and secure digital systems;
(c) provide research, reference, documentary, and reproduction services to the Emperor, Parliament, courts, state organs, and the public according to lawful access rules;
(d) accept lawful purchase, gift, loan, deposit, copy, or transfer of material and take permanent custody of public records selected for archival preservation;
(e) preserve provenance, record custody and restrictions, and issue authenticated reproductions or certifications of material in its custody;
(f) prepare exhibitions, publications, educational material, and research projects concerning Totemian history, law, government, culture, and documentary heritage; and
(g) issue Administration Orders and technical standards for acquisition, cataloging, preservation, records transfer, access, reproduction, facilities, and security.
The NLIA may use functional titles including Librarian, Archivist, Conservator, Records Officer, and Research Officer. These titles may be assigned to personnel as needed and do not create additional principal offices.
Imperial Order 13 remains in force. Its initial holdings remain part of the Imperial Library of Parliament, and material shall not be excluded, concealed, or removed merely because it is politically controversial. Inclusion of a work in the Library does not constitute official endorsement of its contents.
The Imperial Library of Parliament shall provide both Houses and their members with timely and politically impartial research, reference material, and access to its collections. Either Speaker or any member of Parliament may request assistance, but no single House, party, Speaker, or member shall command the Imperial Librarian or control service to the other House.
The Speakers and members of Parliament may propose acquisitions or research priorities. The Imperial Librarian shall decide ordinary acquisitions and service arrangements within available resources, subject to Imperial direction and any requirement imposed by law.
The Imperial Archives shall preserve public records of permanent legal, administrative, historical, or cultural value. The originating organ shall retain active custody while a record remains necessary for current business, after which custody may pass to the NLIA under an archival schedule, lawful agreement, or Imperial direction.
Every state organ shall cooperate with the Imperial Librarian in identifying permanent records and establishing reasonable retention and transfer schedules. A permanent public record shall not be destroyed contrary to law, an applicable archival schedule, or an Imperial direction.
Transfer to the Imperial Archives shall not alter the legal authority of the originating organ, invalidate a certified copy, or prevent the originating organ from retaining an operational copy. Active registries, case files, intelligence holdings, and military or diplomatic records remain with the competent organ until lawfully transferred.
A classified, sealed, protected, or operational record may be deposited under restricted custody. The originating authority retains control of its classification and may authorize access, subject always to the authority of the Emperor. The NLIA shall not declassify or disclose such a record on its own authority.
Library and archival material shall be available for official or public use except where access is limited by classification, law, court seal, privacy, preservation needs, the terms of a lawful deposit, or Imperial direction. A restriction shall be applied to the affected material and shall not justify withholding unrelated holdings.
The NLIA is a custodial, research, and cultural institution. It shall not exercise police, intelligence, prosecutorial, judicial, or general censorship authority unless superior law expressly assigns a particular function.
The Ministry of State Security may prescribe protective standards for classified holdings. The General Directorate for Ideological Security may coordinate exhibitions, public instruction, and cultural programs with the NLIA. Neither power transfers command, ownership, archival custody, or ordinary collection decisions from the NLIA unless the Emperor expressly directs otherwise.
The National Library and Imperial Archives Act and Imperial Order 13 remain in force except to the extent that a provision cannot operate with this Chapter. This Chapter supplies the status, ownership, leadership, command, and administrative powers left unstated by those instruments.
A lawful appointment to the office of Imperial Librarian and every existing collection, archive, record, account, balance, gift, loan, contract, and administrative act shall continue according to its terms. Property and functions belonging to the National Library, Imperial Archives, or Imperial Library of Parliament are vested in the NLIA without creating a duplicate organ, office, fund, account, right, or liability.
A reference in existing law to the National Library, Imperial Archives, Imperial Librarian, Imperial Library, Imperial Library of Parliament, or Parliamentary Library shall be read according to the institutional arrangement established by this Chapter unless the context clearly requires another meaning.
For purposes of this Chapter:
(a) an Estate is property and lawful obligations administered after a person's death or another authorized activation event;
(b) a Succession Instrument is a will or other written direction governing the later management or disposition of a person's property;
(c) a Trust is a written fiduciary arrangement under which property is administered for named beneficiaries or a definite lawful purpose;
(d) the maker of a Succession Instrument is the Testator, the creator of a Trust is the Settlor, and an Executor or Trustee is a Fiduciary; and
(e) a Beneficiary receives an interest under the instrument, and a Successor Fiduciary assumes office when the serving Fiduciary cannot or may not continue.
The Office of Civil Registration shall maintain the Register of Estates and Trusts. The Fiduciary Registrar shall examine filings, record instruments and status changes, certify fiduciary authority, and notify the Imperial Bank of the Totemian Empire (IBTE) when an account must be created, activated, restricted, or closed.
A Succession Instrument or Trust shall have a lawful purpose, concern property the maker owns or may lawfully direct, and state at least:
(a) the maker's identity and a declaration of legal capacity;
(b) whether the instrument is a Succession Instrument or Trust;
(c) the property, accounts, or ascertainable class of property governed;
(d) each Beneficiary or the definite method for identifying a Beneficiary, or the lawful purpose of a purpose Trust;
(e) the Fiduciary and Successor Fiduciary, or a definite method for their appointment;
(f) the event on which administration or distribution begins;
(g) the Fiduciary's powers, limits, distribution duties, and treatment of residue;
(h) the method of amendment or revocation; and
(i) the maker's signature and date.
A Succession Instrument shall be signed before two witnesses or acknowledged before the Fiduciary Registrar. A Trust shall be signed by the Settlor and accepted by its first Trustee. A court or the Emperor may determine capacity, authenticity, or lawful ownership when those matters are disputed.
An instrument may be filed before it becomes active. Registration is required to bind a state organ, obtain an Estate or Trust account, or receive an administrative certificate of fiduciary authority. An unregistered instrument may be recognized only under Section 8.
The registration fee shall be 250 SL for an initial instrument and 50 SL for an amendment or complete restatement. The Central Revenue Administration shall collect the fee after the filing is accepted as legally sufficient and credit it to the Collections Fund. No fee shall be charged for activation, a death or exile notation, fiduciary acceptance or resignation, termination, or a filing required by a court or the Emperor.
A later Act of Parliament or Imperial Order may alter or waive a fee established by this Section.
A Testator with legal capacity may amend or revoke a Succession Instrument. A Settlor may amend or revoke a Trust to the extent reserved by the Trust or allowed by law. An amendment or revocation shall satisfy the execution requirements applicable to the instrument it changes.
The latest valid instrument controls to the extent of an inconsistency. A complete replacement supersedes the earlier instrument; a partial amendment changes only the covered terms.
A completed lawful distribution shall not be undone merely because a later instrument is filed, but a court or the Emperor may grant relief for fraud, forgery, incapacity, concealment, mistake, breach of fiduciary duty, or unlawful property.
A Succession Instrument activates on the Testator's death unless it lawfully states another event. A Trust activates as its terms provide. The Fiduciary Registrar shall record the event and certify the serving Fiduciary before state organs recognize operational authority.
After death or another authorized activation event, IBTE shall preserve the maker's personal accounts until the Fiduciary Registrar certifies a serving Fiduciary and the applicable Estate or Trust account. IBTE shall then transfer the lawful balance to that account. If no registered or recognized instrument or serving Fiduciary exists, the Registrar shall record an unadministered Estate and refer appointment and distribution to the Emperor or a court. Preservation, restriction, or referral under this paragraph does not transfer title to the Government.
Exile, loss of citizenship, departure, or absence is not death and does not by itself activate or invalidate an instrument. Such an event may activate an instrument only where the instrument expressly provides for it or the Emperor or a court orders administration to preserve property, satisfy claims, or carry out a lawful disposition.
An instrument valid when executed is not invalid merely because the maker is later exiled or loses status. The maker's power to control, amend, or revoke it remains subject to the terms of the exile, forfeiture, or other superior order.
A Fiduciary may take custody of covered property, operate registered accounts, collect income, preserve or transfer assets, pay lawful expenses and claims, represent the Estate or Trust, and distribute property according to the instrument and law.
A Fiduciary shall act loyally, in good faith, within the instrument, keep Estate or Trust property separate from personal and organization property, preserve an accounting, avoid unauthorized self-dealing, and provide information required by law or the instrument.
A Fiduciary may appoint an Authorized Agent for stated tasks unless the instrument forbids delegation. An Authorized Agent may exercise only the recorded delegated powers and may not amend the instrument, change a Beneficiary, appoint a Fiduciary, or distribute property beyond an express instruction.
A Successor Fiduciary has no management authority until the prior Fiduciary's office ends or is suspended. A Beneficiary has the rights granted by the instrument and law but no management authority merely by being a Beneficiary. One person may hold more than one role, except that the sole Trustee shall not also be the sole Beneficiary.
The Emperor or a court may suspend or remove a Fiduciary for breach of duty, incapacity, refusal, unfitness, conflict of interest, or failure to administer the instrument, and may recognize a lawful successor.
Upon registration or lawful activation, the Fiduciary Registrar shall certify the instrument, Fiduciary, account purpose, and any recorded limits to IBTE. That certification itself authorizes IBTE to create or activate the required accounts without a separate application or approval by the Ministry of Finance.
An Estate or Trust may maintain one Principal Account, one Administration Account, and not more than three Dedicated Purpose Accounts, for a maximum of five active accounts. The Emperor or a court may authorize additional accounts for a recorded necessity.
Account property belongs to the Estate or Trust and not to the Fiduciary, Authorized Agent, Beneficiary, Ministry of Interior, or IBTE. IBTE shall enforce the certified roles and limits, and a Fiduciary remains legally responsible for every delegated transaction.
An instrument conveys no better title than the maker possessed. It shall not conceal, preserve, or transfer stolen or misappropriated public funds, business or organization funds, proceeds or traceable property of fraud, theft, bribery, corruption, embezzlement, or money laundering, or property subject to a lawful fine, tax, restitution, debt, seizure, or forfeiture.
Lawful public and private claims against the maker, Estate, Trust, or covered property shall be determined before final distribution. Property may be preserved or restricted while ownership is disputed, but permanent forfeiture requires the authority established by the Civil Code.
A clear preexisting will, trust, or comparable written arrangement that did not satisfy the registration formalities of this Chapter may be recognized by the Emperor or a court if reliable evidence proves the maker's capacity, authentic assent, definite intended disposition, and lawful ownership when it was made. Later exile or loss of status does not defeat recognition, but no recognition may validate unlawful property or defeat a superior order.
The Civil Code shall be amended by creating Title 7 - Criminal Law immediately after Title 6 - Labor. The following shall be inserted as Title 7, Chapter 1 - General Criminal Liability, Parties, and Inchoate Offenses, with each source Section becoming the same-numbered Article:
This Chapter applies to every offense under the Civil Code unless the provision defining an offense expressly supplies a different rule. “Offense” means conduct or an omission for which Totemian law authorizes criminal punishment, and “principal offense” means the offense committed, attempted, encouraged, facilitated, concealed, or otherwise involved.
No person shall be convicted unless every element of the charged offense is proved beyond a reasonable doubt. Suspicion, association, opportunity, status, reputation, political or organizational affiliation, or mere possibility does not prove an element.
A person acts intentionally when the person’s conscious objective is to engage in the conduct or cause the prohibited result. A person acts knowingly when aware that the conduct or circumstance exists or that the prohibited result is practically certain. A person acts recklessly when consciously disregarding a substantial and unjustifiable risk in a manner constituting a serious departure from the conduct of a reasonable person in the circumstances. A person acts with criminal negligence when the person fails to perceive an obvious, substantial, and unjustifiable risk and that failure constitutes a serious departure from reasonable care.
Where an offense does not state a culpable mental state, at least knowing conduct is required unless the law expressly creates strict liability. Criminal liability or punishment shall not be created solely from advisory, permissive, predictive, aspirational, or ceremonial language.
An omission creates criminal liability only where law imposes a specific duty to act, the person knows or reasonably should know of the facts creating that duty, and the person is physically and legally capable of performing it. A duty may arise from statute, lawful office, contract, voluntary assumption of care followed by isolation of the person or property from other aid, creation of the danger, or another rule expressly recognized by law.
Where a prohibited result is an element, the accused’s conduct must be a substantial factual and legal cause of that result. An intervening event does not defeat causation where it is a reasonably foreseeable response to the danger created. An extraordinary and independent event that alone produces the result may defeat causation.
An accomplice is a person who, with intent to promote or facilitate an offense:
(a) solicits, commands, induces, or procures another person to commit the offense;
(b) aids, counsels, agrees to aid, or attempts to aid another person in planning or committing the offense;
(c) provides means, information, access, opportunity, transportation, financing, equipment, concealment, or another material form of assistance for the offense; or
(d) causes an act to be performed that would constitute an offense if the person performed it directly.
Mere presence, knowledge, approval, friendship, family relationship, organization membership, shared belief, or failure to prevent an offense does not by itself establish accomplice liability. An omission may establish liability only where the accused had a specific legal duty to act and intentionally failed to perform that duty in order to promote or facilitate the offense.
A person is not an accomplice for conduct performed as a peace officer, investigator, prosecutor, defender, court officer, or other public officer acting lawfully within official authority, or for a good-faith effort to prevent, investigate, expose, report, or obtain evidence of an offense.
Before commission of the principal offense, a person may withdraw by wholly depriving the person’s earlier assistance of effectiveness, giving timely warning to a competent authority, or otherwise making a reasonable and substantial effort to prevent the offense. Withdrawal does not erase liability for an offense already completed.
A person is criminally accountable for the conduct of another where:
(a) the provision defining the offense expressly makes the person accountable;
(b) acting with the culpable mental state required for the offense, the person causes another person to engage in the conduct, whether or not the other person can form the required mental state; or
(c) the person is an accomplice in the offense under Section 2.
An accomplice is punishable within the same authorized range as a person who directly commits the principal offense. At sentencing, the court shall consider the accomplice’s actual intent, acts, authority, benefit, degree of participation, efforts to prevent harm, and the harm reasonably attributable to that participation.
An accomplice is accountable for a further offense committed in carrying out the common criminal undertaking only where the prosecution proves beyond a reasonable doubt that the further offense was a natural, probable, and reasonably foreseeable consequence of the offense intentionally promoted or facilitated. Mere possibility, hindsight, or association is insufficient.
It is not a defense that the direct actor was not prosecuted, was acquitted, received immunity, lacked capacity, or was convicted of a different offense, provided that the prosecution proves the accused person’s own accountability beyond a reasonable doubt.
A person is an accessory after the fact where, knowing that an offense has been committed, the person intentionally receives, shelters, transports, relieves, finances, supplies, conceals, warns, misleads for, or otherwise assists an offender in order to hinder or prevent identification, apprehension, investigation, trial, punishment, restitution, forfeiture, or recovery of property.
Accessory assistance includes hiding an offender or proceeds, arranging escape, supplying a false alibi, destroying or concealing evidence, warning of a lawful search or arrest, disguising ownership or identity, moving property or funds to defeat recovery, or knowingly obstructing a victim’s or state organ’s lawful efforts to obtain relief.
Ordinary emergency aid, lawful medical care, lawful legal representation, privileged communication, or a truthful refusal to speculate does not establish this offense without proof of the knowledge and obstructive purpose required by this Section. No family, marital, organizational, official, or employment relationship creates immunity for otherwise criminal assistance.
An accessory after the fact may be punished by imprisonment, a fine, and loss or suspension of privileges not exceeding one-half of the maximum otherwise authorized for the principal offense, together with full restitution for loss caused by the accessory’s own conduct. If the principal offense authorizes death, life imprisonment, exile, or no numerical maximum, the accessory may be imprisoned for not more than forty calendar days, fined not more than 100,000 SL, and deprived of connected privileges for not more than one hundred eighty calendar days.
A participant in the principal offense may also be convicted under this Section for factually separate conduct occurring after completion of that offense. Accessory liability may be charged and punished in addition to obstruction, evidence tampering, perjury, bribery, money laundering, or another separately proven offense where each offense requires proof of a fact the other does not. Restitution for the same loss shall not be collected twice.
A person commits criminal incitement where, intending that an offense be committed, the person directly or publicly commands, urges, encourages, calls upon, induces, or deliberately attempts to persuade another person or a reasonably ascertainable audience to engage in specified criminal conduct, under circumstances strongly corroborative of that intent.
The offense is complete upon the intentional communication. It is not necessary that a recipient agree, that an attempt begin, or that the encouraged offense occur.
Abstract advocacy, opinion, news reporting, historical or academic discussion, fictional depiction, satire, quotation, warning, condemnation, criticism, political argument, or emotional hyperbole does not by itself constitute criminal incitement. This exception does not protect a communication where the prosecution proves the criminal intent and circumstances required by the first paragraph.
In determining intent and context, a court may consider the specificity of the demanded conduct; the identified target, audience, place, and time; repetition; instructions; provision of means or opportunity; coordination; authority over recipients; concealment; responses from recipients; and conduct before and after the communication. Timing or temporal proximity alone is insufficient.
Where no encouraged offense or criminal attempt occurs, criminal incitement may be punished by not more than one-half of the maximum fine and imprisonment authorized for the encouraged offense and by loss or suspension of a connected speech, communication, organizational, assembly, office, or weapons privilege for not more than ninety calendar days. If the encouraged offense authorizes death, life imprisonment, exile, or no numerical maximum, the maximum for incitement without a resulting offense is thirty calendar days of imprisonment and 50,000 SL.
Where the encouraged offense or a criminal attempt actually occurs, and the prosecution proves beyond a reasonable doubt that the incitement was a substantial and operative cause of the actor’s decision to commit or attempt that offense, the inciter is punishable within the same range as a principal and may additionally be fined not more than 25,000 SL and deprived of a connected privilege for not more than three hundred sixty-five calendar days.
For resulting-offense liability, the prosecution must prove that the actor received or was exposed to the incitement, understood its criminal direction, acted after that exposure, and was materially influenced by it. The incitement need not be the sole cause, but similarity of views, membership in the same group, or the fact that an offense later occurred does not by itself prove causation.
A person commits a criminal attempt where, acting with the culpable purpose required to complete an offense, the person intentionally performs conduct constituting a substantial commencement of execution of that offense but the offense is not completed.
Mere preparation, discussion, fantasy, possession of ordinary materials, presence near a possible target, or abstract planning is insufficient. The conduct must strongly corroborate the criminal purpose and move materially beyond preparation toward commission.
Factual impossibility is not a defense where the conduct would have constituted the offense had the circumstances been as the person believed them to be. Legal impossibility remains a defense where the intended conduct, even if completed as believed, would not constitute an offense.
Unless another law provides a different range, an attempt may be punished by not more than two-thirds of the numerical maximum punishment authorized for the completed offense. Where the completed offense authorizes death, life imprisonment, exile, or no numerical maximum, an attempt may be punished by imprisonment not exceeding one hundred eighty calendar days, a fine not exceeding 500,000 SL, loss or suspension of connected privileges for any definite term, restitution for actual loss, or any lawful combination. Attempted assassination, attempted coup, attempted terrorism, and another attempt for which a separate law authorizes a greater punishment remain governed by that separate law.
A person commits conspiracy where two or more persons intentionally agree that a specified offense shall be committed, each accused conspirator intends that the criminal objective be accomplished, and at least one conspirator knowingly performs a substantial overt act to advance the agreement.
Mere discussion, association, shared belief, friendship, membership, attendance, political agreement, knowledge of another person’s intentions, or presence does not establish conspiracy without the criminal agreement and intent required by this Section.
A person who joins an existing conspiracy is responsible only from the time the person knowingly and intentionally joins it. A person does not become a conspirator merely by supplying an ordinary good or service without knowledge and intent to advance the conspiracy.
Unless another law provides otherwise, conspiracy may be punished by not more than one-half of the numerical maximum punishment authorized for the contemplated offense. Where the contemplated offense authorizes death, life imprisonment, exile, or no numerical maximum, conspiracy may be punished by imprisonment not exceeding ninety calendar days, a fine not exceeding 250,000 SL, a connected privilege restriction for any definite term, or any lawful combination.
A person commits criminal solicitation where, with the specific intent that another person commit an offense, the person seriously commands, requests, hires, offers payment to, directs, or attempts to induce that person to commit the offense.
Solicitation is complete upon communication and does not require agreement by the recipient. A statement made in jest, fantasy, artistic expression, political argument, general advocacy, or another context lacking the specific criminal intent required by this Section is not solicitation.
Unless another law provides otherwise, solicitation may be punished by not more than one-half of the numerical maximum punishment authorized for the solicited offense. Where the solicited offense authorizes death, life imprisonment, exile, or no numerical maximum, solicitation may be punished by imprisonment not exceeding ninety calendar days, a fine not exceeding 250,000 SL, a connected privilege restriction for any definite term, or any lawful combination.
A person otherwise liable for attempt, solicitation, or conspiracy may establish voluntary abandonment where, before completion of the contemplated offense, the person completely and voluntarily abandons the criminal purpose and either prevents commission of the offense or makes a timely and substantial effort reasonably calculated to prevent it.
Abandonment is not voluntary where motivated only by an increased likelihood of detection, unexpected difficulty, temporary postponement, inability to locate the intended victim or property, or a decision to substitute another victim, place, time, or offense.
Abandonment does not erase liability for an offense already completed, for injury or property damage already caused, or for another offense independently committed during preparation or withdrawal.
An offense under this Chapter does not merge into a principal or resulting offense merely because both arise from the same criminal plan. Convictions and punishments may be imposed cumulatively where this Chapter expressly authorizes cumulative punishment or where each offense requires proof of a fact the other does not.
The same act or criminal episode shall not be divided artificially into duplicate counts that require identical proof and protect against the same harm. The court shall state the distinct conduct, element, victim, property, agreement, communication, or harm supporting every cumulative punishment.
Restitution shall compensate for actual loss and may be imposed jointly or severally where more than one person caused the loss, but the victim or Government shall not recover the same loss more than once.
The following shall be inserted as Title 7, Chapter 2 - Justifications, Excuses, Sentencing, Limitation, Bail, and Victim Remedies, with each source Section becoming the same-numbered Article:
Conduct that would otherwise constitute an offense is excused by duress if the accused produces credible evidence supporting each of the following circumstances. Once such evidence is produced, the prosecution shall disprove at least one required circumstance beyond a reasonable doubt:
(a) another person used or threatened unlawful physical force against the accused or another identifiable person;
(b) the accused reasonably believed that the force would cause death or serious physical injury and could be carried out before effective protection or escape was reasonably available;
(c) a reasonable person in the accused’s actual situation would have been unable to resist the coercion;
(d) no safe and reasonable lawful alternative was available;
(e) the criminal conduct was no greater than reasonably necessary to avoid the threatened harm; and
(f) the accused stopped the criminal conduct when the coercion ended and, when reasonably safe, made a timely effort to report the coercion or reduce the resulting harm.
Duress is unavailable where the accused intentionally, knowingly, or recklessly placed themself in a situation in which such coercion was probable. Mere presence, relationship, employment, residence, or association is insufficient unless the accused consciously created or accepted the probable risk of coercion.
Duress is not a complete defense to intentional killing. For an offense causing serious physical injury, duress is a complete defense only where the response was immediately necessary to prevent death or equal or greater serious physical injury and was proportionate to that danger.
A threat of embarrassment, criticism, disclosure, financial loss, loss of office, loss of status, ordinary property damage, social pressure, or future retaliation is insufficient by itself. A threat against property may support duress only where its execution would create an immediate danger of death or serious physical injury.
Failure to establish a complete defense does not prevent the court from treating genuine coercion, limited alternatives, assistance to authorities, or efforts to prevent harm as mitigation at sentencing.
A person is justified in using force where the person reasonably believes that force is immediately necessary to protect themself or another identifiable person against unlawful force. The force used shall be reasonably proportionate to the threatened harm as perceived at the time.
Deadly force is justified only where the person reasonably believes it immediately necessary to prevent death, serious physical injury, kidnapping, rape, or another violent offense presenting a comparable imminent danger.
A person need not wait to suffer the first blow where the threatened unlawful force is imminent and the belief in necessity is reasonable. Mere insult, offensive speech, political disagreement, trespass unaccompanied by a serious threat, or a remote future threat does not by itself justify deadly force.
A person who intentionally provokes an encounter for the purpose of creating an excuse to use force may not rely on this Section unless the person clearly withdraws from the encounter and the other person continues or threatens unlawful force.
A reasonable mistake concerning the existence or degree of danger does not defeat the defense merely because the danger later proves not to have existed. An unreasonable belief may be considered in determining whether a lesser reckless or negligent offense was committed.
A person may use reasonable nondeadly force where the person reasonably believes it immediately necessary to prevent or terminate trespass, theft, burglary, robbery, arson, sabotage, unlawful seizure, or destructive interference with property lawfully possessed or protected by that person.
Deadly force shall not be used solely to protect ordinary property. Deadly force may be justified under Section 2 where the property offense also creates an imminent danger of death or serious physical injury.
A person using force under this Section shall cease when the property threat ends, the property is recovered, or continued force is no longer reasonably necessary.
Conduct that would otherwise constitute an offense is justified by necessity where:
(a) an imminent or presently developing danger threatens a person, substantial property, essential service, public safety, food supply, infrastructure, or another legally protected interest;
(b) the accused reasonably believes the conduct immediately necessary to prevent the threatened harm;
(c) no safe and reasonable lawful alternative would adequately prevent the harm; and
(d) the harm caused is not clearly disproportionate to the harm reasonably avoided.
Necessity is unavailable where the accused intentionally created the emergency for the purpose of claiming the defense. Reckless or negligent creation of the danger may prevent reliance on necessity for an offense requiring the same or a lower culpable mental state.
Emergency entry, temporary interference with property, emergency use of another person’s equipment, destruction reasonably necessary to stop a spreading fire or comparable danger, and temporary disregard of an ordinary access restriction may fall within this Section when all requirements are satisfied.
A mistake of fact is a defense where the mistake, if true, would negate the culpable mental state or another element required for the offense. The reasonableness of the mistake may be considered where the offense is based on recklessness or criminal negligence.
Ignorance of the law is not ordinarily a defense. A person may rely on a written judgment, Imperial Order, statute, Policy Order, Administration Order, permit, registration, official certificate, or direct instruction issued by an authority apparently competent over the matter where the person acts in reasonable good faith and the authority has not been revoked, falsified, or obviously exceeded.
A person is not criminally responsible where, because of a severe incapacity existing at the time of the conduct, the person was unable to understand the physical nature of the act or unable to form the culpable mental state expressly required for the offense. A condition that merely impairs judgment, lowers restraint, creates anger, or results from voluntary intoxication does not by itself establish this defense.
Voluntary intoxication does not excuse criminal conduct, but evidence of intoxication may be considered only where necessary to determine whether the prosecution proved a specific intent expressly required by the charged offense. It shall not defeat liability for recklessness or criminal negligence created by the voluntary intoxication itself.
Unless a provision requires a particular punishment, a court may impose any lawful combination of imprisonment, fine, restitution, community service, injunction, forfeiture authorized by law, removal or disqualification from office, and temporary loss, suspension, or restriction of a privilege connected to the offense.
A loss or restriction of privilege shall identify the particular privilege, its connection to the offense or prevention of renewed harm, and its duration. It shall not be broader or longer than reasonably necessary. Relevant privileges may include use of weapons, vehicles, public accounts, building or land permissions, organization authority, public office, government contracting, specified communication facilities used to commit the offense, access to protected premises, or participation in a regulated activity.
In fixing a fine, the court shall consider the seriousness of the offense, benefit sought or obtained, loss caused, ability to pay, restitution owed, concealment, abuse of office or trust, repetition, cooperation, and the need to prevent renewed harm. Restitution and preservation of victim property take priority over payment of a punitive fine where available assets are insufficient.
No cumulative enhancement may exceed an express maximum except where this Title or another law expressly authorizes a multiplier or additional punishment. The court shall state the legal basis and calculation of each enhancement on the record.
A prior conviction qualifies for repetitive-offender treatment only if it became final before the conduct constituting the new offense. The prior conviction and the new offense must be the same offense, a substantially similar offense, or offenses protecting against the same general kind of harm.
Where the accused has one qualifying prior conviction, the maximum fine, term of imprisonment, community service, and duration of a connected privilege restriction otherwise authorized for the new offense may each be increased by not more than one-half. Where the accused has two or more qualifying prior convictions, those maxima may each be increased to not more than twice the ordinary maximum.
Two or more convictions arising from the same criminal episode count as one prior conviction for determining the enhancement category. This rule does not prevent separate punishment for distinct current offenses or for crimes against separate victims or property.
A prior conviction must be alleged before trial and proved by an official record beyond a reasonable doubt or admitted by the accused. The allegation shall not be shown to the finder of fact deciding the new offense unless needed for an element of that offense. An arrest, accusation, pending charge, dismissed matter, acquittal, time-barred allegation, or conduct without a final conviction is not a prior conviction.
The court may decline or reduce an enhancement where the prior offense is remote, minor, dissimilar in circumstances, or followed by substantial lawful conduct and rehabilitation. The court shall state its reasons for applying, reducing, or declining the enhancement.
A final criminal conviction precludes the convicted person from denying in a later civil proceeding brought by the victim or the Totemian Government every factual allegation that was essential to the conviction. This rule includes a judgment entered upon a no-contest plea where the court accepted the plea and entered guilt, but does not establish a fact that was unnecessary to the judgment.
The rule applies after direct review is completed or the time for direct review expires. It does not bind a person who was not a party to the criminal case and had no lawful opportunity to contest the allegation.
An order of restitution does not prevent the victim or Government from bringing a separate civil action and proving damage greater than the restitution actually paid. Every amount actually received as restitution for the same loss shall be credited against the civil recovery, and every amount recovered in the civil action for that loss shall be credited against unpaid restitution, so that the same loss is not recovered twice.
A separate civil action may seek consequential loss, lost use or income, repair or replacement cost, fees, injunctions, return of property, and other relief authorized by law. The civil judgment does not reduce or replace imprisonment, a punitive fine, privilege restriction, or another criminal punishment.
Except for offenses exempted by this Section, no criminal charge, punitive court filing, or request for punishment may proceed unless filed within ninety calendar days from the first alleged offense.
The first alleged offense means the first act, omission, threat, attack, theft, statement, filing, or other conduct forming the basis of the charge or punishment request. On calendar day ninety-one, an unfiled matter becomes time-barred and shall not be used to seek punishment.
Evidence from a time-barred matter shall not be used as the basis for a new punishment, charge, or fine. It may be considered only where necessary to defend against a timely charge, explain the context of a timely offense, determine credibility, intent, or motive concerning timely conduct, or prove the existence of a qualifying final conviction under Section 7. The time-barred conduct itself shall not be independently punished.
Treason, espionage committed for a hostile power, corruption, assassination or attempted assassination, armed insurrection or coup activity, terrorism, sabotage causing major public harm, murder, kidnapping where the victim remains missing or unlawfully confined, aggravated arson, and offenses for which death or life imprisonment is authorized are exempt from the limitation period.
Each separate offense has its own limitation period. A continuing pattern does not restart the period for an earlier act, but a new and separately provable act may be timely charged. For accessory-after-the-fact conduct, continuing unlawful restraint, continuing concealment, and continuing possession expressly made criminal by law, the period begins with the last separately charged act or the end of the continuing offense.
Bail is security ordered to reasonably assure a person’s appearance before a court and compliance with lawful release conditions. Bail is not a punishment and shall not be set for the purpose of preventing release solely because an accused person cannot pay.
The ordinary reference amount for monetary bail is 3,500 SL. No monetary bail amount shall exceed 150,000 SL unless another Act expressly authorizes a higher maximum.
In deciding release, conditions, or bail, the court shall consider the seriousness of the alleged offense, the apparent strength and nature of the evidence presented for the limited release decision, prior failures to appear, risk of flight, credible danger to victims or witnesses, risk of interference with evidence, national-security concerns, and any reliable information supporting a less or more restrictive condition.
A court may release a person without monetary bail; impose reporting, travel, contact, access, weapons, or other reasonable conditions; require monetary bail; or deny release where no reasonably available condition can address a substantial risk of flight, serious violence, witness intimidation, evidence destruction, coup activity, terrorism, assassination, or another comparable danger.
Bail shall be held as custodial property and remains the property of the payer unless lawfully forfeited. It shall be returned when the appearance obligation ends and all required appearances have been satisfied. If the accused knowingly fails to appear without lawful excuse accepted by the court, the court may order forfeiture after giving the payer an opportunity to be heard.
Status alone shall not increase punishment. Where an offender used public office, military authority, judicial authority, fiduciary authority, law-enforcement power, organizational control, professional access, or command authority to commit, conceal, facilitate, or materially aggravate an offense, the court may increase an otherwise numerical maximum fine, term of imprisonment, community service requirement, or connected privilege restriction by not more than one-half unless another law provides a greater specific enhancement.
The court shall identify the authority actually abused and explain how it materially facilitated or aggravated the offense. Mere membership in the Armed Forces, employment by the Government, wealth, rank, title, or social status without actual abuse of that position does not authorize the enhancement.
The following shall be inserted as Title 7, Chapter 3 - Property Offenses, Fraud, and Money Laundering, with each source Section becoming the same-numbered Article:
For purposes of this Chapter:
(a) “property” includes land, structures, blocks, crops, livestock and animals, tools, equipment, vehicles, containers, inventory, currency, accounts, records, data, intellectual property, digital assets, and any tangible or intangible thing in which a person, organization, or the Government has a lawful interest;
(b) “property of another” includes property in which any person or entity other than the accused has a lawful interest, even where the accused also possesses or shares an interest;
(c) “deprive” means to withhold property permanently or for so long that a substantial part of its value, benefit, use, or enjoyment is lost, or to dispose of it so that recovery is unlikely;
(d) “structure” includes a building, dwelling, room, enclosed construction, secured yard, vessel, or other place adapted for occupancy, storage, business, government, agriculture, or public use;
(e) “occupied structure” means a structure in which a person is present, is reasonably likely to be present, or lawfully uses as an active residence, workplace, public facility, or place of assembly;
(f) “enter or remain unlawfully” means to enter or stay without lawful authority or permission, including after permission has been clearly revoked; and
(g) “damage” includes repair or replacement cost, lost use, lost crops or livestock, reasonable labor and material cost, emergency response cost, and impairment of an account, system, utility, service, record, or productive operation.
(h) “lawful authority or permission” includes ownership or lawful possessory control of the affected property, verbal or written permission from a person entitled to give it, a court or Imperial Order, a lawful public duty, an assigned employment or contract duty, or emergency action reasonably necessary to protect persons or property. Permission to enter land does not by itself authorize theft, destruction, harvesting, fire, explosive use, or alteration beyond the permission’s purpose.
An owner, co-owner, tenant, operator, employee, contractor, state worker, or public officer does not commit property damage by performing authorized construction, cultivation, repair, maintenance, demolition, harvesting, testing, emergency response, or other work within the person’s lawful authority and with reasonable care. This protection does not apply to work outside the assigned scope, damage to another person’s interest, knowing violation of a recorded restriction, or conduct continued after authority is revoked.
Accidental alteration during authorized work is not a criminal offense unless the prosecution proves criminal negligence, recklessness, knowledge, or intent required by the charged offense. Civil responsibility, restoration, contract discipline, or employment consequences may still apply.
A person commits criminal trespass by knowingly entering or remaining on land, in a structure, occupied structure, secured yard, farm, vehicle, storage area, or other property without lawful authority or permission, after reasonable notice against entry, or after a lawful request to leave. Reasonable notice may be given verbally, in writing, by a posted sign or marker, by a barrier or controlled entrance, by a recorded or transmitted notice directed to the person, or by another method that would make the restriction reasonably clear in the circumstances.
Any permission to enter or remain terminates by operation of law at the moment a person intentionally, knowingly, or recklessly begins unauthorized theft, property damage, crop destruction, arson, explosive misuse, or another destructive property offense there. No separate verbal request to leave is required. From that moment, a person who knows the conduct is unauthorized and continues to remain is a trespasser, even if the original entry was lawful.
The automatic-termination rule does not convert an unavoidable accident during authorized work into trespass. Once a person knows that the work exceeds lawful authority or that permission has been revoked, the person shall stop the unauthorized conduct and leave or seek renewed authority within a reasonable time.
Ordinary trespass may be punished by a fine not exceeding 5,000 SL, imprisonment not exceeding five calendar days, a connected access or travel restriction not exceeding thirty calendar days, or any lawful combination. Trespass in a residence, occupied structure, fenced farm, National Farm, government facility, military facility, utility, treasury, bank, court, archive, or critical public-service facility may be punished by a fine not exceeding 50,000 SL, imprisonment not exceeding thirty calendar days, restitution, a connected privilege restriction not exceeding one hundred eighty calendar days, or any lawful combination.
Trespass may be charged and punished in addition to every theft, burglary, looting, crop-damage, property-damage, fire, explosive, terrorism, or other offense committed after entry or after permission terminates.
A person commits theft where, without lawful authority, the person knowingly:
(a) controls property of another with intent to deprive;
(b) converts entrusted property, money, services, or access to an unauthorized use or duration with intent to deprive;
(c) obtains property or services by a material deception or false representation with intent to deprive;
(d) appropriates lost, mislaid, or misdelivered property without reasonable effort to identify or notify an ascertainable owner;
(e) controls, receives, transfers, sells, or conceals property knowing or consciously disregarding a substantial risk that it was stolen; or
(f) obtains a service known to require compensation without paying or intending to pay.
Petty theft is theft of property or services valued below 1,000 SL that is not grand theft under the next paragraph. It may be punished by full restitution, a fine not exceeding the greater of 3,000 SL or three times the value involved, imprisonment not exceeding seven calendar days, community service, a connected privilege restriction not exceeding thirty calendar days, or any lawful combination.
Grand theft is theft involving at least 1,000 SL; a vehicle, weapon, government account, public record, critical tool, protected animal, or substantial quantity of crops or supplies; property taken directly from a person; property taken by abusing office or fiduciary authority; or a coordinated or repetitive scheme. It may be punished by full restitution, a fine not exceeding the greater of 25,000 SL or five times the value involved, imprisonment not exceeding thirty calendar days, a connected privilege restriction not exceeding one hundred eighty calendar days, or any lawful combination.
Amounts and property taken under one plan from one or more victims may be aggregated to determine the degree of theft. Each separately completed taking against a separate victim or on a separate occasion may also be charged separately where the court prevents duplicate valuation or restitution.
A person commits burglary by entering or remaining unlawfully in a structure, occupied structure, secured yard, vehicle, storage area, or secured container with intent to commit theft, arson, property damage, assault, or another offense there. Completion of the intended offense is not required.
Burglary is aggravated where the place is an occupied structure or residence; the accused or an accomplice possesses or uses a weapon, explosive, fire, or dangerous instrument; the place contains public funds, official records, critical infrastructure, emergency supplies, or protected cultural property; or the burglary exploits an emergency or evacuation.
Ordinary burglary may be punished by a fine not exceeding 20,000 SL, imprisonment not exceeding twenty calendar days, restitution, community service, a connected privilege restriction not exceeding ninety calendar days, or any lawful combination. Aggravated burglary may be punished by a fine not exceeding 75,000 SL, imprisonment not exceeding forty-five calendar days, restitution, a connected privilege restriction not exceeding three hundred sixty-five calendar days, or any lawful combination.
Burglary may be charged and punished in addition to every theft, arson, property-damage offense, assault, or other offense committed or attempted after entry.
A person commits looting where, during a declared or plainly apparent emergency, evacuation, disaster, fire, flood, war, riot, civil disorder, or substantial interruption of ordinary protection, the person knowingly exploits the condition to commit or attempt theft, burglary, or property damage in the affected area.
Mere presence, travel, protest, reporting, rescue, recovery of one’s own property, or good-faith assistance does not constitute looting. The prosecution must prove both the underlying property offense or attempt and the intentional exploitation of the emergency condition.
Looting may be punished, in addition to the underlying offense, by a fine not exceeding 25,000 SL, imprisonment not exceeding thirty calendar days, and loss or suspension of a connected travel, access, business, building, organization, or public-facility privilege for not more than one hundred eighty calendar days.
Looting is aggravated where it concerns an occupied residence, evacuated home, hospital, emergency shelter, public treasury, government record, emergency vehicle, firefighting or medical equipment, essential food or agricultural supply, weapon, or critical infrastructure. Aggravated looting may be punished by a fine not exceeding 75,000 SL, imprisonment not exceeding sixty calendar days, and a connected privilege restriction not exceeding three hundred sixty-five calendar days, in addition to restitution and punishment for every underlying offense.
A person commits crop damage by intentionally or recklessly trampling, breaking, uprooting, harvesting, burning, flooding, poisoning, contaminating, obstructing, or otherwise damaging crops or productive agricultural land without lawful authority or permission.
The offense also includes unauthorized damage to farm lighting, irrigation, hydration, soil systems, bonemeal or fertilizer supplies, storage, seed, feed, walls, fences, gates, paths, tools, animals, machinery, redstone or automated systems, and any structure or equipment supporting agricultural production. Damage to each separately operated system, structure, field, stored supply, or group of animals may support a separate count where caused by a distinct act or purpose.
Ownership or permission to enter a farm is not by itself permission to destroy crops or supporting property. A farm operator, worker, contractor, National Farmer, or public employee is protected when acting within ordinary assigned duties or specific verbal or written authority. A person who knowingly exceeds that authority is subject to this Section and the automatic-trespass rule in Section 2.
Ordinary crop damage may be punished by full restitution, restoration or replanting, a fine not exceeding the greater of 25,000 SL or five times the agricultural loss, imprisonment not exceeding thirty calendar days, community service on agricultural restoration, and loss or suspension of connected farming, land-use, building, or supply privileges for not more than one hundred eighty calendar days.
Crop damage is aggravated where it affects a National Farm or other state farm; damages a substantial food reserve, breeding stock, seed stock, irrigation or lighting system; causes or materially risks a food shortage; affects multiple fields or farms; uses fire, lava, explosives, poison, or flooding; targets agricultural production because of its public importance; or forms part of coordinated or repetitive conduct. Aggravated crop damage may be punished by full restitution, a fine not exceeding the greater of 250,000 SL or ten times the agricultural loss, imprisonment not exceeding ninety calendar days, agricultural restoration, loss or suspension of connected privileges for any definite term, or any lawful combination.
Crop damage may be charged and punished in addition to trespass, burglary, theft, property damage, damage to state property, reckless burning, arson, explosive misuse, terrorism, animal offenses, or another separately proven offense.
A person commits property damage by intentionally or recklessly damaging, destroying, defacing, altering, contaminating, disabling, obstructing, or materially impairing property of another without lawful authority or permission.
Ordinary property damage may be punished by full restitution, a fine not exceeding the greater of 10,000 SL or three times the damage, imprisonment not exceeding fourteen calendar days, community service, restoration of the property, a connected privilege restriction not exceeding ninety calendar days, or any lawful combination.
Property damage is aggravated where it causes at least 10,000 SL in damage; affects an occupied structure, residence, public building, place of worship, memorial, school, farm, utility, transport route, communications system, public record, government property, or critical infrastructure; substantially interrupts an essential service or productive operation; endangers a person; conceals or facilitates another offense; or forms part of coordinated or repetitive conduct.
Aggravated property damage may be punished by full restitution, a fine not exceeding the greater of 50,000 SL or five times the damage, imprisonment not exceeding forty-five calendar days, restoration or community service, a connected privilege restriction not exceeding three hundred sixty-five calendar days, or any lawful combination.
A person commits damage to state property by intentionally or recklessly damaging, destroying, defacing, disabling, removing, or materially impairing property owned, possessed, leased, operated, constructed, or held in trust by the Imperial Government or a state organ without lawful authority.
Tier One applies where the damage is below 1,000 SL and causes no material interruption of a public function. It may be punished by full restitution, a fine not exceeding the greater of 10,000 SL or three times the damage, imprisonment not exceeding fourteen calendar days, restoration or community service, and a connected privilege restriction not exceeding ninety calendar days.
Tier Two applies where the damage is at least 1,000 SL, concerns a public building or official equipment, affects a government service or record, or is committed through abuse of public access, employment, office, or contract. It may be punished by full restitution, a fine not exceeding the greater of 75,000 SL or five times the damage, imprisonment not exceeding forty-five calendar days, removal or disqualification from a connected office or contract, and a connected privilege restriction not exceeding three hundred sixty-five calendar days.
Tier Three applies where the damage is at least 10,000 SL; concerns a palace, treasury, bank, court, archive, military facility, National Farm, utility, transport route, communications system, emergency facility, public food reserve, state symbol, or critical infrastructure; materially interrupts government or an essential service; uses fire, lava, explosives, poison, or flooding; endangers a person; or is intended to intimidate, coerce, retaliate against, or influence the Government or population. It may be punished by full restitution, a fine not exceeding the greater of 250,000 SL or ten times the damage, imprisonment not exceeding ninety calendar days, removal and disqualification from connected public authority, forfeiture authorized by law, loss or suspension of connected privileges for any definite term, or any lawful combination.
Damage to state property may be charged and punished in addition to trespass, property damage, crop damage, theft, burglary, looting, arson, explosive misuse, sabotage, treason, terrorism, obstruction, or another separately proven offense. State ownership alone does not establish terrorism; the coercive or intimidating purpose required by Chapter 35 must be separately proved.
Theft, burglary, looting, property damage, arson, trespass, fraud, robbery, and possession or laundering of stolen property may be charged and punished cumulatively where each offense is separately proved. Breaking into a structure, taking property, damaging entry points, and burning the structure constitute distinct harms and do not merge merely because they occurred in one episode.
A continuous act causing one indivisible injury to the same property shall not be divided artificially into duplicate property-damage counts. Separate victims, structures, accounts, fires, takings, entries, or later acts may support separate counts.
Restitution shall include reasonable repair or replacement, lost use and production, emergency response, recovery, cleanup, and other direct loss, but the same loss shall not be valued or collected twice under multiple convictions.
A person commits fraud where, with intent to obtain property, money, services, credit, access, a legal or financial advantage, or another material benefit, or to cause another person, organization, or state organ material loss, the person knowingly makes a material false representation, knowingly conceals a material fact while under a legal duty to disclose it, uses a materially deceptive device or scheme, or presents materially false records, and another person or system materially relies upon that deception in transferring property, conferring a benefit, assuming a liability, surrendering a right, or otherwise acting to its detriment.
A completed fraud requires the intended material benefit, transfer, liability, surrender, or loss to occur. Conduct intended to accomplish fraud that does not reach completion may be prosecuted as attempt under Title 7, Chapter 1, Article 6. Honest mistake, immaterial inaccuracy, ordinary opinion, prediction, advertising puffery, or breach of contract standing alone does not constitute fraud without proof of the required knowing deception and intent.
Fraud may be punished by restitution, a fine not exceeding the greater of 50,000 SL or five times the value obtained or loss caused, imprisonment not exceeding forty-five calendar days, forfeiture of unlawful proceeds where authorized by law, and loss or suspension of a directly connected financial, business, account, or public privilege for not more than three hundred sixty-five calendar days. Where the fraud involves public funds, abuse of public or fiduciary authority, a financial institution, multiple victims, or value exceeding 100,000 SL, the maximum fine shall be the greater of 250,000 SL or ten times the value obtained or loss caused and imprisonment may not exceed ninety calendar days.
A person commits receiving or possession of stolen property where, knowing or believing beyond a merely speculative suspicion that property was stolen, embezzled, fraudulently obtained, or otherwise unlawfully taken from another, the person intentionally receives, possesses, conceals, transfers, sells, disposes of, or exercises control over that property for the purpose of retaining the unlawful benefit, depriving the lawful owner, assisting the principal offender, or preventing recovery.
A person who receives property without the required knowledge and, after learning of its unlawful origin, promptly returns it, preserves it for the lawful owner, or reports it to a competent authority does not commit this offense merely by the earlier innocent receipt. Punishment shall correspond to the value and harm of the property under the theft provisions of this Chapter, together with restitution and lawful forfeiture, but the same property loss shall not be recovered twice.
For purposes of this Article, “criminal proceeds” means money, property, credit, digital assets, accounts, or another thing of value derived directly or indirectly from conduct constituting a criminal offense, including traceable substitutes or converted proceeds.
A person commits money laundering where the person knows or believes that property represents criminal proceeds and intentionally conducts, structures, converts, transfers, transmits, exchanges, deposits, withdraws, conceals, disguises, or causes a transaction involving that property for one or more of the following purposes: concealing or disguising its nature, location, source, ownership, or control; promoting, financing, carrying on, or facilitating criminal conduct; evading a lawful reporting, tracing, restitution, seizure, or forfeiture requirement; or assisting another person to avoid detection or legal accountability for the proceeds or underlying offense.
Mere receipt, possession, deposit, or ordinary spending of criminal proceeds does not by itself constitute money laundering without proof of at least one prohibited purpose stated in this Article. The prosecution need not prove that the accused knew the precise underlying offense if it proves beyond a reasonable doubt that the accused knew or believed the property represented proceeds of criminal conduct.
Money laundering may be punished by forfeiture of the criminal proceeds where authorized by law, restitution, a fine not exceeding the greater of 100,000 SL or three times the value laundered, imprisonment not exceeding sixty calendar days, and loss or suspension of a directly connected financial or business privilege for any definite term. Where the offense involves public funds, abuse of a financial institution or public office, financing of terrorism, a coordinated laundering enterprise, or more than 100,000 SL in value, the maximum fine shall be the greater of 500,000 SL or five times the value laundered and imprisonment may not exceed one hundred twenty calendar days.
A person commits embezzlement where money, property, funds, credit, or another thing of value has been entrusted to, placed under the control of, or lawfully received by that person as an officer, employee, fiduciary, agent, representative, contractor, account manager, custodian, or other person owing a duty to manage or return it, and the person knowingly converts, appropriates, transfers, spends, conceals, withholds, or disposes of it beyond lawful authority with intent to obtain an unauthorized benefit, benefit another without authority, or deprive the lawful owner or beneficiary of the property or its use.
A mere breach of contract, accounting mistake, disputed but reasonable interpretation of authority, inability to repay, negligent loss, or failure of a business or investment does not constitute embezzlement without proof of knowing unauthorized conversion and the required intent. Good-faith use within reasonably believed authority is a defense.
Embezzlement may be punished by restitution, a fine not exceeding the greater of 50,000 SL or five times the value converted, imprisonment not exceeding sixty calendar days, forfeiture of unlawful gains where authorized by law, and loss or suspension of a directly connected fiduciary, account, financial, business, or public privilege for not more than three hundred sixty-five calendar days. Where the offense involves public funds or property, abuse of public or fiduciary office, multiple victims, concealment through falsified records, or value exceeding 100,000 SL, the maximum fine shall be the greater of 500,000 SL or ten times the value converted and imprisonment may not exceed one hundred twenty calendar days. Public embezzlement may also constitute corruption under Title 7, Chapter 7 where the independent elements of that offense are proved, but the same loss shall not be recovered twice.
The following shall be inserted as Title 7, Chapter 4 - Fire, Explosives, Arson, and Destructive Hazards, with each source Section becoming the same-numbered Article:
For purposes of this Chapter, causing a fire or explosion includes using, placing, releasing, activating, or maintaining an ignition source, lava, explosive, incendiary material, device, mechanism, or other means capable of burning, detonating, or spreading destructive heat.
A person causes damage by fire or explosion where the person’s conduct is a substantial cause of the ignition, spread, explosion, or resulting damage. An intervening event does not erase causation where it was a reasonably foreseeable response to the danger created.
This Chapter does not prohibit a lawfully authorized agricultural, engineering, construction, defense, emergency, ceremonial, or domestic fire used with reasonable precautions. A person who knowingly or recklessly permits an authorized fire to escape its lawful purpose remains liable for resulting conduct under this Chapter.
An event is accidental for criminal purposes where the person neither intended the fire, explosion, or damage, knew it was practically certain, consciously disregarded a substantial risk, nor failed to perceive an obvious and substantial risk that a reasonable person would have perceived. A true accident does not create criminal liability under this Chapter, although civil responsibility, restitution, contract discipline, or employment consequences may apply.
A person commits criminally negligent fire or explosion where the person causes a fire, explosion, or destructive release of lava by failing to perceive an obvious, substantial, and unjustifiable risk of ignition, detonation, spread, or property damage that a reasonable person in the same circumstances would have perceived.
Criminal negligence is more than an ordinary mistake, technical failure, or unavoidable accident. The failure to perceive the risk must constitute a serious departure from reasonable care, considering the material used, location, nearby structures or crops, warnings, safety measures, training, and authority.
The offense may be punished by full restitution, a fine not exceeding the greater of 10,000 SL or twice the damage, imprisonment not exceeding ten calendar days, safety or restoration service, and a connected fire, explosives, building, farming, or land-use privilege restriction not exceeding ninety calendar days.
A person commits reckless burning by recklessly causing a fire or explosion that damages or creates a substantial and unjustifiable risk of damage to property, a structure, an occupied structure, crops, wildland, a settlement, or critical infrastructure.
A person commits reckless explosive use by consciously disregarding a substantial and unjustifiable risk while placing, priming, lighting, triggering, transporting, or using TNT, an explosive, an incendiary device, or a mechanism capable of causing an explosion or destructive fire. Actual detonation or damage is not required where the risk created was substantial.
Reckless burning or reckless explosive use may be punished by full restitution, a fine not exceeding the greater of 50,000 SL or three times the damage, imprisonment not exceeding thirty calendar days, restoration or community service, a connected fire, building, land-use, weapons, or explosives privilege restriction not exceeding one hundred eighty calendar days, or any lawful combination.
An intentional placement or activation of TNT, lava, fire, or another dangerous mechanism in circumstances where destructive spread or damage is obvious may support an inference of knowledge or recklessness. The inference does not relieve the prosecution of proving the charged mental state beyond a reasonable doubt.
A person commits arson where the person knowingly and unlawfully causes a fire or explosion with intent to damage, or with knowledge that it is practically certain to damage, property, a structure, crops, wildland, a settlement, or infrastructure.
It is not necessary that burning or property damage was the person’s ultimate objective. A person who intentionally lights TNT, releases lava, ignites a mechanism, or starts a fire knowing that damage is practically certain commits arson even if the stated purpose was entry, intimidation, clearing land, concealment, amusement, or another objective.
Arson under this Section may be punished by full restitution, a fine not exceeding the greater of 100,000 SL or five times the damage, imprisonment not exceeding sixty calendar days, restoration or community service, a connected privilege restriction not exceeding three hundred sixty-five calendar days, or any lawful combination.
Each separately ignited structure, settlement area, public facility, farm, or tract of wildland may constitute a separate offense where supported by a separate act or purpose.
Arson is aggravated where it:
(a) damages or endangers an occupied structure or residence;
(b) causes death or serious physical injury or creates a practical certainty of such harm;
(c) targets a public building, treasury, bank, court, archive, public record, utility, transport route, communications system, military facility, farm, emergency facility, place of worship, protected cultural property, or critical infrastructure;
(d) threatens to spread through a settlement, forest, agricultural district, or other area where containment is materially difficult;
(e) endangers a firefighter, responder, resident, worker, or person attempting rescue; or
(f) is committed to facilitate or conceal theft, burglary, looting, treason, murder, escape, evidence destruction, insurance fraud, or another offense.
A person commits intentional explosive destruction by knowingly and unlawfully detonating or attempting to detonate TNT or another explosive with intent to damage or with knowledge that damage is practically certain. Intentional explosive destruction is aggravated under the same circumstances listed above, whether or not the explosion also produces a continuing fire.
Aggravated arson or explosive destruction may be punished by full restitution, a fine not exceeding the greater of 250,000 SL or ten times the damage, imprisonment not exceeding ninety calendar days, loss or suspension of connected privileges for any definite term, or any lawful combination. Where death or serious physical injury results, the accused may also be charged and punished for murder, assault, or another resulting offense according to the culpable mental state proved.
A person who uses fire or explosion to enter property, force surrender of property, frighten occupants, destroy evidence, defeat identification, prevent recovery, or conceal another offense commits a separate arson or explosive-destruction offense where the elements of Section 4 or 5 are proved.
Arson, negligent or reckless fire, reckless explosive use, and intentional explosive destruction may be charged and punished in addition to burglary, theft, looting, crop damage, damage to state property, property damage, homicide, assault, treason, sabotage, terrorism, obstruction, or another separately proven offense. Detonation damage, the resulting fire, damage to separate structures or systems, injury to persons, and the coercive purpose of terrorism are distinct facts that may support cumulative offenses. The court shall not duplicate restitution for the same physical loss.
An accomplice or inciter is accountable for a fire or explosion under this Chapter only to the extent required by Chapter 31, Sections 2, 3, and 5, including the required proof of intent, foreseeability, or resulting-offense causation.
A person who causes a fire or explosion shall take reasonable action, when safely possible, to warn endangered persons and authorities and to reduce continued spread. A knowing failure to do so may be considered in proving recklessness, intent, causation, or aggravation but does not create liability where the person lacked a safe and realistic ability to act.
Prompt warning, rescue, containment, cooperation, restitution, and voluntary repair may mitigate punishment but do not erase a completed offense. Concealment, obstruction of responders, disabling alarms or suppression systems, or renewed ignition may aggravate punishment and may constitute separate offenses.
The following shall be inserted as Title 7, Chapter 5 - Terrorism and Terrorist Organizations, with each source Section becoming the same-numbered Article:
For purposes of this Chapter, a “predicate dangerous offense” means murder, attempted murder, aggravated assault, kidnapping, hostage-taking, aggravated arson, intentional explosive destruction, sabotage, poisoning, deliberate catastrophic interference with essential infrastructure, or another offense intentionally creating a substantial danger of death, serious physical injury, mass displacement, or catastrophic interruption of essential public services.
A “terrorist purpose” means the further specific purpose to intimidate or coerce a civilian population or substantial part of it; compel or influence government conduct through violence or destructive coercion; retaliate through violence or dangerous destruction against lawful governmental or civilian conduct; or materially alter the conduct of government or society through mass killing, assassination, kidnapping, hostage-taking, widespread destruction, sabotage, or comparable acts of terror.
Political, ideological, religious, constitutional, separatist, monarchist, republican, revolutionary, anti-government, pro-government, personal, or other belief does not by itself constitute a terrorist purpose. The prosecution shall prove the required criminal conduct and terrorist purpose beyond a reasonable doubt.
A person commits terrorism where the person intentionally commits, attempts, directs, or knowingly causes a predicate dangerous offense with a terrorist purpose.
Peaceful protest, civil disobedience not independently amounting to a predicate dangerous offense, criticism, journalism, academic work, political organization, artistic expression, religious practice, advocacy of legal or constitutional change, damage to state property, or use of fire or explosives does not by itself constitute terrorism.
Terrorism may be punished by a fine not exceeding 500,000 SL, imprisonment for any definite term up to life, permanent or temporary loss of connected public, weapons, explosives, travel, organization, communication, financial, building, or land-use privileges, removal and disqualification from office, restitution, and forfeiture authorized by law. Death, execution, or exile may be imposed only where independently authorized for the underlying or resulting offense.
Terrorism may be charged and punished in addition to a separately proven predicate offense where each offense requires proof of a fact or purpose the other does not. The court shall identify the predicate conduct, terrorist purpose, and basis for cumulative punishment on the record.
A terrorist organization is an organized association, network, unit, enterprise, or continuing combination of two or more persons that knowingly maintains as a substantial organizational purpose the commission, attempted commission, direction, financing, or sustained material facilitation of terrorist offenses.
An organization shall not be treated as terrorist solely because one member, officer, employee, supporter, or associated person independently commits an offense. Criminal liability of a person under this Chapter requires proof of that person’s own knowledge, intent, participation, direction, support, or other conduct required by the charged offense.
A designation made by the Emperor, a court, or another authority expressly empowered by law may support lawful preventive, financial, security, or investigative measures, but designation alone shall not substitute for proof beyond a reasonable doubt of an accused person’s criminal elements.
A person commits terrorist-organization leadership where the person knowingly establishes, commands, directs, or exercises substantial operational control over a terrorist organization with intent to advance terrorist activity.
A person commits active terrorist-organization participation where, knowing the organization’s terrorist character, the person intentionally performs a material operational function for the purpose of advancing terrorist activity, including operational planning, logistics, financing, weapons procurement, target selection, recruitment, intelligence, transportation, concealment, or command support.
Mere membership, sympathy, family connection, friendship, attendance, receipt or possession of propaganda, political agreement, or ordinary commercial contact does not by itself establish this offense.
Leadership may be punished by imprisonment for any definite term up to life, a fine not exceeding 500,000 SL, forfeiture authorized by law, removal and disqualification from office, and loss of connected privileges for any definite term. Active participation may be punished by imprisonment not exceeding one hundred eighty calendar days, a fine not exceeding 250,000 SL, forfeiture authorized by law, and loss of connected privileges for any definite term, unless the participant is separately liable for a more serious offense.
A person commits terrorism financing or material support where the person knowingly provides, collects, transfers, conceals, controls, or arranges currency, property, weapons, explosives, equipment, transportation, safe premises, communications, documents, intelligence, personnel, training, or another substantial resource with intent that it facilitate a terrorist offense, or knowing that the particular support will materially facilitate a terrorist offense or the terrorist operations of a terrorist organization.
Ordinary medical care, emergency rescue, lawful legal representation, journalism, humanitarian relief directed to civilians, family necessities, neutral commercial service without the required knowledge and intent, or compliance with a lawful court or state direction does not constitute material support under this Section.
Material support may be punished by imprisonment not exceeding one hundred eighty calendar days, a fine not exceeding the greater of 250,000 SL or five times the value of the support, forfeiture authorized by law, restitution, and loss of connected financial, weapons, organization, travel, communication, or public privileges for any definite term. Where the support substantially causes or facilitates a completed terrorist offense, ordinary accomplice and causation rules also apply.
A person commits terrorist recruitment where the person intentionally recruits, hires, assigns, or attempts to enlist another person to participate in a terrorist offense or in the operational activities of a terrorist organization.
A person commits terrorist training where the person intentionally provides or receives specialized instruction in weapons, explosives, sabotage, clandestine operational methods, target acquisition, or another dangerous operational skill with the purpose that the training be used to commit or materially facilitate terrorism.
Ordinary education, historical study, lawful defense training, engineering, chemistry, technical discussion, reporting, academic research, or possession of general knowledge is not criminal under this Section without proof of the terrorist purpose.
A person commits preparatory terrorist conduct where, with a specific terrorist purpose, the person performs a substantial and objectively corroborative step toward a terrorist offense that has not yet reached the general attempt stage, including acquiring specialized destructive materials for the planned offense, selecting or surveilling a target for operational use, constructing a destructive device, arranging clandestine operational transportation, or coordinating participants for execution of the planned offense.
Thought, ideology, general research, ordinary travel, possession of lawful everyday objects, lawful weapon ownership, or discussion unconnected to a substantial operational step is insufficient.
Preparatory terrorist conduct may be punished by imprisonment not exceeding ninety calendar days, a fine not exceeding 150,000 SL, forfeiture authorized by law, and loss or suspension of connected privileges for not more than three hundred sixty-five calendar days. If the conduct satisfies criminal attempt, conspiracy, solicitation, material support, or another completed offense, the prosecution may charge the applicable offense subject to the cumulative-liability rules.
A person commits a terrorist threat where, with intent to intimidate, coerce, cause substantial public fear, compel governmental action, or cause a substantial emergency response, the person knowingly communicates a serious threat to commit a terrorist offense under circumstances in which the threat would reasonably be understood as genuine or operationally significant.
A knowingly false claim that a terrorist attack is occurring, imminent, planned, or already carried out is governed by Title 7, Chapter 6, Article 4 and may also be charged under this Section where the terrorist-purpose elements are independently proved.
Political hyperbole, satire, quotation, fictional depiction, news reporting, criticism, or an obviously noncredible statement is not a terrorist threat without proof of the required intent and circumstances.
A person who voluntarily and completely withdraws from preparatory, organizational, financing, recruitment, or conspiratorial terrorist conduct and makes a timely and substantial effort to prevent the contemplated offense may receive the abandonment protection or mitigation authorized by Title 7, Chapter 1, Article 9. Withdrawal does not erase liability for harm or another offense already completed.
Prompt warning, rescue, surrender of dangerous materials, disclosure of an operational plan, assistance in preventing harm, and truthful cooperation may mitigate punishment. Concealment, renewed participation, witness intimidation, destruction of evidence, or continued material support may aggravate punishment and may constitute separate offenses.
The following shall be inserted as Title 7, Chapter 6 - Forged, Fraudulent, and Dangerous Messages, with each source Section becoming the same-numbered Article:
For purposes of this Chapter, a “message” includes a verbal, written, printed, visual, audio, video, electronic, digital, broadcast, posted, transmitted, or recorded communication, and any purported law, order, judgment, notice, instruction, announcement, statement, screenshot, account communication, signature, seal, or official record.
A message is forged where it is falsely made, materially altered, fabricated, or presented as authentic in a manner that purports to originate from, be approved by, or accurately reproduce another person, organization, court, state organ, office, or source when it does not. An authentic excerpt may be forged where alteration or deceptive omission materially changes its apparent meaning or authority.
A statement that is merely false but truthfully attributed to its actual speaker is not forged solely because it is false. It may give rise to civil defamation liability under Title 1, Chapter 4 or constitute fraud, perjury, incitement, a false threat, or another separately defined offense where the independent elements of that claim or offense are proved.
A person commits forgery of a message by knowingly making, altering, sending, delivering, displaying, filing, presenting, or using a forged message with intent to deceive, injure, defraud, obtain a benefit, cause a person or state organ to act or refrain from acting, conceal another offense, or falsely invoke legal or official authority.
Acceptance, reliance, payment, or actual injury is not required. Ordinary forgery may be punished by a fine not exceeding 25,000 SL, imprisonment not exceeding thirty calendar days, restitution, correction or withdrawal of the message, and loss or suspension of connected communication, filing, account, office, or organization privileges for not more than one hundred eighty calendar days.
A person commits dissemination of a forged message where, knowing the message is forged, the person intentionally forwards, republishes, broadcasts, distributes, endorses as authentic, or causes another person or system to spread it with intent to deceive, injure, defraud, cause unlawful action, obstruct correction, or materially expand the forgery’s reach.
Mere receipt, possession, private preservation as evidence, good-faith reporting, quotation for criticism or correction, or transmission to an investigator, court, attorney, or affected person does not constitute dissemination without the knowledge and deceptive or injurious purpose required by this Section.
Each materially separate dissemination to a new audience, official proceeding, account, institution, or platform may constitute a separate offense where supported by a distinct act or purpose. The same automatic transmission or indivisible broadcast shall not be divided artificially into one count per recipient.
Dissemination may be punished by a fine not exceeding 20,000 SL, imprisonment not exceeding twenty calendar days, restitution, compelled correction where lawful, and loss or suspension of connected communication, filing, account, office, or organization privileges for not more than one hundred eighty calendar days.
A person commits a dangerous false-message offense by knowingly communicating false information concerning an existing, attempted, planned, or threatened killing, injury, kidnapping, fire, explosion, terrorist act, attack, evacuation danger, or destruction of property, with intent to frighten, intimidate, coerce, disrupt, cause an emergency response, or conceal another offense.
The offense does not require proof that the message was forged or attributed to another person. A dangerous false message may be punished by a fine not exceeding 100,000 SL, imprisonment not exceeding sixty calendar days, full restitution for emergency response and disruption, and loss or suspension of connected communication, travel, access, weapons, explosives, organization, or public-facility privileges for any definite term.
If a dangerous false message causes evacuation, injury, public disorder, economic interruption, destruction of evidence, property damage, or another offense, the accused may be charged and punished for each separately proven resulting offense under the ordinary rules of causation and accomplice or incitement liability.
A forged-message offense is aggravated where the message purports to be from or approved by the Emperor or Imperial Family, Parliament, a court, a judge, a Ministry, a law-enforcement or military organ, IBTE, another bank, an election authority, a public official, an emergency service, or another state organ; purports to be a law, Imperial Order, judgment, warrant, arrest order, financial instruction, election result, official appointment, public warning, or state record; or materially threatens public safety, national security, finance, justice, elections, or government operations.
Aggravated forgery or dissemination may be punished by a fine not exceeding 100,000 SL, imprisonment not exceeding sixty calendar days, restitution, removal and disqualification from connected office or public access, forfeiture authorized by law, and loss or suspension of connected privileges for any definite term.
Forgery, dissemination, and a dangerous false message may be charged and punished in addition to fraud, identity theft, impersonation, perjury, contempt, obstruction, incitement, treason, terrorism, theft, money laundering, abuse of office, evidence tampering, or another separately proven offense. Creation of a forgery and its later knowing dissemination are separate offenses where proved by distinct acts.
Prompt correction, retraction, warning, cooperation, and prevention of reliance may mitigate punishment but do not erase a completed knowing offense. Refusal to retract after reliable notice is not by itself proof that the person originally knew of the forgery, but may be considered with other evidence of knowledge and purpose.
The prosecution shall prove the material falsity or false attribution, the accused’s knowledge, and the required purpose beyond a reasonable doubt. Negligent forwarding, failure to investigate an ordinary message, unpopular content, mistake, parody apparent to a reasonable audience, and good-faith reliance on a source believed authentic are not criminal under this Chapter.
For purposes of this Article, “identifying information” means a name, username, account identifier, financial or government account number, identification number, credential, signature, authentication feature, password, access token, biometric identifier, unique electronic identifier, or other information that alone or together with other information can identify or authenticate a specific person.
A person commits identity theft where, knowingly and without lawful authority, the person obtains, creates, alters, possesses with unlawful intent, transfers, sells, or uses identifying information of another person with intent to impersonate that person, obtain property or another material benefit, gain access to an account, system, record, service, or place, cause financial or legal loss, falsely attribute conduct or communications, evade lawful process or accountability, or facilitate another offense.
Merely naming, referring to, quoting, depicting, criticizing, parodying, or discussing another person does not constitute identity theft. Authorized account management, lawful investigative or judicial use, ordinary recordkeeping, and possession without unlawful intent do not constitute identity theft.
Ordinary identity theft may be punished by restitution, a fine not exceeding the greater of 50,000 SL or five times the value obtained or loss caused, imprisonment not exceeding forty-five calendar days, correction or restoration of affected records and accounts, and loss or suspension of a directly connected account, financial, filing, or access privilege for not more than three hundred sixty-five calendar days. The offense is aggravated where it involves a government or financial credential, assumption of public office or official authority, account takeover, multiple victims, value or loss exceeding 50,000 SL, or facilitation of another serious offense. Aggravated identity theft may be punished by a fine not exceeding the greater of 250,000 SL or ten times the value obtained or loss caused and imprisonment not exceeding ninety calendar days, together with restitution and other lawful remedies.
The following shall be inserted as Title 7, Chapter 7 - Crimes Against the State, Public Administration, and Justice, with each source Section becoming the same-numbered Article:
An offense under this Chapter requires proof of the conduct, culpable mental state, official status, protected information, proceeding, or other circumstance expressly stated in the particular Section. Disloyal opinion, criticism, political opposition, lawful advocacy, peaceful protest, satire, refusal to praise the Government, association, or unpopular belief does not by itself constitute treason, espionage, sabotage, obstruction, or another offense under this Chapter.
Where this Chapter protects an official proceeding, investigation, record, order, or state function, the proceeding or function must be lawful or apparently lawful on its face and within the general jurisdiction of the state organ involved. A person may challenge legality through a court or other lawful process without committing obstruction merely by making that challenge.
A person commits treason where, owing allegiance to the Totemian Empire, the person intentionally:
(a) levies organized armed war against the reigning Monarch or Imperial Government;
(b) knowingly adheres to an enemy power during war or armed conflict and provides substantial military, intelligence, logistical, financial, or operational aid;
(c) knowingly assists a foreign state, foreign armed force, hostile intelligence service, or foreign-controlled operation with the purpose of overthrowing, violently coercing, territorially dismembering, or materially disabling the Totemian State;
(d) organizes or directs an armed seizure of Imperial constitutional authority; or
(e) intentionally participates in the assassination or attempted assassination of the reigning Monarch for the purpose of overthrowing, coercing, or disabling the Government.
Private misconduct involving the Imperial Family, ordinary theft, ordinary property damage, destruction of an ordinary symbol, criticism, advocacy of lawful constitutional change, peaceful separatist advocacy, or another offense lacking the elements above does not constitute treason.
Treason may be punished by life imprisonment, exile, death where lawfully authorized, a fine not exceeding 500,000 SL, forfeiture authorized by law, permanent removal and disqualification from public or military office, and loss of connected privileges. The court shall identify the treasonous act and required purpose on the record.
A person commits espionage where, on behalf of or for the benefit of a foreign state, hostile intelligence service, hostile armed force, or foreign agent, the person knowingly:
(a) obtains or attempts to obtain protected national-security information by clandestine, deceptive, or unlawful means;
(b) delivers, transmits, exposes, or makes available protected national-security information without lawful authority;
(c) recruits, directs, finances, or materially assists another person to conduct espionage; or
(d) knowingly provides operational access, credentials, facilities, or technical means enabling espionage.
“Protected national-security information” means information classified, restricted, sealed, or otherwise lawfully designated for national-security protection, or information whose protected character and serious security significance are obvious from the circumstances. Publicly released information does not become protected merely because its discussion is inconvenient or critical.
Espionage may be punished by imprisonment for any definite term up to life, a fine not exceeding 500,000 SL, forfeiture authorized by law, removal and disqualification from public or military office, and loss of connected access, communication, travel, financial, or security privileges for any definite term.
A person commits sabotage where, with intent to materially impair national defense, state security, essential public services, emergency response, or the lawful functioning of government, the person intentionally damages, disables, corrupts, contaminates, obstructs, destroys, or causes substantial malfunction of:
(a) a military installation, defense system, weapon, vehicle, supply, or command system;
(b) the National Interlink or another major transportation route or facility;
(c) an energy, communications, banking, information, water, agricultural, emergency, or public-safety system;
(d) a public food reserve, National Farm, strategic stockpile, treasury, archive, or essential government record; or
(e) another critical state or public-service system.
Ordinary vandalism or property damage is not sabotage unless the required purpose and material impairment are proved. Sabotage may be charged together with property damage, arson, explosive misuse, terrorism, treason, theft, or another separately proven offense.
A person commits armed insurrection or coup activity where the person intentionally organizes, commands, directs, or materially participates in a coordinated use or threatened use of armed force for the purpose of unlawfully seizing, overthrowing, disabling, or substituting the lawful central government or a constitutionally established organ exercising sovereign authority.
Attempt, conspiracy, solicitation, financing, recruitment, provision of weapons, and material logistical support are punishable according to Title 7, Chapter 1 and any more specific provision of this Section.
Election campaigning, parliamentary action, petition, referendum, constitutional amendment, lawful succession, peaceful protest, labor action, political organization, advocacy of governmental replacement through lawful means, or refusal to support an officeholder does not constitute this offense.
Leadership of a completed or attempted armed coup may be punished by life imprisonment, exile, death where lawfully authorized, a fine not exceeding 500,000 SL, forfeiture authorized by law, and permanent disqualification from public or military office. Lesser participation shall be punished according to the person’s actual role, intent, and harm caused.
A person commits unlawful disclosure of protected state information where, without lawful authority and knowing the protected character of the information, the person intentionally communicates, publishes, transfers, displays, or makes available protected national-security information to a person not authorized to receive it and thereby knowingly creates a substantial risk of serious harm to national security, defense, intelligence operations, protected personnel, or an active security operation.
A person commits unlawful procurement where the person knowingly uses theft, bribery, deception, unauthorized access, coercion, impersonation, or another unlawful method to obtain protected state information without authority.
This Section does not criminalize receipt of information by a person who did not solicit or unlawfully obtain it, good-faith delivery to a court or competent oversight authority, lawful reporting expressly protected by superior law, or publication of information already lawfully and officially released to the public.
Corruption means the knowing misuse of public office, public authority, military authority, judicial authority, government funds, government property, official information, regulatory power, or official influence for unlawful, dishonest, private, factional, or improper benefit.
Corruption includes embezzlement of public property; unlawful favoritism for payment or private benefit; misuse of government money or property; knowingly issuing an unlawful official favor; taking an unauthorized reward for an official act; concealing official wrongdoing for improper benefit; directing public resources to an unlawful private purpose; and obstructing lawful accountability for official misconduct.
A person found guilty of corruption may be punished by imprisonment not exceeding forty calendar days for each distinct corruption act, a fine not exceeding 400,000 SL per act, removal or disqualification from office, restitution, forfeiture of unlawful gains where authorized by law, exile or execution where separately lawful for the underlying conduct, and any lawful combination. Each separately completed corruption act may be charged separately, but the same payment, transfer, or official act shall not be artificially divided into duplicate counts.
A corruption charge may not proceed unless it receives Imperial Assent or approval from an official expressly delegated by the Emperor for that purpose. The approval requirement concerns prosecution authority and does not determine guilt.
A person commits bribery where the person knowingly offers, promises, gives, solicits, demands, receives, or agrees to receive money, property, service, favor, employment, advantage, or another thing of value with intent to influence, reward, purchase, or corrupt an official act, public duty, judicial act, military duty, law-enforcement act, regulatory decision, public contract, election administration, or exercise of fiduciary public authority.
A lawful salary, published fee, ordinary reimbursement, ceremonial gift permitted by law, or benefit lacking the required corrupt intent is not bribery. The payer and recipient may each be liable according to their own intent and conduct.
Bribery involving a judge, election official, military command decision, national-security function, public contract, treasury function, law-enforcement action, or a value exceeding 25,000 SL is aggravated.
A public officer commits abuse of office where, acting under color of office and knowing the act is unauthorized, the officer intentionally uses official power to obtain an unlawful benefit, inflict an unlawful penalty, seize or restrict property without authority, knowingly issue a materially unlawful command, deny a right for an improper purpose, or substantially interfere with a person or organization through power the officer would not otherwise possess.
An error of law, reasonable discretionary decision, disputed interpretation, unsuccessful policy choice, or good-faith action within apparent authority does not constitute this offense without proof of the knowing abuse and improper purpose required by this Section.
A person commits official impersonation where, without lawful authority and with intent to deceive or cause reliance, the person knowingly represents themself as the Emperor, a member of the Imperial Family, a judge, public officer, law-enforcement officer, military officer, election officer, tax officer, bank officer, or another holder of governmental authority.
A person commits false exercise of authority where, without lawful authority, the person knowingly issues or purports to issue an order, warrant, judgment, official demand, command, registration, permit, appointment, military direction, law-enforcement instruction, or other governmental act and intends another person or state organ to rely upon it.
Costume, roleplay, parody, historical reenactment, fiction, satire, or obvious imitation is not criminal without intent to deceive or cause official reliance.
A person commits obstruction of justice where the person corruptly, knowingly, and materially obstructs, impedes, defeats, or attempts to obstruct:
(a) a judicial proceeding;
(b) a criminal or lawful administrative investigation;
(c) execution of a lawful judgment, warrant, summons, seizure, or court order;
(d) lawful preservation, collection, production, or examination of evidence; or
(e) another official justice process.
A person does not commit obstruction merely by asserting a lawful right, remaining silent where no legal duty to speak exists, obtaining legal advice, contesting government action, filing an appeal, criticizing officials, declining a voluntary interview, demanding proof, or requiring a state organ to obtain lawful compulsory process.
Ordinary obstruction may be punished by imprisonment not exceeding thirty calendar days, a fine not exceeding 50,000 SL, restitution for direct loss, and a connected privilege restriction not exceeding one hundred eighty calendar days. Obstruction involving violence, bribery, destruction of substantial evidence, an offense punishable by life imprisonment or death, terrorism, treason, coup activity, assassination, or corruption may be punished by imprisonment not exceeding ninety calendar days and a fine not exceeding 200,000 SL in addition to punishment for separately proven offenses.
A person commits evidence tampering where, believing that an investigation, proceeding, enforcement action, audit, or official inquiry is pending or reasonably foreseeable, the person knowingly:
(a) alters, destroys, conceals, removes, corrupts, disables, or falsifies evidence;
(b) creates or plants false evidence;
(c) materially alters a scene, record, log, account, message, image, recording, document, item, or data source for an evidentiary purpose;
(d) makes a materially false entry in an official or evidentiary record; or
(e) causes another person or system to perform any such act,
with intent to impair the evidence’s authenticity, availability, integrity, traceability, meaning, or lawful use.
Routine deletion, editing, maintenance, replacement, disposal, or record management performed before a proceeding or investigation is reasonably foreseeable and without an evidentiary purpose is not criminal under this Section. A lawful retention policy does not protect destruction performed to defeat a known or reasonably foreseeable proceeding.
A person commits witness tampering where the person knowingly uses or attempts to use violence, threats, intimidation, bribery, corrupt persuasion, deception, abuse of authority, or unlawful pressure with intent to:
(a) influence false or incomplete testimony;
(b) prevent, delay, or alter truthful testimony or attendance;
(c) cause evidence to be concealed, altered, destroyed, or withheld;
(d) prevent or hinder communication with law enforcement, prosecutors, courts, defenders, investigators, auditors, or another competent authority; or
(e) cause a witness, victim, informant, or reporting person to evade lawful process.
Lawful advocacy by counsel, ordinary witness preparation directed toward truthful testimony, a good-faith request to correct an error, or advice concerning a lawful privilege does not constitute witness tampering.
A person commits perjury where, after lawfully taking an oath or making a declaration expressly subject to penalty for perjury, the person knowingly makes, adopts, or verifies a materially false factual statement that the person does not believe to be true.
A statement is material where it is capable of influencing a fact, decision, judgment, investigation, or legal determination relevant to the proceeding. Mistake, faulty memory, ambiguity, misunderstanding, immaterial error, opinion, or a statement sincerely believed true does not constitute perjury.
A person who voluntarily and completely corrects a false statement before it materially affects the proceeding and before the falsity has been formally exposed may receive dismissal or substantial mitigation where the court finds the correction timely and reliable. The correction does not erase another offense or harm already completed.
A person commits a material false-statement offense where, in a matter within the lawful jurisdiction of a state organ, the person knowingly and intentionally:
(a) makes a materially false factual statement;
(b) conceals a material fact where law imposes a specific duty of disclosure; or
(c) knowingly submits, files, causes to be filed, or uses a materially false record,
for the purpose of obtaining a benefit, avoiding a legal duty, causing official action or inaction, defeating an investigation, obtaining registration or authorization, or materially misleading the state organ.
Opinion, prediction, estimate identified as such, immaterial error, good-faith mistake, misunderstanding, or failure to volunteer information where no duty to disclose exists does not constitute this offense.
An accused person’s simple denial of alleged wrongdoing during an investigation does not by itself constitute a separate offense under this Section. This protection does not extend to forged evidence, false identification, fabricated records, perjury, false accusations against another person, concealment required to be disclosed by law, or another independently defined offense.
A court may punish criminal contempt where a person knowingly:
(a) disobeys a lawful and sufficiently clear court order directed to that person;
(b) materially disrupts an active proceeding after warning where warning is practicable;
(c) refuses to perform a legally required act after a lawful judicial direction;
(d) threatens or intimidates a participant within or because of a proceeding; or
(e) commits other conduct that materially obstructs the court’s immediate ability to conduct a lawful proceeding.
Mere criticism of a judge, disagreement with a ruling, insulting commentary outside an active proceeding, political criticism of the judiciary, refusal to praise a court, or disrespect unconnected to actual interference does not by itself constitute criminal contempt.
Before summary punishment for conduct occurring in an active proceeding, the presiding judicial officer shall ordinarily give at least two clear warnings unless immediate action is necessary to stop violence, a serious threat, destruction of evidence, flight, or comparable urgent interference. Punishment may include removal from the proceeding, temporary loss of speaking privilege in that proceeding, a fine not exceeding 3,000 SL, imprisonment not exceeding fourteen calendar days, or any lawful combination. A contempt punishment may be appealed within sixty calendar days.
A person commits retaliation where, because another person reported an offense or official misconduct; supplied evidence; testified; filed a complaint; served as a judge, prosecutor, defender, investigator, auditor, witness, informant, juror, or court officer; or lawfully cooperated with an investigation, the accused intentionally injures, threatens, unlawfully penalizes, destroys property of, dismisses from public benefit without lawful basis, or otherwise subjects that person to a substantial unlawful adverse act.
A lawful employment, disciplinary, judicial, administrative, or political decision supported by an independent lawful reason is not retaliation merely because the affected person previously participated in a proceeding.
Subsection 1: Offering, Promising, or Providing an Electoral Bribe
A person commits electoral bribery where, during or in connection with an election, the person intentionally offers, promises, gives, transfers, arranges, or agrees to provide money, property, services, employment, a contract, a loan, debt forgiveness, a discount, a financial privilege, a gift, or another thing of material value for the purpose of influencing another person's vote, abstention, endorsement, withdrawal of endorsement, electoral support or opposition, withdrawal from candidacy, or other electoral conduct.
Subsection 2: Victory-Conditioned Private Benefits
Electoral bribery also occurs where a private payment, gift, distribution of property, or other material benefit is offered or promised to a voter or class of voters as a reward conditioned upon, or expressly linked as consideration for, the electoral victory of a candidate or political organization. The prosecution need not prove how any recipient actually voted where the corrupt electoral purpose and promised exchange are otherwise proved.
Subsection 3: Solicitation or Receipt of an Electoral Bribe
A person commits receipt of electoral bribery where the person knowingly solicits, requests, accepts, or agrees to accept a benefit described in this Article in exchange for electoral conduct. The offense is complete upon the unlawful offer, promise, solicitation, request, acceptance, or agreement; actual payment, delivery, voting, abstention, endorsement, or electoral success is not required.
Subsection 4: Intermediaries and Indirect Conduct
Use of a political organization, business, organization account, intermediary, agent, supporter, relative, or other third person does not avoid liability where the accused knowingly directs, authorizes, funds, arranges, or participates in the corrupt exchange.
Subsection 5: Lawful Public Policy and Nominal Campaign Items
A proposal to enact legislation, alter taxation, establish wages, appropriate public money, create grants, construct infrastructure, provide public services, establish social or economic benefits, or create another governmental program is not electoral bribery merely because persons may benefit from the proposal, provided that eligibility for the proposed public policy or program is stated or intended to be determined by lawful criteria and is not conditioned upon a person's vote, political support, endorsement, campaign activity, or abstention. Ordinary campaign literature, stickers, buttons, signs, or other promotional items having only nominal value and distributed without requiring electoral conduct are not electoral bribery.
Subsection 6: Punishment
A person convicted of electoral bribery shall be fined not less than the greater of twenty-five thousand (25,000) SL or three times the value offered, promised, given, solicited, requested, accepted, or agreed upon, and not more than the greater of five hundred thousand (500,000) SL or ten times that value. The court may additionally impose imprisonment not exceeding sixty calendar days, forfeiture of the unlawful benefit where authorized by law, restitution, and loss or suspension of a connected public, financial, organizational, or electoral privilege. A candidate may additionally be subject to the disqualification procedures established by Title 1, Chapter 3.
Subsection 7: Cumulative Liability and Nonduplication
Electoral bribery may be charged together with corruption, bribery of an election official, conspiracy, solicitation, attempt, abuse of office, fraud, or another separately proven offense where each offense requires proof of a distinct element or injury. The same payment or value shall not be used to collect duplicate restitution or duplicative punitive fines for the same legal injury.
The following shall be inserted as Title 7, Chapter 8 - Offenses Against Persons, with each source Section becoming the same-numbered Article:
For purposes of this Chapter:
(a) “bodily injury” means physical pain, illness, impairment, loss of consciousness, or physical injury of more than trivial significance;
(b) “serious bodily injury” means bodily injury creating a substantial risk of death, permanent or prolonged impairment, major disfigurement, or prolonged loss or impairment of a bodily function;
(c) “deadly force” means force used with the purpose of causing, or creating a substantial risk of causing, death or serious bodily injury;
(d) “credible threat” means a serious communication or act that, considering its words, conduct, context, apparent ability, specificity, repetition, and surrounding circumstances, would reasonably be understood as expressing an actual intention to inflict unlawful harm; and
(e) “consent” means a free, informed, and presently communicated agreement by a person legally capable of making the decision. Consent may be verbal, written, recorded, signaled by an agreed method, or otherwise clearly communicated by conduct where the circumstances leave no reasonable doubt. Silence, incapacity, coercion, or mere failure to resist does not by itself establish consent.
For purposes of Title 7, Chapter 8, criminal homicide occurs where a person causes the death of another and the conduct satisfies every element of an offense defined in Articles 3 through 7 of this Chapter. Causation shall be determined under Title 7, Chapter 1, Article 1.
Conduct causing death is not criminal homicide to the extent that the conduct is completely justified by self-defense, defense of another, lawful military action, lawful execution of a sentence, or another complete justification expressly recognized by the Civil Code or superior law. Consent to death does not, standing alone, constitute a justification for intentional killing. A duel has justificatory effect only to the extent expressly authorized by Article 22 of this Chapter and, where intentional lethal force is contemplated, by the Imperial authorization required by that Article.
A person commits first-degree murder where the person intentionally causes the death of another and:
(a) acts after premeditation and deliberation;
(b) commits the killing by assassination, ambush, poison, torture, or another deliberately planned method;
(c) intentionally kills the reigning Monarch, Imperial Consort, recognized Heir, judge, law-enforcement officer, military member, witness, or other public officer because of that person’s official function or participation in justice;
(d) intentionally kills during terrorism, kidnapping, hostage-taking, aggravated arson, robbery, rape, armed insurrection, or another inherently violent offense; or
(e) intentionally kills more than one person as part of the same plan or criminal episode.
First-degree murder may be punished by life imprisonment, death where lawfully authorized, exile where lawfully authorized, forfeiture authorized by law, restitution to the victim’s estate or dependents, and permanent loss of connected public or weapons privileges.
A person commits second-degree murder where, without circumstances establishing first-degree murder, the person intentionally or knowingly causes the death of another, or recklessly causes death under circumstances demonstrating extreme indifference to human life.
Second-degree murder may be punished by imprisonment for any definite term up to life, restitution, forfeiture authorized by law, and loss of connected privileges for any definite term.
A person commits voluntary manslaughter where the person intentionally or knowingly causes death under an immediately preceding serious provocation or extreme disturbance that substantially reduces culpability, provided that the killing was not planned in advance and the circumstances were sufficient to cause a reasonable person to experience a comparable loss of self-control.
Ordinary insults, political disagreement, romantic rejection, lawful conduct, criticism, humiliation, or words alone shall not ordinarily constitute sufficient provocation.
Voluntary manslaughter may be punished by imprisonment not exceeding one hundred eighty calendar days, a fine not exceeding 250,000 SL, restitution, and loss of connected privileges for any definite term.
A person commits reckless homicide where the person recklessly causes the death of another. The prosecution shall prove conscious disregard of a substantial and unjustifiable risk of death.
Reckless homicide may be punished by imprisonment not exceeding ninety calendar days, a fine not exceeding 150,000 SL, restitution, and loss of connected privileges for not more than three hundred sixty-five calendar days.
A person commits criminally negligent homicide where the person causes the death of another through criminal negligence as defined by Title 7, Chapter 1, Article 1. Ordinary accidents or ordinary civil negligence is insufficient.
Criminally negligent homicide may be punished by imprisonment not exceeding forty-five calendar days, a fine not exceeding 75,000 SL, restitution, and loss of connected privileges for not more than one hundred eighty calendar days.
Attempted murder requires a specific intent to cause death and conduct satisfying the criminal-attempt requirements of Title 7, Chapter 1, Article 6. Recklessness or criminal negligence alone cannot constitute attempted murder.
Attempted first-degree murder or attempted assassination may be punished by imprisonment not exceeding one hundred eighty calendar days, a fine not exceeding 500,000 SL, forfeiture authorized by law, and loss of connected privileges for any definite term. Another attempted murder is subject to the general attempt rule unless a greater punishment is expressly authorized.
A person commits assault where the person intentionally or knowingly causes bodily injury to another, attempts to cause bodily injury and takes a substantial step toward doing so, or intentionally places another in reasonable apprehension of imminent unlawful bodily injury through a credible act or threat.
Ordinary assault may be punished by a fine not exceeding 10,000 SL, imprisonment not exceeding fourteen calendar days, restitution, community service, and a connected privilege restriction not exceeding ninety calendar days.
Assault is aggravated where the offense causes serious bodily injury; uses a deadly weapon, fire, explosive, poison, or dangerous instrument; involves strangulation or prolonged restraint; targets a person because of performance of a lawful public duty; occurs during another serious offense; involves multiple coordinated attackers; or exploits an extreme disparity of force against a person unable realistically to defend themself.
Aggravated assault may be punished by a fine not exceeding 100,000 SL, imprisonment not exceeding sixty calendar days, restitution, and loss of connected privileges for not more than three hundred sixty-five calendar days. Where the conduct is intended to kill, attempted murder may be charged instead of or in addition to aggravated assault only where each offense requires proof of a distinct fact and duplicate punishment is avoided.
Self-defense, defense of others, necessity, lawful duel, lawful arrest, and another justification established by law apply according to their terms.
A person commits unlawful restraint where the person knowingly and without lawful authority substantially restricts another person’s freedom of movement through physical force, threat, confinement, restraint, deception, control of a necessary exit, or another means and the interference is more than momentary or trivial.
Ordinary crowding, accidental obstruction, a lawful arrest, an authorized security restriction, or temporary emergency control reasonably necessary to protect persons does not constitute unlawful restraint.
Unlawful restraint may be punished by imprisonment not exceeding twenty calendar days, a fine not exceeding 25,000 SL, restitution, and loss of connected access or authority privileges not exceeding one hundred eighty calendar days.
A person commits kidnapping where the person knowingly and unlawfully abducts, carries away, secretes, confines, transports, or substantially restrains another person for the purpose of:
(a) ransom or financial demand;
(b) use as a hostage;
(c) facilitating or concealing another offense;
(d) inflicting injury, terror, sexual violence, or prolonged confinement;
(e) compelling another person, organization, government, or state organ to act or refrain from acting; or
(f) substantially interfering with the victim’s liberty for another serious unlawful purpose.
Kidnapping is aggravated where the victim suffers serious bodily injury, is held for an extended period, is transported across a territorial boundary, is used as a hostage, is a child or other person unable reasonably to protect themself, or is exposed to a substantial risk of death.
Kidnapping may be punished by imprisonment not exceeding ninety calendar days, a fine not exceeding 250,000 SL, restitution, and loss of connected privileges for any definite term. Aggravated kidnapping or hostage-taking may be punished by imprisonment for any definite term up to life where the circumstances create a substantial risk of death or form part of terrorism, assassination, or another offense authorizing life imprisonment.
A person commits robbery where, in the course of committing or attempting theft, the person intentionally uses physical force against another, threatens imminent physical force, or places another in reasonable fear of imminent serious bodily injury for the purpose of obtaining, retaining, or escaping with property.
Robbery is aggravated where a deadly weapon is used or displayed; serious bodily injury results; multiple offenders act together; the victim is restrained; or the offense occurs in an occupied residence, bank, treasury, public facility, transport system, or emergency facility.
Ordinary robbery may be punished by imprisonment not exceeding thirty calendar days, a fine not exceeding 75,000 SL, full restitution, and a connected privilege restriction not exceeding one hundred eighty calendar days. Aggravated robbery may be punished by imprisonment not exceeding ninety calendar days, a fine not exceeding 250,000 SL, restitution, and loss of connected privileges for any definite term.
A person commits criminal coercion where, without lawful authority, the person intentionally uses a serious unlawful threat to compel another person to perform an act the person has a legal right not to perform, refrain from an act the person has a legal right to perform, or surrender a lawful right, privilege, position, opportunity, property interest, vote, testimony, or official decision.
A serious unlawful threat includes a communicated intention to unlawfully inflict bodily injury, confinement, substantial property destruction, false criminal accusation, abuse of governmental authority, unlawful disclosure of protected personal information, or another substantial unlawful harm.
Lawful negotiation, a good-faith demand for repayment or restitution, a threat to file a lawful court action or complaint, labor action, political persuasion, boycott advocacy, refusal to transact, or another exercise of a lawful right does not constitute criminal coercion.
A person commits extortion where, with intent to obtain property, currency, services, access, a signature, contractual commitment, legal waiver, confidential information, vote, official act, or another thing of value, the person uses violence, threat of violence, unlawful confinement, threat of substantial property destruction, abuse or threatened abuse of governmental authority, or another serious unlawful coercive threat.
It is not necessary that the demanded property or benefit actually be delivered. A lawful fee, tax, fine, court judgment, contract remedy, or good-faith demand supported by a claimed legal right is not extortion merely because refusal may have lawful consequences.
Extortion may be punished by imprisonment not exceeding forty-five calendar days, a fine not exceeding the greater of 100,000 SL or five times the value demanded or obtained, restitution, forfeiture of unlawful proceeds where authorized by law, and loss of connected privileges for not more than three hundred sixty-five calendar days. Extortion is aggravated where committed through abuse of public office, by multiple coordinated persons, with a deadly weapon, against a person under custody or authority, or where the value demanded or harm threatened is substantial.
A person commits blackmail where, with intent to obtain property, currency, services, a signature, commitment, waiver, confidential information, sexual material, official action, silence, or another thing of value, the person threatens to reveal, publish, transmit, distribute, or cause disclosure of a fact, allegation, image, recording, message, private information, intimate material, or accusation likely to cause serious reputational, personal, professional, legal, or relational harm.
A good-faith report of wrongdoing, truthful warning to an affected person, lawful whistleblowing, a lawful demand for restitution, settlement of a legitimate claim, or exercise of another recognized legal right is not blackmail merely because disclosure may follow if the matter is not resolved.
It is not a defense that the threatened information is true where the threat and demand otherwise satisfy this Section. Blackmail is aggravated where it involves intimate material, a child, abuse of office or fiduciary authority, repeated demands, large-scale distribution, or a demand exceeding 25,000 SL in value.
Ordinary blackmail may be punished by imprisonment not exceeding thirty calendar days and a fine not exceeding 75,000 SL. Aggravated blackmail may be punished by imprisonment not exceeding sixty calendar days, a fine not exceeding 150,000 SL, restitution, compelled deletion or surrender of unlawfully held copies where lawful, and loss of connected communication, office, financial, or organizational privileges for any definite term.
A person commits a criminal threat where, with intent to place another in fear, compel conduct, disrupt a lawful activity, or cause a substantial security response, the person knowingly communicates a credible threat to kill, seriously injure, kidnap, sexually assault, burn, bomb, or otherwise inflict serious unlawful harm upon a person or identified property.
A person commits stalking where the person knowingly engages in a repeated course of surveillance, following, unwanted contact, location tracking, monitoring, appearing at protected places, or threatening communication directed at a person and, after clear notice that the conduct is unwanted or under circumstances making that obvious, the conduct would cause a reasonable person to fear serious harm or suffer substantial interference with ordinary life.
General criticism, political advocacy, lawful reporting, ordinary disagreement, a single unwanted message lacking a threat, lawful investigation, service of process, or good-faith effort to recover property or enforce a right does not constitute stalking or criminal harassment.
A person commits unlawful disclosure of protected personal information where, without lawful authority and with intent to facilitate violence, stalking, intimidation, coercion, theft, unauthorized entry, serious harassment, or another offense, the person knowingly publishes, transmits, distributes, or provides nonpublic information that precisely identifies a person’s residence, secure location, protected account access, private contact information, or another protected locator or credential and thereby creates a substantial risk of the intended harm.
The offense does not apply to information lawfully made public by the person or competent authority, ordinary directory information lacking the required harmful purpose, lawful journalism, court filings not sealed by law, good-faith emergency reporting, or disclosure to law enforcement, a court, counsel, or another competent authority.
Where the disclosure substantially causes an assault, burglary, kidnapping, theft, sabotage, or another offense, ordinary accomplice, incitement, causation, and cumulative-liability rules apply.
For sexual offenses, consent must be free, informed, specific to the conduct, and capable of being withdrawn at any time. Consent obtained by force, credible threat, unlawful coercion, abuse of custody, or deception as to the essential nature of the conduct is not valid.
A person who is unconscious, asleep, or otherwise unable to understand and communicate a present choice cannot consent while that incapacity continues. A prior relationship, marriage, prior consent, silence, clothing, reputation, or failure to physically resist does not by itself establish consent.
The legal age for sexual consent remains nineteen Lenskov calendar years unless superior law expressly provides otherwise. The exclusive close-in-age exception is stated in Article 21 of this Chapter and shall not be enlarged by implication.
A person commits rape or sexual assault where the person intentionally engages in a sexual act or sexual contact with another person without that person’s valid consent and the accused knows of, consciously disregards, or intentionally creates the absence of consent.
The offense is aggravated where it involves force or a deadly weapon; serious bodily injury; kidnapping or unlawful restraint; multiple offenders; abuse of custody, public office, command, employment, educational, medical, or comparable authority; a person incapable of consent; or repeated acts forming one course of conduct.
Punishment may include imprisonment, exile where lawfully authorized, restitution, protective orders, loss of connected authority or access, removal or disqualification from office, and placement on any watchlist or protective registry expressly authorized by law. The court shall state the specific offense and aggravating facts proved.
A person commits criminal sexual harassment where, after clear refusal or under circumstances in which refusal is not reasonably required, the person intentionally engages in repeated unwanted sexual demands, sexual threats, coercive sexual communications, or misuse of authority to seek sexual conduct, and the conduct materially interferes with the victim’s safety, employment, public service, education, housing, access, or ordinary participation in a protected activity.
An isolated awkward remark, consensual conversation, good-faith misunderstanding corrected upon notice, or nonsexual criticism does not constitute this offense without the required intent and substantial interference.
A person holding public, military, judicial, custodial, employment, educational, financial, organizational, or comparable authority commits aggravated abuse where the person intentionally conditions a substantial benefit, duty, protection, payment, appointment, promotion, release, or official decision upon sexual conduct not lawfully connected to that decision.
A person who knowingly engages in sexual conduct with a person below the legal age of consent commits an age-based sexual offense unless the close-in-age exception in this Article applies. The exception applies only where consent is otherwise legally valid and: (a) the younger person is at least fourteen Lenskov calendar years old; (b) where the younger person is fourteen or fifteen, the older person is not more than twenty-four months older; or (c) where the younger person is sixteen, seventeen, or eighteen, the older person is not more than thirty-six months older. No close-in-age exception applies where a participant uses force, coercion, threats, material age fraud, or abuse of custodial, educational, employment, military, judicial, governmental, financial, organizational, or comparable authority, or where a participant is otherwise incapable of valid consent. A person relying on the exception bears no burden to prove innocence; once the issue is fairly raised, the prosecution shall prove the relevant ages and the absence of the exception beyond a reasonable doubt.
A person commits material age fraud where, for the purpose of obtaining sexual consent that would otherwise be unlawful or refused, the person knowingly and materially misrepresents their age or knowingly presents falsified age records and the misrepresentation actually induces the sexual conduct.
Nothing in this Section permits force, coercion, abuse of authority, conduct with a person incapable of consent, or another independently criminal act.
A consensual duel between legally capable persons is lawful where the requirements of this Section are satisfied. A duel may involve agreed physical combat, weapons lawfully possessed by the participants, protective equipment, designated boundaries, agreed victory conditions, and rules communicated before combat begins.
Before a duel begins, each participant shall freely and expressly consent to the duel and its material rules. Consent may be verbal, written, or recorded, but it shall be made in the presence of at least one neutral witness, referee, public officer, or other person capable of later confirming the agreement. A posted sign, designated dueling ground, standing custom, or public invitation may establish rules or notice that dueling is permitted at a place, but does not by itself establish any person’s consent to fight.
Consent to a duel authorizes only the force reasonably within the agreed rules. A participant may surrender, yield, withdraw, become incapacitated, or otherwise clearly revoke consent at any time. A person who knowingly continues force beyond a clear surrender, after incapacity, outside the agreed boundary or weapon rules, against a nonparticipant, or for an independently criminal purpose loses the protection of this Section for that conduct.
A nonlethal duel may authorize force creating a foreseeable risk of ordinary bodily injury. Serious bodily injury accidentally resulting from conduct within the agreed rules is not criminal solely because the injury occurred, unless the prosecution proves recklessness, intentional rule-breaking, use of an unlawful weapon, or another offense.
An agreement to intentionally kill another person is not valid merely because it is called a duel. A duel in which intentional lethal force is permitted is lawful only where the reigning Monarch has expressly authorized the duel or a general class of lethal duels by Imperial Order. Where such authorization exists, conduct strictly within its terms is justified; conduct exceeding those terms remains subject to ordinary homicide law.
A lawful duel does not authorize property damage, trespass, interference with a third person, use of an unregistered firearm, violation of a court order, or another offense not reasonably inherent in the agreed duel. A person who organizes or referees a lawful duel in good faith is not an accomplice merely for arranging the duel.
The following shall be inserted as Title 7, Chapter 9 - Environmental, Public-Order, Animal, and Weapons Offenses, with each source Section becoming the same-numbered Article:
A person commits an environmental offense where, without lawful authority and intentionally, knowingly, recklessly, or with criminal negligence as specified by the charged conduct, the person causes substantial and unjustified destruction, contamination, depletion, or impairment of forests, waterways, protected land, wildlife habitat, soil, mineral resources, or another environmental resource protected by law.
Ordinary authorized construction, agriculture, mining, public works, maintenance, land clearing, emergency response, or resource use is not criminal merely because it changes the environment. Criminal liability requires violation of an applicable prohibition, permit, protected status, restriction, or other legal duty and the culpable mental state required by this Section.
A court may order restoration, replanting, cleanup, repair, replacement, community environmental service, restitution, suspension of a connected land-use or extraction privilege, and a fine reasonably related to the harm. Severe or repeated conduct substantially damaging protected lands, a settlement’s essential resources, or a major public environmental asset may additionally be punished by imprisonment not exceeding ninety calendar days.
A person commits organization of an unlawful armed group where, without lawful authorization, the person knowingly establishes, commands, recruits for, finances, equips, or materially operates a coordinated armed body that claims or exercises military, police, coercive territorial, detention, taxation, checkpoint, compulsory enforcement, or other governmental force against persons outside the group.
Mere association, political organization, security employment, sporting activity, ceremonial guard activity, lawful self-defense training, a lawfully authorized militia or military unit, or a group of persons who lawfully possess weapons does not constitute an unlawful armed group without the claimed or exercised coercive function required by this Section.
A company, organization, locality, religious body, political body, or other entity shall not maintain a military or police unit except where authorized by the Constitution, Civil Code, Imperial Order, or another law. Lawful private security limited to protection of persons or property and not exercising governmental authority may operate where otherwise permitted by law.
The National Gendarmerie and Police Administration shall be the principal civilian firearms-registration authority of the Totemian Empire. The Commissioner-General shall designate one or more existing personnel as Firearms Registration Officers. Such designation creates no separate Administration or independent state organ.
A person acquiring or possessing a civilian firearm shall register the firearm by providing the registrant’s lawful identity; a reasonable description of the firearm; any serial number, unique identifier, or identifying mark where one exists; the means by which the firearm was acquired; and any additional information specifically required by a Policy Order reasonably necessary to identify the firearm and lawful possessor.
The Administration shall maintain a Firearms Register as a protected law-enforcement record. A filing shall be acknowledged within three calendar days after recorded receipt and shall be approved, refused, or returned with a specific request for correction within seven calendar days unless extraordinary circumstances make determination impossible. A refusal or extended delay shall state the lawful reason.
Where the Administration fails to acknowledge a filing within three calendar days, fails to make a determination within seven calendar days without giving a recorded lawful reason for delay, refuses to communicate through all ordinary available channels, or is otherwise unavailable to the applicant for a reasonable period, the applicant may submit the same registration information and proof of attempted filing directly to the reigning Monarch.
The reigning Monarch may approve the registration, refuse it, direct the Administration to complete review, waive a procedural defect, or impose lawful conditions. An Imperial approval constitutes valid registration and shall be entered into the Firearms Register without a second eligibility decision by the Administration.
A person who lawfully acquires a firearm has seventy-two hours to make the required filing. Timely filing prevents criminal liability for unregistered possession while administrative review remains pending. A private transfer shall be reported within seventy-two hours by the transferee and, where reasonably practicable, by the transferor.
A person commits unlawful possession of an unregistered firearm where the person knowingly possesses a firearm after expiration of the filing period without making a timely filing and without another lawful exemption or authorization. Possession after a timely filing is not criminal solely because the Administration has not yet acted.
State, military, Gendarmerie, police, or other official firearms maintained in an authoritative government inventory need not be duplicated in the civilian Firearms Register unless a Policy Order requires it. Nothing in this Section limits the authority of the reigning Monarch over firearm registration or possession.
A person commits unlawful weapon use where the person knowingly uses, displays, discharges, activates, or carries a weapon in violation of a specific court order, Imperial Order, sentence, registration restriction, lawful security restriction, or other rule expressly governing that weapon or person.
Possession alone shall not be criminal under this Section unless the person knows of the applicable prohibition or restriction. A lawful duel, lawful self-defense, military duty, law-enforcement duty, authorized training, ceremonial use, hunting or resource activity otherwise permitted by law, or ordinary transport does not constitute unlawful weapon use merely because a weapon is present.
A riot occurs where three or more persons, acting together or in mutual support, intentionally engage in violence against persons, substantial destructive conduct, forcible seizure of property, or conduct creating an immediate and substantial danger of such violence or destruction and thereby materially disturb public order.
A person is criminally liable for riot only where the prosecution proves the person intentionally participated in, directed, materially aided, or incited the violent or destructive conduct. Mere presence, observation, journalism, medical aid, peaceful protest, political assembly, chanting, refusal to disperse from a place where presence remains lawful, or association with persons who later become violent does not by itself establish riot.
Riot may be punished by imprisonment not exceeding thirty calendar days, a fine not exceeding 50,000 SL, restitution, and a connected access or assembly restriction not exceeding one hundred eighty calendar days. Aggravated riot involving arson, explosives, weapons, serious bodily injury, attack on an emergency facility, or coordinated attack on critical infrastructure may be punished by imprisonment not exceeding ninety calendar days and a fine not exceeding 250,000 SL in addition to separately proven offenses.
A person commits an animal-protection offense where, without lawful authority or justification, the person intentionally or recklessly kills, seriously injures, tortures, abandons in a condition creating a substantial risk of death, or unlawfully takes a domesticated, companion, working, protected, or government-owned animal.
Lawful farming, hunting, veterinary care, humane euthanasia, defense of persons or animals, emergency action, authorized population control, and another lawful use are not criminal under this Section when performed within lawful authority and with reasonable care.
For a companion or working animal, restitution may include reasonable replacement value, veterinary cost, training value, and other direct loss. Each separately harmed animal may constitute a separate count where supported by a distinct act or purpose.
A person commits public indecency where, in a public place or a place open to persons who have not consented to observe the conduct, the person intentionally engages in plainly sexual or seriously indecent conduct and knows or consciously disregards a substantial risk that nonconsenting persons will be exposed to it.
Private conduct, accidental exposure, conduct in a place reasonably understood to be private or restricted to consenting persons, artistic or medical activity, or ordinary speech does not constitute this offense merely because another person finds it offensive.
A person who intentionally destroys, steals, materially damages, or unlawfully alters an official Imperial standard, state flag, public memorial, seal, ceremonial object, or other protected state symbol owned or lawfully controlled by the Government commits the applicable theft or property-damage offense and may additionally be ordered to restore or replace the protected object.
Mere criticism, parody, symbolic expression using privately owned material, refusal to display or salute a symbol, or peaceful political expression is not a separate criminal offense under this Section. A person who materially disrupts an official ceremony through independently unlawful conduct may be charged for that conduct under the otherwise applicable law.
A rule governing access to a public facility, official communication channel, government service, event, protected area, or regulated activity may be enforced administratively where lawfully issued and reasonably communicated by sign, written notice, direct communication, access control, posted rule, permit condition, or another clear method.
Violation of an administrative rule does not create a criminal offense unless the Civil Code or another Act expressly defines the criminal conduct and punishment. A lawful direction to leave restricted property may, however, establish notice for criminal trespass, and a lawful court or police direction may be enforced under the provisions specifically governing such orders.
The Civil Code shall be amended, reorganized, and codified exactly as follows:
(a) Title 1 - General Provisions shall contain Chapter 1 - General Law. Existing Articles 7 through 9, Article 19, Articles 21 and 22, and Articles 24 through 27 shall remain in that Chapter in their existing order and shall retain their existing article numbers, subject to the express replacements made by Sections 2 through 4 of this Chapter. Existing Article 17 is repealed at its former location and replaced in subject matter by Title 7, Chapter 2, Article 10.
(b) Chapter 30 of this Act shall be inserted as Chapter 2 of Title 1, and each source Section shall become the same-numbered Article.
(c) The existing Chapters 1 through 3 of Title 2 - The Government shall remain in place. Chapters 1 through 27 of this Act shall be inserted as Chapters 4 through 30 of Title 2, respectively. Chapter 29 of this Act shall be inserted as Chapter 31 of Title 2. Each source Section shall become the same-numbered Article within its destination Chapter.
(d) The existing Article 1 of Title 3 - The Judiciary shall be placed, without changing its article number, in a new Chapter 1 titled General Judicial Law. Chapter 28 of this Act shall be inserted as Chapter 2 of Title 3, and each source Section shall become the same-numbered Article.
(e) Titles 4 through 6 shall retain their existing number, order, and content except where another express provision of this Act requires a cross-reference correction.
(f) Title 7 - Criminal Law is created immediately after Title 6. Chapters 31 through 39 of this Act shall be inserted as Chapters 1 through 9 of Title 7, respectively, and each source Section shall become the same-numbered Article. The source insertion sentence immediately beneath each of those Chapter headings is an amendment instruction and shall remain uncodified.
(g) Existing Title 1, Chapter 1, Articles 1 through 6, Articles 10 through 18, Article 20, and Article 23 are repealed at their former locations. Their criminal subject matter is superseded by Title 7. No repealed text shall be relocated merely for historical continuity.
(h) Existing Title 1, Chapter 1, Article 3 - Theft is replaced in subject matter by Title 7, Chapter 3, Article 3. Existing Article 4 - Property Damage is replaced in subject matter by Title 7, Chapter 3, Articles 7 and 8. Existing Article 20 - Limitation Period for Criminal Charges and Punitive Filings is replaced in subject matter by Title 7, Chapter 2, Article 9.
(i) Existing Title 1, Chapter 1, Article 1 - Treason; Article 10 - Impersonation; Article 11 - Imperial Property and Armed Groups; Article 12 - Offenses Against Military Personnel; Article 13 - Legal Conduct; Article 15 - Serious Offenses; and Article 23 - Enhanced Penalties for Members of the Imperial Armed Forces are repealed and superseded by Title 7, Chapters 2, 5, 7, 8, and 9 according to subject matter. No conduct shall be treated as treason, terrorism, corruption, contempt, impersonation, armed-group activity, or another offense unless the elements of the corresponding Title 7 offense are independently proved.
(j) Existing Title 1, Chapter 1, Article 2 - Murder; Article 5 - Assault and Violence; and Article 14 - Sexual Conduct are repealed and superseded by Title 7, Chapter 8. Existing Article 16 - Miscellaneous Offenses and Article 18 - Arms without registration are repealed and superseded by the applicable provisions of Title 7, Chapters 7 through 9.
(k) The declaration concerning incitement in retained Title 1, Chapter 1, Article 7 does not independently establish a criminal offense or punishment. A criminal-incitement charge shall satisfy Title 7, Chapter 1, Article 5. The sentence in retained Article 7 providing that speech defacing, disrespecting, or slandering the Sovereign or Imperial Family is treacherous and treated as first-degree treason is repealed and shall be replaced with the following sentence: “Speech concerning the Sovereign or Imperial Family shall not constitute treason merely because it is critical, disrespectful, derogatory, or allegedly defamatory. Political propaganda concerning the reigning Monarch or an heir is governed by Title 1, Chapter 3; civil defamation is governed by Title 1, Chapter 4; and criminal liability requires proof of a specific Title 7 offense.” A general declaration concerning citizen duties, trade, speech, or another retained subject does not create a criminal offense unless the Civil Code expressly defines the prohibited conduct and punishment. A fine, confiscation, privilege restriction, civic requirement, or other remedy expressly stated in retained Articles 7 through 9 shall be civil or administrative unless the elements of a Title 7 offense are separately proved; imprisonment or criminal conviction shall not rest solely on those retained Articles.
(l) Every citation to a relocated, repealed, replaced, or superseded provision shall be updated to its exact destination or controlling provision under this Section. No substantive criminal text shall remain duplicated at a former and new location.
(m) The introductory matter, enacting formula, Long Title, this Chapter, and the END OF BILL marker shall remain uncodified.
(n) Title 1 - General Provisions shall contain a new Chapter 3 - Elections, Political Campaigns, and Political Propaganda immediately after Chapter 2. Section 11 of this Chapter shall insert the permanent text of that Chapter as Articles 1 through 14 in the order stated there.
(o) Title 1 - General Provisions shall contain a new Chapter 4 - Defamation and Protection of Public Expression immediately after Chapter 3. Section 12 of this Chapter shall insert the permanent text of that Chapter as Articles 1 through 4 in the order stated there.
No Civil Code Title shall be renumbered. Titles 1 through 6 retain their existing title numbers, and Title 7 is newly created by this Act. No existing Chapter or Article shall be renumbered, relocated, repealed, or replaced except as expressly directed by this Section or Sections 2 through 4.
Title 1, Chapter 1, Article 19 of the Civil Code is repealed and replaced with the following Article:
Article 19: Currency Restriction, Seizure, and Forfeiture
Section 1: Restriction, Seizure, and Forfeiture Distinguished
(a) A restriction or freeze temporarily limits transactions without transferring title. A seizure places currency in lawful custody pending disposition. A forfeiture permanently transfers title under lawful authority.
Section 2: Authority and Grounds for Permanent Forfeiture
(b) Currency may be permanently forfeited only under an Imperial Order, a final court judgment or order, a voluntary surrender, or an administrative determination expressly authorized by statute and recorded in a Currency Forfeiture Authorization.
(c) Forfeiture may reach currency proved to be stolen or misappropriated public, business, or organization funds; proceeds or traceable property of fraud, theft, bribery, corruption, embezzlement, or money laundering; currency lawfully applied to a fine, restitution, tax, debt, or judgment; abandoned currency under law; or currency expressly forfeited as part of a lawful sentence or order.
Section 3: Exile, Loss of Status, and Remaining Property
(d) Exile, loss of citizenship, departure, absence, or severed communication does not by itself forfeit currency. A sentence or order based on such status shall specify any currency forfeited. Remaining lawful property shall pass through an applicable Succession Instrument, Trust, Estate, or other lawful disposition.
Section 4: Temporary Freeze or Seizure
(e) A temporary freeze or seizure requires constitutional or statutory authority. Immediate action may be taken where law permits and is reasonably necessary to prevent fraud, dissipation, or material loss, but it shall receive prompt recorded review and shall not become a permanent forfeiture without authority under paragraph (b).
Section 5: Currency Forfeiture Authorization and Execution
(f) The Minister of Finance, or the Deputy Minister while lawfully acting as Minister, shall issue the Currency Forfeiture Authorization that implements the superior authority. It shall state the source, amount, destination, legal authority, case or order reference, reason, and signing officer.
(g) IBTE shall execute the authorized restriction, seizure, or forfeiture and preserve the transaction record. The Treasury Operations Administration shall perform any resulting Treasury-side receipt, classification, or transfer.
Section 6: Third-Party Interests
(h) A forfeiture reaches only the interest of the person or entity against whom it is authorized. A Fiduciary, Beneficiary, creditor, or other claimant may assert a lawful interest, but an Estate, Trust, organization account, contract, or transfer shall not shield unlawful property.
Title 1, Chapter 1, Article 21 of the Civil Code is repealed and replaced with the following Article:
Article 21: Recognition of Political and Religious Organizations
Section 1: Application and Effect of Recognition
(a) A political or religious organization may apply to the National Organizations Administration for official recognition. Recognition establishes its official status for public, administrative, electoral, ceremonial, and legal purposes.
Section 2: Recognition Fee and Effective Date
(b) After approval, the Central Revenue Administration shall collect a single recognition fee of 500 SL from one filer and credit it to the Collections Fund. Recognition takes effect upon full payment. A rejected application incurs no fee, and recognition carries no recurring maintenance fee.
Section 3: Internal Autonomy
(c) A recognized organization governs its lawful internal leadership, rules, doctrine, membership, and activities. Registration does not authorize the Government to determine theological truth or direct a lawful political platform.
Section 4: Unofficial and Private Activity
(d) Private belief, worship, political discussion, association, and unofficial organization remain lawful. An unrecognized group does not receive official status or an official organization account.
Title 1, Chapter 1, Article 24 of the Civil Code is repealed and replaced with the following Article:
Article 24: Registered Organization Bank Accounts
Section 1: Definitions and Account Classes
(a) An Organization Bank Account (OBA) is an official IBTE account held for a registered organization. A Political Organization Bank Account (POBA) and a Religious Organization Bank Account (ROBA) are OBA classes and are not separate legal persons.
Section 2: Eligibility and Account Creation
(b) Final registration or recognition by the National Organizations Administration establishes account eligibility. The Administration shall certify the organization, class, and authorized representatives to IBTE, and IBTE shall create or activate the required accounts without a separate application or approval by the Ministry of Finance.
Section 3: Required and Dedicated Accounts
(c) IBTE shall provide a General Fund to every registered organization, a Donation Fund where the organization may lawfully receive donations, and a Payroll Fund when the organization records compensated personnel. IBTE may provide up to three additional Dedicated Purpose Accounts upon a filing that states each lawful purpose. Additional accounts require an Imperial Order, court order, or express statute.
Section 4: Ownership and Authorized Management
(d) Account property belongs to the organization. Its authorized representatives may manage funds only within the organization's registered authority, governing instrument, internal rules, and recorded account permissions. The National Organizations Administration shall certify later changes in representation, and IBTE shall enforce them.
Section 5: Permitted and Prohibited Uses
(e) Organization accounts may receive lawful revenue and donations and pay lawful compensation, expenses, debts, and activities. They shall not be used for personal enrichment, commingling, concealment, unlawful influence, fraud, corruption, money laundering, evasion of lawful claims, or financing unlawful conduct.
Section 6: Ministry of Finance Authority
(f) The Ministry of Finance may exercise fiscal, audit, collection, restriction, seizure, and forfeiture powers only as separately authorized by law. It shall not make a second determination of registration or account eligibility.
Section 7: Suspension, Cancellation, and Dissolution
(g) Suspension, cancellation, or dissolution of an organization authorizes IBTE to restrict the account, preserve records and funds, satisfy lawful claims, and close or transfer the remaining balance according to the governing instrument or competent order.
Section 8: No Entitlement to Public Money
(h) Creation of an OBA does not appropriate public money or create entitlement to a grant, subsidy, or government payment.
Article 2, paragraphs 3.1 and 3.2 of the Constitution of the Totemian Empire are struck in their entirety. The following replacement text shall be inserted in the same location and shall retain the paragraph designations stated below:
3.1. An Imperial Order is a proclamation or decree issued by the reigning Monarch. Upon signature, it has the force of law.
3.2. The order of legal authority within the Totemian Empire shall be: first, the reigning Monarch; second, Imperial Orders; third, this Constitution; and fourth, the Civil Code. Every other law or legal instrument shall be subordinate to the Civil Code unless this Constitution expressly provides otherwise.
3.3. A lower source of law shall comply with every higher source of law. Where two sources conflict, the higher source shall control to the extent of the conflict.
3.4. An Act of Parliament shall have force only in accordance with this Constitution. Every Act shall be codified in the Civil Code or shall state exactly how the Civil Code is amended. Until codification is completed, the enacted text of the Act shall control as part of the Civil Code.
3.5. The Civil Code binds the present Parliament and every future Parliament. A bill intended to amend or repeal the Civil Code shall identify the affected provision and state the change expressly. Parliament acting alone shall have no authority to evade that requirement. Once an Act receives Imperial assent, however, an irreconcilable conflict with the Civil Code shall be resolved under the Doctrine of Assented Sovereign Displacement, because the resulting displacement derives from the superior authority of the reigning Monarch and not from Parliament alone.
3.6. He shall be designated as; By the Grace of God, We, Emperor of all the Totemias, King of Omnislavia, Grand Marshal of the Imperial Armed Forces, Supreme Head of the Imperial Government, Pauramonté of the High Government, Head of the Commonwealth. His style shall be His/Your Imperial Majesty then Sir.
Article 2, paragraphs 9 through 9.2 of the Constitution of the Totemian Empire are struck in their entirety. The following replacement text shall be inserted in the same location and shall retain the paragraph designations stated below:
9. His Imperial Majesty's Most Honorable Privy Council shall continue as the formal cabinet and principal body of advisers to the reigning Monarch. The Council predates this constitutional provision, and its existence shall not depend upon re-establishment by statute.
9.1. The reigning Monarch shall be the sole head and presiding authority of the Privy Council. Membership shall be prescribed by the Civil Code, an Imperial Order, or an Imperial appointment.
9.2. The reigning Monarch may assign a Privy Councilor or supporting officer to organize a meeting, circulate notice, keep the authorized record, or communicate the Council's advice. Such an assignment shall not create a separate office or confer authority over other Privy Councilors.
Article 3, paragraphs 4 through 4.7 of the Constitution of the Totemian Empire are struck in their entirety. The following replacement text shall be inserted in the same location and shall retain the paragraph designations stated below:
4. The Parliament of the Totemian Empire is the bicameral legislative body of the Empire and consists of the House of Lords and the House of Commons. Each House may have no more than sixteen seats, including its presiding officer. The presiding officers shall be the Lord Speaker of the House of Lords and the Speaker of the House of Commons.
4.1. An ordinary bill may be introduced in either House. It shall pass the House in which it was introduced by a two-thirds vote and shall then be sent to the other House. If the other House also passes the bill by a two-thirds vote, the bill shall be sent to the Chancellor.
4.2. If the House in which a bill was introduced passed the bill by a unanimous vote of its entire sitting membership, but the other House fails to approve the same bill by a two-thirds vote on its final vote, the originating House may reconsider the bill.
4.3. If the originating House again passes the exact same text by a unanimous vote of its entire sitting membership, the bill shall be deemed passed by Parliament and shall be sent to the Chancellor without approval by the other House.
4.4. Paragraphs 4.2 and 4.3 apply equally to a bill originating in the House of Commons or the House of Lords. A vacant seat is not part of the sitting membership, but the absence or abstention of a sitting member prevents a unanimous vote.
4.5. A bill passed under paragraph 4.1 or 4.3 shall be presented to the Chancellor. If the Chancellor does not veto it, it shall be presented to the reigning Monarch. Upon Imperial assent, the bill becomes law.
4.6. If the Chancellor vetoes a bill passed under paragraph 4.1 or 4.3, Parliament may reintroduce the same bill as an Override Bill.
4.7. An Override Bill shall contain the exact text vetoed by the Chancellor and no other provision.
4.8. An Override Bill shall pass only if three-fourths of the House of Commons and three-fourths of the House of Lords vote in favor of both the bill and the veto override.
4.9. A successful Override Bill shall be sent directly to the reigning Monarch for approval.
4.10. If an Override Bill fails, Parliament may submit the bill to a public referendum by a two-thirds vote of each House, subject to Amendments Article 8.
4.11. For an emergency bill, both Houses shall vote simultaneously on the same text. If two-thirds of each House votes in favor, the bill shall be sent directly to the reigning Monarch and shall become law upon Imperial assent.
4.12. Appointments to the House of Lords shall be made by the reigning Monarch. A sitting member of either House may be removed from office only by the reigning Monarch and only for sufficient reason.
4.13. A member of the House of Commons shall be elected, and a member of the House of Lords shall be appointed, for a term of ninety days. Every elected member shall be treated as seeking reelection unless the member declines. If there are no vacant elected seats, every elected seat may be contested. A replaced member leaves office when the reigning Monarch confirms the general election as legitimate.
4.14. A House Resolution is a formal expression adopted by one House and represents only the position of that House. It shall be adopted by a majority of votes cast unless the rules of that House require a greater vote.
4.15. A Concurrent Resolution is a formal expression adopted in identical form by both Houses and represents the position of Parliament as a whole. It shall be adopted by a majority of votes cast in each House unless the rules of either House require a greater vote.
4.16. A House Resolution or Concurrent Resolution may censure a person or body, approve or condemn conduct, policy, an idea, an event, or a condition, make a recommendation, or issue another formal statement.
4.17. A House Resolution or Concurrent Resolution is not law and requires neither the approval of the Chancellor nor the assent of the reigning Monarch. It shall not amend or repeal law, impose a tax, appropriate money, create an offense, impose a legal duty or penalty, appoint or remove an officeholder, or bind a court, state organ, or person outside the adopting House or Houses.
4.18. A censure under this paragraph records formal disapproval or a political finding of wrongdoing only. It does not establish legal guilt or liability and does not by itself remove, disqualify, or punish any person.
Article 9 of the Constitution of the Totemian Empire, including every sentence and provision contained within it, is struck in its entirety. The following replacement text shall be inserted in the same location, shall retain the designation Article 9, and shall read as follows:
Article 9: Taxation
1. Parliament may impose, amend, renew, suspend, or repeal an imperial tax by Act of Parliament. The reigning Monarch may do the same by Imperial Order.
2. An Act or Imperial Order imposing a tax shall state the tax's name, the person, property, transaction, income, activity, or other subject taxed, the rate or method of calculation, the date on which it takes effect, and the authority responsible for its administration.
3. No tax may be collected until it is listed in the Tax Code of the Civil Code. The Tax Code entry shall identify the legal instrument imposing the tax and shall accurately state every matter required by paragraph 2.
4. The Tax Code shall be updated without delay whenever a tax is amended, renewed, suspended, repealed, expires, or otherwise ceases to operate. No tax may be collected contrary to its current Tax Code entry.
5. This Article replaces and repeals the former restriction on recurring imperial taxation.
The constitutional replacements made by Sections 5 through 8 shall take effect only after this Act has been approved in accordance with Article 5 of the Constitution.
During codification, every internal citation contained in the text inserted or relocated by this Act shall be converted as follows:
(a) a reference to any source Chapter from Chapter 1 through Chapter 27 shall become a reference to the corresponding Chapter of Title 2 whose number is three greater than the source Chapter number;
(b) a reference to source Chapter 28 shall become a reference to Title 3, Chapter 2;
(c) a reference to source Chapter 29 shall become a reference to Title 2, Chapter 31;
(d) a reference to source Chapter 30 shall become a reference to Title 1, Chapter 2;
(e) a reference to a source Chapter from Chapter 31 through Chapter 39 shall become a reference to the corresponding Chapter of Title 7 whose number is thirty less than the source Chapter number;
(f) a reference to a source Section shall become a reference to the same-numbered Article within the destination Chapter; and
(g) a reference to an existing Civil Code Article repealed, replaced, superseded, or otherwise affected by Section 1 shall be updated to the exact controlling destination stated in Section 1 or to the Title 7 provision governing the same subject matter; and
(h) an internal source heading styled Subsection within a source Section designated for codification shall become the same-numbered Section within the destination Article.
The codifying officer shall insert each codified Chapter intact and in its enacted Section order; create the required Title and Chapter headings; convert source Section headings to Article headings; convert internal source Subsection headings to Section headings within the destination Article; update the table of contents; apply the Civil Code’s established Title, Chapter, Article, Section, and paragraph styles; and replace each internal source citation with its complete destination Title, Chapter, Article, and, where applicable, Section citation. The source insertion sentence immediately beneath each of Chapters 31 through 39 shall remain uncodified. A citation to law outside this Act shall not be altered merely because it uses the same number. No reference to “this Act” shall be carried into permanent Civil Code text unless the enacted provision expressly intends to refer historically to the State Organs Act of 2026. Every such reference in text designated for codification shall be conformed to its intended Civil Code, Chapter, Article, or general-law referent. The codifying officer shall not select a substantive referent where more than one interpretation is reasonably possible.
For source text designated for codification, an internal division below a source Section shall be styled Subsection in this Act where that division is intended to become a Section of the destination Civil Code Article. A nested internal heading shall not be styled as another source Section. The codifying officer may correct an obvious typographical, punctuation, capitalization, spacing, numbering, formatting, or cross-reference error where the intended correction is unambiguous. The officer shall not omit, paraphrase, consolidate, divide, reorder, broaden, narrow, or otherwise alter the substantive legal effect of the enacted text.
Codification is a ministerial act and is not a condition of legal effect. The amendments made by this Chapter take effect upon commencement, and the enacted text of this Act controls any incomplete or erroneous Civil Code copy until that copy is corrected.
An earlier provision is repealed only to the extent that this Act expressly replaces it or the provisions cannot operate together. A reference to a predecessor or former institutional name shall be read as a reference to the corresponding organ established or continued by this Act where the function is substantially the same.
Lawful appointments, records, funds, accounts, contracts, registrations, proceedings, orders, and administrative acts in force immediately before commencement shall continue according to their terms. A transfer or reorganization shall not create a duplicate organ, account, fund, right, or liability.
An existing POBA or ROBA shall continue as the corresponding OBA class. IBTE shall add any required default account without closing a lawful existing account or requiring a new eligibility decision.
Title 1 of the Civil Code is amended by inserting, immediately after Chapter 2, a new Chapter 3 titled Elections, Political Campaigns, and Political Propaganda. The following text shall be codified as Articles 1 through 14 of that Chapter exactly as set out below:
Title 1, Chapter 3 - Elections, Political Campaigns, and Political Propaganda
Article 1: Scope, Election Cycle, and Definitions
Section 1: Scope and Application
This Chapter governs political propaganda and campaign conduct connected to a general election, special election, public referendum, recall, or other public electoral contest administered or recognized by the National Electoral Administration.
Section 2: Election Cycle
For purposes of this Chapter, an "election cycle" begins upon the earliest official occurrence of: the lawful calling of an election or public vote; publication of the applicable election calendar by the National Electoral Administration; or the opening of lawful candidate filing for that election. The election cycle ends when the administrative result has been finally certified and every timely proceeding that directly contests candidate eligibility or the validity of that election has been finally resolved, unless another law establishes an earlier or later period for a specified purpose.
Section 3: Candidate and Political Organization
A "candidate" means a person who has lawfully filed, registered, accepted nomination, or otherwise entered an election for public office under applicable law.
A "political organization" means a registered political party, political group, campaign organization, candidate committee, or other registered organization participating in an election.
Section 4: Supporter or Advocate
A "supporter or advocate" means a person who, without necessarily being an officer, member, employee, or agent of a candidate or political organization, intentionally advocates electoral support for or opposition to a candidate or political organization.
Section 5: Political Propaganda
"Political propaganda" means a communication, material, symbol, media item, display, recording, publication, performance, or other expressive content that, during an election cycle, is created, published, distributed, displayed, transmitted, performed, or materially used by a candidate, political organization, official member or representative of a political organization, campaign agent, or supporter or advocate for the purpose of influencing electoral support, opposition, voter preference, candidacy, party preference, or another electoral choice in the election then underway.
The term includes political propaganda distributed by an independent supporter or advocate, but conduct by such a person shall not be attributed to a candidate or political organization merely because the person supports the candidate or organization.
Section 6: Political Epithets
A "political epithet" means a nickname, sobriquet, label, slogan, descriptor, or repeated characterization used in political propaganda to characterize a candidate, political organization, or electoral participant.
Section 7: Separation from Official State Communications
Official state propaganda, counterpropaganda, ideological education, strategic communications, public information, cultural mobilization, and other official communications undertaken under Title 2 are not political propaganda merely because they concern political subjects. Such material is subject to this Chapter where it is actually used for the purpose of promoting or opposing a candidate or political organization in an election. Neutral election administration, official notices, court records, and neutral reporting of governmental acts are not political propaganda merely because they identify an incumbent or candidate.
Article 2: Forms of Political Propaganda and Attribution
Section 1: Covered Forms
Political propaganda may include written messages, slogans, captions, posts, announcements, advertisements, posters, signs, banners, leaflets, books, pamphlets, photographs, drawings, illustrations, memes, GIFs, animations, stickers, reaction stickers, emojis, emblems, logos, seals, symbols, flags, music, songs, speeches, audio recordings, videos, livestreams, cinematics, profile images, account banners, skins, builds, displays, broadcasts, and any substantially similar medium capable of communicating electoral advocacy.
Section 2: Contextual Determination
A symbol, image, color, phrase, item, song, or other object does not become political propaganda merely because a political organization or candidate has used it. Electoral timing, accompanying words or imagery, manner of distribution, audience, context, and apparent electoral purpose shall determine whether the material is political propaganda.
Section 3: Attribution by Campaigns and Payers
Political propaganda officially produced, purchased, commissioned, authorized, or distributed by a candidate or political organization shall reasonably identify the candidate or organization responsible for it. Where another person or organization paid for the material, the material shall identify the payer. Where a candidate or political organization authorized material produced by another person, the material shall identify that authorization.
Section 4: Form of Disclosure
A disclosure may state substantially "Produced by [name]," "Paid for by [name]," "Authorized by [name]," or an equivalent statement that reasonably identifies the responsible source. The disclosure shall be reasonably visible, audible, or accessible considering the medium used.
Section 5: Small-Format Material
A GIF, sticker, small image, emblem, or similarly constrained format may use a short campaign identifier registered or publicly identified by the responsible candidate or political organization where a full disclosure cannot reasonably be displayed.
Section 6: Independent Supporters and Advocates
An independent supporter or advocate engaging only in unpaid personal advocacy is not required to disclose the person's identity solely because the communication meets the definition of political propaganda. This exception does not permit false attribution, impersonation, concealment of a paid or coordinated source, or representation that independent material is official campaign material.
Section 7: Reposting and Forwarding
A person who merely reposts or forwards substantially unmodified political propaganda does not become its original producer or payer merely by reposting or forwarding it.
Article 3: Lawful Political Criticism, Mockery, Satire, and Epithets
Section 1: Permitted Political Criticism
Political campaigning may be sharp, adversarial, sarcastic, mocking, humorous, insulting, or strongly critical. Nothing in this Chapter shall prohibit a candidate, political organization, supporter, or advocate from criticizing or making fun of another electoral participant because of that participant's political ideas, platform, voting or public record, official acts, campaign promises, statements, contradictions, campaign strategy, slogans, advertisements, public political conduct, policy proposals, qualifications for the office sought, or other conduct materially related to public or electoral activity.
Section 2: Satire, Parody, and Hyperbole
Satire, parody, political cartoons, jokes, wordplay, rhetorical exaggeration, ridicule, and political epithets are permitted where a reasonable person in context would understand the expression as opinion, humor, parody, or rhetorical hyperbole rather than as an assertion of a specific materially false fact governed by Article 4.
Section 3: Political Epithets
A political epithet does not become unlawful merely because it is unflattering, rude, embarrassing, or intended to ridicule. It becomes subject to Article 4 where, in context, it asserts or clearly implies a specific serious factual allegation, and it becomes subject to Article 5 where its principal purpose is to attack a prohibited personal-appearance characteristic.
Section 4: Truthful Adverse Criticism
Truthful criticism may remain harsh. A person is not required to use favorable language, adopt an opponent's preferred description, or refrain from drawing a political conclusion from accurately stated facts merely because the conclusion is adverse.
Article 4: Materially False Serious Allegations and Deceptive Political Epithets
Section 1: Serious Factual Allegation
For purposes of this Article, a "serious factual allegation" is a factual assertion or implication capable of verification that a candidate or electoral participant committed, participated in, knowingly assisted, or is materially affiliated with criminal activity, bribery, corruption, treason, terrorism, espionage, fraud, sexual misconduct, organized criminal activity, a cartel or criminal gang, unlawful foreign-agent activity, election fraud, or another comparably serious form of misconduct.
Section 2: Prohibited False Allegations
A person violates this Article where, in political propaganda, the person knowingly makes or distributes a materially false serious factual allegation, or consciously disregards an obvious and substantial risk that such an allegation is materially false, and presents the allegation or a political epithet embodying it in a manner that a reasonable recipient would understand as asserting or clearly implying actual serious misconduct.
Section 3: Reckless Disregard
Reckless disregard under this Article requires more than ordinary carelessness, failure to conduct exhaustive research, political bias, or disagreement about interpretation. It requires conscious disregard of an obvious and substantial risk of material falsity in circumstances where the speaker nevertheless presents the allegation as factual.
Section 4: Association and Guilt by Association
Mere suspicion, rumor, anonymous accusation, political hostility, organizational association, family relationship, friendship, photograph, common acquaintance, or contact with another person is not by itself sufficient factual basis to state or imply as established fact that a candidate participated in that other person's criminal or serious misconduct. A truthful statement describing an actual relationship or association may be made, but the relationship shall not be used to imply personal guilt or participation in serious misconduct without a reasonable factual basis for that additional implication.
Section 5: Reporting Allegations and Proceedings
A person does not violate this Article by accurately reporting that an allegation was made, that an investigation or proceeding exists, or that a public record contains an allegation, provided that the communication accurately identifies the status and source of the matter and does not knowingly transform an allegation, investigation, charge, or unresolved accusation into a false statement of established guilt.
Section 6: Truth and Substantial Truth
Truth and substantial truth are complete defenses. A materially accurate quotation, record, judgment, official finding, or other reliable source may be discussed and criticized according to its actual contents. A minor inaccuracy that does not materially change the substance of the allegation is not sufficient by itself.
Article 5: Personal-Appearance Attacks
Section 1: General Prohibition
Political propaganda shall not be created or distributed for the principal purpose of ridiculing, shaming, demeaning, degrading, or asserting political or moral unfitness based solely or substantially upon a candidate's personal physical or aesthetic characteristics that are unrelated to the candidate's public conduct or the office sought.
Section 2: Protected Personal-Appearance Characteristics
Protected personal-appearance characteristics under this Article include body size or weight; height; skin color or complexion; eye color; natural or dyed hair color; hair texture or hairstyle; facial or bodily features; visible bodily differences or disabilities; ordinary clothing, fashion, or personal aesthetic style; perceived attractiveness or unattractiveness; age-related appearance; and another substantially similar physical or aesthetic characteristic.
Section 3: Neutral Description and Legal Relevance
Neutral description, identification, accessibility accommodation, or accurate description necessary to identify a person or event is not prohibited. This Article does not prohibit factual discussion of a person's legal age where age is relevant to eligibility or another legal requirement.
Section 4: Politically Significant Appearance or Presentation
Clothing, hairstyle, symbols, or visual presentation may be discussed where the feature itself carries a political message, party emblem, campaign slogan, official or military insignia, or is directly material to the public conduct being discussed. Criticism shall concern the political message, official significance, or relevant conduct and shall not use the occasion merely as a pretext to attack an unrelated personal aesthetic characteristic.
Section 5: Cartoons, Memes, Nicknames, and Jokes
A political cartoon, parody, meme, nickname, or joke remains lawful where its substantial target is political conduct, policy, public statements, campaign behavior, or another matter allowed by Article 3 and it does not principally rely upon a prohibited personal-appearance attack.
Article 6: False Attribution, Official-Election Impersonation, and Manipulated Media
Section 1: False Attribution
No person shall knowingly distribute political propaganda that falsely represents that it was created, paid for, approved, endorsed, or authorized by another candidate, political organization, public officer, state organ, or election authority.
Section 2: Counterfeit Official Election Materials
No person shall knowingly create, distribute, or present as authentic a counterfeit ballot, candidate certification, election result, election calendar, voting instruction, filing notice, disqualification order, recount notice, National Electoral Administration communication, or other purported official election material where it is not authentic.
Section 3: Materially Manipulated Media
No person shall knowingly distribute materially altered, fabricated, synthetic, or generated audio, video, imagery, or other media while representing it as an authentic recording or depiction of a candidate or another person where the alteration materially depicts the person as saying or doing something the person did not say or do and the representation is material to the electoral message.
Section 4: Disclosed Synthetic or Altered Media
Synthetic, simulated, or materially altered media may be used for satire, parody, illustration, or political expression where a reasonably clear disclosure states that the material is altered, simulated, generated, fictionalized, or otherwise not an authentic recording of the depicted event. No disclosure is required for an alteration so obvious that a reasonable person would understand it as parody or fiction.
Section 5: Ordinary Editing and Material Omission
Cropping, compression, subtitles, ordinary editing, color correction, formatting, excerpting, or another change that does not materially misrepresent what occurred does not violate this Article. A materially deceptive omission or edit may violate this Article where the remaining presentation knowingly creates a materially false representation of what the person said or did.
Section 6: Criminal Referral
Conduct under this Article may also be referred for prosecution under Title 7, Chapter 6 where the elements of forgery, dissemination of a forged message, dangerous false messaging, or aggravated false official authority are independently satisfied.
Article 7: The Crown and Political Propaganda
Section 1: Reigning Monarch
Political propaganda shall not negatively portray, attack, demean, disparage, ridicule, condemn, mock, or campaign against the reigning Monarch during an election cycle.
Section 2: Heirs Participating as Candidates
The same restriction applies to a recognized heir to the Throne except while that heir is lawfully participating as a candidate in the election to which the political propaganda relates. During that candidacy, the heir may be criticized, opposed, supported, compared, satirized, mocked, or otherwise discussed to the same extent as another candidate under Articles 3 through 6 concerning the office sought, campaign, political program, public record, statements, qualifications, and relevant public or electoral conduct.
Section 3: Duration of Candidacy Exception
The candidacy exception begins when the heir lawfully becomes a candidate and ends upon withdrawal, disqualification, final certification of the election, or other lawful termination of the candidacy.
Section 4: Legal and Official Exceptions
This Article does not prohibit evidence or legal argument submitted to a court; testimony; an official investigation; an official government record; a good-faith petition or complaint addressed to competent governmental authority; or a neutral historical, administrative, or educational record merely because it contains adverse information concerning the Crown.
Section 5: Relationship to General Speech Provisions
For political propaganda governed by this Chapter, this Article is the specific controlling rule concerning electoral speech about the reigning Monarch and recognized heirs. To the extent that Title 1, Chapter 1, Article 7 or another general speech provision would prohibit criticism of an heir who is lawfully a candidate that this Article expressly permits, this Article controls during the candidacy.
Article 8: Electoral Bribery, Vote Buying, and Private Electoral Rewards
Section 1: Criminal Incorporation
Electoral bribery, vote buying, corrupt electoral inducement, and knowing receipt of an electoral bribe are prohibited and are governed criminally by Title 7, Chapter 7, Article 18.
Section 2: Prohibited Exchange
A candidate, political organization, campaign, supporter, business, organization, or other person shall not directly or indirectly offer, promise, give, arrange, solicit, request, accept, or agree to a private material benefit in exchange for a vote, abstention, endorsement, withdrawal of endorsement, campaign support or opposition, withdrawal from candidacy, or other electoral conduct.
Section 3: Private Electoral Rewards
A private payment, gift, or material distribution offered to voters or supporters as a reward for the victory of a candidate or political organization is prohibited where the communication reasonably presents the benefit as consideration for electoral support rather than as a generally applicable public-policy proposal under Article 9.
Section 4: Intermediaries and Organization Accounts
The prohibition applies through intermediaries and organization accounts. A person shall not evade the rule by using another person, business, political organization, bank account, supporter, relative, or agent to make or receive the prohibited offer or transfer.
Section 5: Referral and Electoral Remedies
The National Electoral Administration shall refer evidence reasonably indicating electoral bribery to a competent investigative or prosecutorial authority and may separately seek the electoral remedies authorized by Article 13. Administrative election proceedings shall not determine criminal guilt.
Article 9: Lawful Public-Policy Proposals, Programs, and Nominal Campaign Items
Section 1: General Public-Policy Rule
A proposal for legislation, taxation, wages, public expenditure, grants, infrastructure, housing, public services, subsidies, economic assistance, social benefits, public employment programs, or another governmental policy does not constitute electoral bribery merely because voters or supporters may benefit economically from the proposal.
Section 2: Politically Neutral Eligibility
A proposed public program falls within this Article where its benefits are to be created or administered through lawful governmental authority; eligibility is based upon stated or objectively ascertainable legal or program criteria; and eligibility does not depend upon how a person voted, whether the person endorsed or supported the candidate or political organization, whether the person campaigned for them, or whether the person abstained from opposing them.
Section 3: Victory-Conditioned Cash or Material Distribution
A promise of a direct cash payment or material distribution merely because a candidate or political organization wins shall be treated as a private electoral reward unless the communication, read as a whole, reasonably describes a bona fide proposed public program, identifies or contemplates lawful governmental implementation, and makes clear that eligibility will not depend upon political support or voting conduct.
Section 4: Nominal Campaign Items
Ordinary campaign literature, posters, stickers, buttons, banners, digital graphics, or other promotional items having no meaningful independent market value may be distributed without constituting electoral bribery where receipt is not conditioned upon electoral conduct.
Article 10: Public Resources and Electoral Neutrality
Section 1: Public-Resource Prohibition
Public money, public accounts, government property, official communication systems, government websites or channels, state-controlled publication systems, official staff time, public vehicles or facilities, state records, or another public resource shall not be used for the purpose of promoting or defeating a candidate or political organization or conferring an unequal electoral advantage.
Section 2: Neutral Official Functions
A public officer may continue ordinary governmental duties during an election cycle. Government resources may be used to administer elections; publish neutral voting information; identify candidates appearing on a ballot; publish deadlines, procedures, lawful results, and official notices; answer factual questions; preserve public records; and accurately report official governmental actions where the communication is not directed toward electoral advocacy.
Section 3: Incumbency and Campaign Coordination
An incumbent does not violate this Article merely because lawful official activity is reported during an election cycle. The use of official authority, public money, or an official government platform shall not be coordinated with campaign messaging for the purpose of obtaining an electoral advantage that another candidate could not obtain on equal terms.
Section 4: State Communications Organs
The Chancellor's State Communications Directorate and every other state communications organ remain subject to this Article. Official state propaganda, counterpropaganda, public information, or strategic communications shall not be converted into candidate or party campaigning through public resources.
Article 11: National Electoral Administration; Complaints and Administrative Enforcement
Section 1: Administrative Authority
The National Electoral Administration shall be the principal administrative authority for this Chapter. It shall administer campaign-law filings and disclosures, receive election-law complaints, preserve the administrative record, investigate apparent administrative violations, issue notices and corrective orders, impose the civil election penalties expressly authorized by Article 12, and refer criminal conduct to competent investigative or prosecutorial authorities.
Section 2: Complaints
Any elector, candidate, political organization, public officer, or person directly affected by alleged political propaganda or campaign conduct may submit a complaint. A complaint shall identify the material or conduct challenged and, where reasonably available, provide a copy, link, screenshot, recording, witness statement, transaction record, or other evidence sufficient to permit meaningful review.
Section 3: Investigation and Record Powers
The Administration may preserve publicly available political propaganda and election material; require a candidate or political organization to produce attribution, authorization, payment, or campaign records that this Chapter expressly requires the candidate or organization to maintain; request voluntary information from other persons; and seek lawful compulsory process where additional private records are necessary. The Administration shall not create a general search, seizure, or surveillance power merely by investigating a complaint.
Section 4: Notice and Opportunity to Answer
Before imposing a final civil fine or final corrective order, the Administration shall issue a Notice of Alleged Election Violation describing the conduct, legal provision, material evidence, and proposed remedy. During an active election cycle, the respondent shall receive not less than twenty-four hours to answer unless the respondent waives the period. The Administration may grant additional time where doing so will not materially impair administration of the election.
Section 5: Temporary Preservation and Corrective Measures
The Administration may issue an immediate evidence-preservation direction where deletion or alteration is reasonably likely. It may also order immediate temporary labeling, correction, or withdrawal of counterfeit official election material under Article 6 where the material falsely purports to be an authentic ballot, election result, National Electoral Administration instruction, or other official election instrument. An immediate measure shall state its basis and remain subject to prompt review.
Section 6: Final Administrative Decision
A final administrative decision shall identify the facts found, the provision violated, the responsible person or organization, the remedy, any fine, and the evidence materially relied upon. The Administration shall not impose criminal imprisonment, determine criminal guilt, or finally disqualify a candidate from an election.
Section 7: Disqualification Petitions and Criminal Referrals
Where candidate disqualification may be warranted, the Administration may file an expedited petition with a court of competent jurisdiction under Article 13 and shall transmit the preserved record. The Administration may also refer suspected forgery, bribery, fraud, threats, coercion, corruption, or another crime to the National Gendarmerie and Police Administration, the Chancellor's Special Procuratorate, or another competent authority.
Article 12: Civil Election Penalties and Minimum Fines
Section 1: Nature of Civil Election Penalties
Civil fines under this Article are election-law penalties and do not constitute criminal convictions. A criminal prosecution may proceed separately only where the elements of a Title 7 offense or another criminal law are independently proved.
Section 2: Attribution and Disclosure Violations
For a violation of Article 2 involving a required attribution, payer identification, or authorization disclosure, the civil fine shall be not less than five hundred (500) SL and not more than five thousand (5,000) SL. A first good-faith omission that is corrected completely within twenty-four hours after notice may be resolved by correction without a fine where the Administration finds no concealment, false attribution, or prior substantially similar violation.
Section 3: False Serious Allegations and Deceptive Epithets
For a violation of Article 4 involving a materially false serious factual allegation or deceptive political epithet, the civil fine shall be not less than five thousand (5,000) SL and not more than fifty thousand (50,000) SL. A substantially similar knowing violation republished after a final correction or violation notice shall carry a minimum fine of fifteen thousand (15,000) SL.
Section 4: Personal-Appearance Violations
For a violation of Article 5 involving a prohibited personal-appearance attack, the civil fine shall be not less than one thousand (1,000) SL and not more than ten thousand (10,000) SL. A substantially similar intentional violation republished after a final correction or violation notice shall carry a minimum fine of two thousand five hundred (2,500) SL.
Section 5: False Attribution and Manipulated Media
For a violation of Article 6 involving false campaign attribution or materially deceptive synthetic or altered media, the civil fine shall be not less than five thousand (5,000) SL and not more than fifty thousand (50,000) SL. Where the material falsely purports to be an official ballot, election result, National Electoral Administration communication, disqualification order, or other official election instrument, the civil fine shall be not less than ten thousand (10,000) SL and not more than one hundred thousand (100,000) SL, without prejudice to a criminal referral under Title 7, Chapter 6.
Section 6: Crown-Related Political Propaganda
For a violation of Article 7 concerning prohibited political propaganda against the reigning Monarch or a protected heir, the civil fine shall be not less than five thousand (5,000) SL and not more than fifty thousand (50,000) SL, unless the same conduct is prosecuted under another law requiring a different punishment. No person shall receive duplicative punitive fines for the same legal injury merely because the same communication falls within overlapping provisions.
Section 7: Misuse of Public Resources
A person who knowingly uses public resources in violation of Article 10 shall repay or restore the value of the public resource misused and shall be fined not less than the greater of ten thousand (10,000) SL or twice the value of the public resource misused, and not more than the greater of four hundred thousand (400,000) SL or five times that value.
Section 8: Noncompliance with Final Administrative Orders
A person who knowingly refuses to comply with a final lawful preservation, attribution, correction, labeling, or removal order of the National Electoral Administration after the compliance deadline shall be fined not less than two thousand five hundred (2,500) SL and not more than twenty-five thousand (25,000) SL. Continued noncompliance after a new written deadline may constitute a separate violation.
Section 9: Electoral Bribery and Nonduplication
Electoral bribery is punished under Title 7, Chapter 7, Article 18. The Administration shall not impose a duplicative civil fine under this Article for the same bribery transaction, but correction, forfeiture, restitution, candidate-disqualification proceedings, and other nonduplicative election remedies remain available where authorized.
Section 10: Unit of Violation
Substantially identical political propaganda distributed as part of one continuous publication or distribution campaign shall ordinarily be treated as one violation for calculation of a civil fine. Republication after notice, materially changed content, a materially separate paid placement, or a new deliberate distribution may constitute a separate violation. This rule does not prevent separate treatment of distinct victims, distinct false allegations, separate payments, or separate unlawful uses of public resources.
Section 11: Organizational and Candidate Liability
A political organization or campaign is liable for a civil fine where the violation was committed by the organization itself, by a person acting within actual campaign authority, or by a controlling campaign officer who directed, authorized, or knowingly ratified the conduct. A candidate is not personally liable merely because an independent supporter violated this Chapter.
Article 13: Candidate Disqualification and Expedited Pre-Election Proceedings
Section 1: Judicial Nature of Disqualification
Candidate disqualification is an electoral remedy and shall not be imposed by the National Electoral Administration acting alone. A court of competent jurisdiction may impose pre-election disqualification only after notice, a meaningful opportunity to answer, and written findings based upon clear and convincing evidence.
Section 2: Attribution to a Candidate
Conduct of another person may be attributed to a candidate for disqualification only where the candidate personally committed the conduct; directed or authorized it; knowingly participated in it; knowingly ratified it after learning the material facts; or, after actual notice, knowingly permitted an ongoing unlawful scheme controlled by the candidate or campaign to continue when the candidate possessed practical authority to stop it.
Section 3: Independent Supporters
Independent conduct by a supporter, party member, volunteer, voter, family member, or other person shall not disqualify a candidate merely because that person favored the candidate.
Section 4: Grounds for Disqualification
The court may order disqualification where the attributed conduct establishes one or more of the following and the violation is material to the integrity of the electoral contest:
(a) electoral bribery, vote buying, or a private electoral reward prohibited by Article 8 or Title 7, Chapter 7, Article 18;
(b) knowing creation or use of a counterfeit official ballot, election result, National Electoral Administration notice, candidate certification, or other false official election instrument under Article 6;
(c) a knowing or reckless materially false serious factual allegation or deceptive political epithet under Article 4 that is particularly grave or is repeated after formal notice and is attributable to the candidate under this Article;
(d) repeated intentional personal-appearance attacks under Article 5 after a final National Electoral Administration order directed to the candidate or campaign;
(e) substantial knowing misuse of public resources under Article 10 for the candidate's electoral advantage; or
(f) deliberate interference with voting, ballot security, counting, tabulation, recount, certification, or preservation of the election record, where such conduct is otherwise unlawful.
Section 5: Conduct Insufficient by Itself
A minor attribution error, ordinary political insult, lawful satire, harsh criticism, good-faith factual mistake, or isolated conduct by an independent supporter shall not by itself support candidate disqualification.
Section 6: Persons Authorized to Petition
The National Electoral Administration, an opposing candidate directly affected, or a registered political organization participating in the same election may petition for disqualification. An elector or other person may submit a complaint to the Administration, which may investigate and petition where the statutory standard may be satisfied.
Section 7: Expedited Procedure
A pre-election proceeding shall be heard on an expedited basis appropriate to the election calendar. The candidate shall receive the allegations and material evidence relied upon and may present evidence, argument, witnesses, and any defense authorized by this Chapter. The court may dismiss the petition, order a lesser lawful remedy, or order disqualification. The National Electoral Administration shall implement a final disqualification order according to the election calendar and ballot status.
Article 14: Judicial Review, Post-Election Remedies, and Relationship to Other Law
Section 1: Judicial Review
A person or organization subject to a final civil fine or corrective order of the National Electoral Administration may seek judicial review. During an active election cycle, an appeal shall be filed within three calendar days after service of the final administrative order. Outside an active election cycle, an appeal shall be filed within ten calendar days. A court may affirm, modify, stay, or vacate the administrative order according to law.
Section 2: Effect of Appeal
Filing an appeal automatically stays collection of a monetary fine until judicial disposition but does not dissolve an evidence-preservation direction. A court may stay, narrow, or dissolve a labeling, correction, withdrawal, or removal order where appropriate pending review.
Section 3: Post-Election Remedies
Where a disqualifying violation is finally established only after voting has occurred, the court may order any election remedy expressly authorized by law and reasonably necessary to give effect to the candidate-eligibility rules, including withholding or setting aside certification of the disqualified candidate, directing lawful recertification, or ordering a new vote where no lesser lawful remedy can produce a valid result. The court shall state the legal basis and factual findings supporting the remedy.
Section 4: Relationship to General Provisions
This Chapter is a special election-law chapter. It governs the meaning and regulation of political propaganda during an election cycle and shall control over a general provision of Title 1 to the extent of a direct and irreconcilable conflict concerning the same election conduct. It does not repeal a criminal offense in Title 7, and criminal liability exists only where every element of the separate criminal offense is proved according to Title 7.
Section 5: Separation from State Propaganda
Political propaganda under this Chapter shall not be confused with official state propaganda, counterpropaganda, ideological education, public information, cultural mobilization, or strategic communications authorized elsewhere in the Civil Code. Official communications become subject to the election restrictions of this Chapter only to the extent expressly provided by Articles 1 and 10.
Section 6: Nonduplication and Separate Harms
No person shall receive duplicate restitution or duplicative punitive fines for the same legal injury. Separate remedies may nevertheless be imposed for distinct harms, separate publications, separate bribery transactions, separate misuse of public resources, criminal conduct requiring different elements, or candidate eligibility where independently authorized.
Title 1 of the Civil Code is amended by inserting, immediately after Chapter 3, a new Chapter 4 titled Defamation and Protection of Public Expression. The following text shall be codified as Articles 1 through 4 of that Chapter, including their Sections, exactly as set out below:
Title 1, Chapter 4 - Defamation and Protection of Public Expression
Article 1: Civil Defamation and Required Proof
Section 1: Elements of Civil Defamation
Defamation is a civil wrong and not a criminal offense. A claimant shall identify the challenged statement with reasonable specificity and prove that: (a) the defendant communicated the statement to at least one person other than the claimant; (b) the statement was of and concerning the claimant; (c) a reasonable recipient would understand the challenged communication, in context, as asserting or necessarily implying an objectively verifiable fact; (d) the factual assertion was materially false; (e) it was defamatory in that it materially harmed the claimant’s reputation in the estimation of reasonable persons or materially deterred others from associating, dealing, or transacting with the claimant; (f) the defendant possessed the degree of fault required by Article 3; and (g) the claimant suffered the injury required for the remedy sought under Article 4.
Section 2: Material Falsity and Substantial Truth
The claimant bears the burden of proving material falsity. Substantial truth is a complete defense. A statement is substantially true where any inaccuracy does not materially alter the gist, sting, or reputational effect of the truth. Minor inaccuracies, immaterial mistakes, or technically incorrect details do not establish defamation where the material substance is true.
Article 2: Protected Expression and Privileges
Section 1: Protected Expression
A statement is not actionable merely because it is insulting, offensive, vulgar, harsh, politically hostile, ideological, unpopular, or expressed through an epithet. Pure opinion, rhetorical hyperbole, satire, parody, jokes, artistic expression, and other language that a reasonable audience would not understand as asserting an actual verifiable fact are not defamatory. Labeling a factual assertion as “opinion” does not protect it where the statement reasonably implies a materially false and verifiable factual claim.
Section 2: Privileges and Fair Reporting
A fair and substantially accurate report or summary of a public record, court proceeding, parliamentary proceeding, official hearing, or official statement is privileged unless the person publishing the report knowingly fabricates, materially alters, or falsely attributes the underlying material. Statements made by a judge, advocate, party, or witness in the course of and relevant to a judicial proceeding, and statements made by a member of Parliament in the course of parliamentary proceedings, are absolutely privileged from civil defamation liability. Truthful quotation, good-faith correction, and a fair presentation of disclosed facts from which the audience may draw its own conclusions are protected.
Article 3: Public Officials, Public Figures, Candidates, and Fault
Section 1: Public Officials, Candidates, and Public Figures
A public official, candidate for public office, general-purpose public figure, or limited-purpose public figure shall not recover for a statement concerning official conduct, candidacy, public activity, or the public controversy giving rise to that status unless the claimant proves actual malice by clear and convincing evidence. A political organization asserting defamation concerning its public political activity is subject to the same standard.
Section 2: Actual Malice
“Actual malice” means that the defendant actually knew the material assertion was false or published it while subjectively entertaining serious doubts about its truth or with a high degree of awareness of probable falsity. Negligence, failure to investigate, hostility, political opposition, or ill will standing alone does not establish actual malice. Deliberate avoidance of readily available contradictory evidence, fabrication, purposeful alteration of evidence, or reliance on a source the defendant actually knows to be materially unreliable may be considered with all other evidence in determining actual malice.
Section 3: Private Persons and Limited-Purpose Public Figures
A private person who is neither a public official nor a public figure shall prove at least negligence by a preponderance of the evidence. A person does not become a public figure merely by being discussed in public, being accused of wrongdoing, receiving temporary attention, holding ordinary employment, or involuntarily becoming involved in a controversy. A limited-purpose public figure is one who voluntarily takes a prominent role in a particular public controversy for the purpose of influencing its resolution, and that status extends only to statements materially related to that controversy.
Article 4: Remedies, Retraction, and Protection Against Abusive Claims
Section 1: Damages and Retraction
Compensatory damages shall be based on proven actual injury, including demonstrated reputational harm, reasonably resulting economic loss, and other direct injury proved with competent evidence. Presumed or punitive damages shall not be awarded unless actual malice is proved by clear and convincing evidence. A prompt, conspicuous, and proportionate correction or retraction may mitigate damages but does not create liability and does not erase liability already established. No person may be imprisoned, criminally convicted, or have speech privileges suspended for defamation alone.
Section 2: Injunctive Relief
Before final judgment on falsity, a court shall not impose a prior restraint prohibiting publication of the challenged statement solely on the basis of defamation. After a final judgment, a court may order a narrowly tailored correction, removal, or prohibition against repetition of the specific factual assertion adjudicated materially false and defamatory where monetary relief alone is inadequate. The court shall not prohibit criticism, opinion, reporting, or discussion beyond the adjudicated false factual assertion.
Section 3: Special Motion for Early Dismissal
A defendant may file a special motion for early dismissal where a claim arises from speech, publication, petitioning, reporting, criticism, or participation concerning government, an election, a public official, a candidate, a public controversy, or another matter of public concern. Filing the motion stays general discovery until the court decides it, except that the court may permit narrowly targeted discovery necessary to resolve a fact essential to the motion. The claimant must then present legally sufficient evidence supporting each element required for the claim and, where actual malice is required, evidence capable of satisfying the clear-and-convincing standard. The court shall dismiss the claim to the extent the claimant fails that showing.
Section 4: Costs, Review, and Other Claims
A defendant who prevails on the special motion shall recover reasonable litigation costs and legal fees attributable to the dismissed claim. A claimant may recover such costs from the movant only where the court finds that the special motion was frivolous or filed solely to cause improper delay. Either party may seek immediate judicial review of an order granting or denying the special motion. Remedies under this Chapter do not displace a separately proved election-law, privacy, fraud, threat, harassment, or other claim based on distinct legal elements, but duplicate recovery for the same injury is prohibited.
This Act may be cited as the State Organs Act.
This Act shall take legal effect upon the assent of the Emperor unless the instrument of assent provides a later effective date.