Renegades Act

Renegades Act

 

An Act to afford to His Majesty’s Government the prerogative powers to label seditious, treacherous and dangerous organisations as enemies of the state to be pursued by the Armed Forces and the Constabulary.

 

AUTHOR: Lord Baldassar Greyson-Partiger, Baron of Daubaine; Mrs Meriahm Lausten

SPONSORS: Lord Thomas Reignsford, Baron of Heartsgrove; Lord Vlad von Wraith, Baron of Newhaven; Lord Arranax DeVin, Regent for Lord Hasdrubal DeVin, Count of Greenshore; Lady Liara Silverfall, Baroness of Shatterstone; Lady Evelynn Greene, Baroness of Raven’s Rest;

 

BE IT ENACTED by the King’s most Excellent Majesty, by and with the advice and consent of the Lords Temporal, in this present Parliament assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows:—

 

1 Glossary of terms  
 * 1) In this act, “organisation” means “any body corporate consistory of five or more persons, with an established identity and purpose”.
 * 2) In this act, “renegade” means “a legal status absolving Crown and Government of the guarantees of rights and protections as established by legal or constitutional code or writ towards the persons consistory of the organisation in question”.

2 Establishment of procedures for labelling an organisation as “renegade”  
 * 1) The declaration of a renegade organisation shall not take place without the uniform assent of executive (by means of the Council of Ministers), judiciary (by means of a magistrate’s court), and legislature (by means of the House of Nobles).
 * 2) The first step of this process is for the Council of Ministers to agree by a simple majority vote that the recourse of declaring the organisation in question as renegade is necessary to the maintenance of the health and public peace of the realm.
 * 3) The second step of this process is for the Lord High Prosecutor, a Crown Prosecutor, or a barrister in service to the Council of Ministers to pursue a legal injunction before a magistrate’s court, affording a chance for the organisation in question to defend itself before a court of law. Should the magistrate presiding approve the injunction, then the second step of this process is completed.
 * 4) The third and final step of this process is for the House of Nobles to consider a motion “to declare the named organisation as enemies of His Majesty, His Government and His Peoples, here and abroad, to be met with all legal force by His Agents.” Should the House pass the motion, then the third and final step of this process is completed.

3 Legal consequences and other effects pursuant to a declaration of a renegade organisation  
 * 1) It shall be established that both at home and abroad, on this plane and on others with which this plane may become connected, and in all parallel universes and dimensions therein where Stormwind may have a presence, the renegade organisation in question shall be met with prosecution of arms and of law to the full force expected of His Majesty’s Armed Forces, and His Majesty’s Constabulary.
 * 2) Unless the member of the renegade organisation in question surrenders or is captured, and fully, publically, and genuinely confesses to and repents of their membership of the renegade organisation in question, he shall be regarded as if he were an enemy combatant, and shall be treated so, both in conflict and in captivity (the latter pursuant to the Prisoners of War Act).
 * 3) Should the member of the renegade organisation in question fully, publically and genuinely confess to and repent of their membership of the renegade organisation in question, then they shall be afforded trial as per the normal rights of citizenship as guaranteed by the Grand Charter, mindful of the applicability of Section 2 Subsection 7 of the Treason Act, regarding their adherence to the King’s enemies within and without the Kingdom and Realm of Stormwind.
 * 4) The government of any Power, be they Alliance, Neutral or Absent, will not be itself held responsible for the behaviours and activities of any renegade organisation claiming association, loyalty, or vassalage with that government, unless the links between that government and the renegade organisation are demonstrable and reciprocal.
 * 5) No declaration of a renegade organisation may be applied contrary to the Sovereign’s will, or against any organisation in demonstrable and reciprocal league with the Sovereign.

4 Establishment of procedures for negotiations with renegade organisations  
 * 1) His Majesty’s Government shall retain the right to conduct negotiations with renegade organisations, provided permission is granted by the Lord High Marshal or the Lord High Constable to do so. The Lord High Chamberlain shall be consulted if the organisation is established abroad.
 * 2) Such negotiations cannot take place without the House of Nobles being informed in a formal sitting, with formal register on the parliamentary record.
 * 3) Such negotiations must take place on neutral ground, outside of any held or claimed territories by either side, and the location may be kept secret from the public record.
 * 4) Such negotiations must take place pursuant to pre-arranged agreements as to the number of negotiators and military escorts. These need not be equal, but neither side may bring more of either group than the agreed amount.
 * 5) Should such negotiations take place within an established city or settlement, then no military forces either of the Kingdom of Stormwind or the organisation in question, nor any proxy forces for either side, may enter or remain near the city or settlement for the duration of the negotiations.
 * 6) During such negotiations, both parties shall be granted free rights of passage without let or hindrance one hour either side of the negotiation period in order to ensure their safe arrival and departure from the negotiations.
 * 7) Violation of any of the requirements pursuant to this section invalidates any free passage rights, and mandates a resumption of hostilities.

5 Establishment of procedures for rescinding of renegade status  
 * 1) A majority vote of the House of Nobles on a motion to rescind the status may be used to rescind the declaration of a renegade organisation. The motion must have two secondments aside from the proponent.
 * 2) The wording of the motion is “to declare the named organisation to no longer be enemies of His Majesty, His Government and His Peoples, here and abroad, and to be spared prejudice by His Agents.”
 * 3) Both the renegade organisation in question and His Majesty’s Government may instigate a ceasefire between the two parties during the period which the motion is under consideration by the House.
 * 4) Should the vote pass, then to complete the rescindment of renegade status, the organisation in question must meet the following terms: the immediate surrender of the extant leadership to the King’s justice before His courts, the appointment or election of new leadership pursuant to the rules of the organisation in question, and for the new leadership to appear before the House to denounce the previous leadership and formally renounce their renegade methods. If the leadership cannot be replaced, dissolution of the organisation is an acceptable alternative.
 * 5) Members of the organisation in question who occupied no position of leadership or authority within it will not be tried for crimes committed under orders, but may still be liable for actions taken of their own volition.
 * 6) Should the organisation in question, under new leadership and having followed these procedures, be declared renegade for a second time, it no longer enjoys the right to reconstitute itself under new leadership, and must disband for a second rescindment.

6 Short title and commencement
 * 1) The short title of this act shall be the “Renegades Act”.
 * 2) The provisions of this act shall come into force immediately.

(( OOC Appendix I - Any references to “the Crown” refer to the legal entity of “the Crown” and not to the Sovereign himself, ergo the King. ))