LCN Bill of Rights Act 2023

An Act of the News, which aims to help protect the rights of those using its services.

Article 1: Every person has the right to be heard, and this must be respected by the News.

Article 2: To repeal this Act, a court with valid jurisdiction must rule this to be unconstitutional, or LCN and its readers must vote a 50% majority.

Article 3: LCN must fulfill its ethical obligations even where they have the potential to break international law.

Article 4: It is forever our command that all rules passed by the News be in compliance with the Constitution and that every team member — including the Founder and President — be held to account equally for any alleged violations of the rules or the Constitution.

Article 5: All shall be innocent when accused of violating the Constitution or the rules of the News and its departments except where evidence proves the allegations against the defendant to be true by valid judgment of all LCN committees and/or by a court of the law.

Article 6: All committees must maintain a clear separation of powers, and no person shall attempt to interfere with the Supreme Authority of Accountability. The Representatives Committee, for example, must be independent of the LCN Constitutional Committee, Community, Governors Committee, Board Oversight and Management Committee, Advisory Committee, Community Board, all team members and users of the News’s services, Universal Complaints Management and Disciplinary Commission, Municipal and Local Representatives Board, National Complaints Management and Disciplinary Commission, Municipal Complaints Management and Disciplinary Commission, LCN’s Founder, the President, and any other constitutionally empowered department.

Article 7: No person shall face prejudice or be accused of something they didn't do, and an investigation must be launched and verified to confirm the facts until any confirmation be made with the exception to clearly stated accusations — accusations, not sworn statements.

Article 8: No person shall be barred from voting in LCN elections, and members reserve the right to vote and take part in all LCN meetings. An exception, however, does apply to fraud and serious criminal activity related to voting and where it is deemed to pose a risk to the News or its members and readers to enable them to vote, but this is to be determined by the Supreme Authority of Accountability.

Article 9: The Founder and the President are not to be above any rule except where specifically empowered otherwise, and the members and readers of the News have the constitutional right to rebel if their complaints are not heard or acted upon.

Article 10: When a rule is passed or repealed, it must be voted by a 50% majority and then be signed by the Presidents of each committee and then the President and the Founder. If any of the powerful officials refuse to sign the Proposal, they must provide their reason in writing so that they can be held to account accordingly. However, the ultimate decision remains with those asked to sign the Proposal and not any other person except the Supreme Authority of Accountability.

Article 11: Freedom of the press is forever a guaranteed right and cannot be infringed by anyone — not even the Supreme Authority. Debates in each department, committee, or ally must not be interrupted by any group or individual, and all elections ought to be free for all and no one's liberty be infringed without the due and valid process of law or the Constitution and its valid rules made under it.

Article 12: Everyone has the right to freedom of speech with the same protection afforded as freedom of the press has under Article 11 of the Bill of Rights Act 2023 and the Constitution.

Article 13: LCN must not bow down to external pressures or interference where an obstruction of justice or the press is likely to occur if those pressures are obeyed.