An Act for the recognition and protection of Human Rights and Fundamental

Freedoms.

(25 August, 2025)

PREAMBLE

The Parliament of Aquria-Catopolis, affirming that Aquria-Catopolis is founded

upon principles that the dignity and worth of the human person and the position of

the family in a society of free people and free institutions;

Affirming also that people and institutions remain free only when freedom is

founded upon respect for moral and spiritual values and the rule of law;

And being desirous of enshrining these principles and the human rights and

fundamental freedoms derived from them, in a Bill of Rights which shall reflect the

respect of Parliament for its constitutional authority and which shall ensure the

protection of these rights and freedoms in Aquria-Catopolis:

Therefore, it is enacted as follows:

BILL OF RIGHTS

Recognition and Declaration of Rights and Freedoms

1 It is hereby recognised and declared that in Aquria-Catopolis there have existed

and shall continue to exist without discrimination by reason of race, national or

ethnic origin, colour, religion, sex, age, sexual orientation, language, genetic

characteristics, or mental or physical disability, the following human rights and

fundamental freedoms, namely,

(a) the right of the individual to life, liberty, security of the person and

enjoyment of property, and the right not to be deprived thereof except by due

process of law;

(b) the right of the individual to equality before the law and the protection of

the law;

(c) freedom of religion;

(d) freedom of speech;

(e) freedom of assembly and association; and

(f) freedom of the press.

Construction of Law

2 Every law of Aquria-Catopolis shall, unless it is expressly declared by an Act of

the Parliament of Aquria-Catopolis that it shall operate notwithstanding the

Aqurio-Catopalian Bill of Rights, be so construed and applied as not to abrogate,

abridge or infringe or to authorize the abrogation, abridgment or infringement of

any of the rights or freedoms herein recognized and declared, and in particular, no

law of Aquria-Catopolis shall be construed or applied so as to

(a) authorise or effect the arbitrary detention, imprisonment or exile of any

person;

(b) impose or authorise the imposition of cruel and unusual treatment or

punishment;

(c) deprive a person who has been arrested or detained

(i) of the right to be informed promptly of the reason for his arrest or

detention,

(ii) of the right to retain and instruct counsel without delay, or

(iii) of the remedy by way of habeas corpus for the determination of

the validity of his detention and for his release if the detention is not

lawful;

(d) authorise a court, tribunal, commission, board or other authority to

compel a person to give evidence if he is denied counsel, protection against

self crimination or other constitutional safeguards;

(e) deprive a person of the right to a fair hearing in accordance with the

principles of fundamental justice for the determination of his rights and

obligations;

(f) deprive a person charged with a criminal offence of the right to be

presumed innocent until proved guilty according to law in a fair and public

hearing by an independent and impartial tribunal, or of the right to

reasonable bail without just cause; or

(g) deprive a person of the right to the assistance of an interpreter in any

proceedings in which he is involved or in which he is a party or a witness,

before a court, commission, board or other tribunal, if he does not

understand or speak the language in which such proceedings are conducted.

Duties of Minister of Justice

3 (1) Subject to subsection (2), the Minister of Justice shall, in accordance with

such regulations as may be prescribed by the Prime Minister in Council, examine

every regulation transmitted to the Clerk of the Privy Council for registration

pursuant to the Statutory Instruments Act and every Bill introduced in or presented

to the House of Commons by a Minister of the Crown, in order to ascertain

whether any of the provisions thereof are inconsistent with the purposes and

provisions of this Part and he shall report any such inconsistency to the House of

Commons at the first convenient opportunity.

Exception

(2) A regulation need not be examined in accordance with subsection (1) if prior to

being made it was examined as a proposed regulation in accordance with section 3

of the Statutory Instruments Act to ensure that it was not inconsistent with the

purposes and provisions of this Part.

Short Title

4 The provisions of this part shall be known as the Aqurio-Catopalian Bill of

Rights.

PART II.

Savings

5 (1) Nothing in Part I shall be construed to abrogate or abridge any human right or

fundamental freedom not enumerated therein that may have existed in

Aquria-Catopolis at the commencement of this Act.

“Law of Aquria-Catopolis” Defined

(2) The expression “law of Aquria-Catopolis” in the Bill of Rights means an Act

of the Parliament of Aquria-Catopolis enacted before or after the coming into force

of this Act, any order, rule or regulation thereunder, and any law in force in

Aquria-Catopolis or in any part of Aquria-Catopolis at the commencement of this

Act that is subject to be repealed, abolished or altered by the Parliament of

Aquria-Catopolis.

Jurisdiction of Parliament

(3) The provisions of the Bill of Rights shall be construed as extending only to

matters coming within the legislative authority of the Parliament of

Aquria-Catopolis.