Hitchhiker's Assembly

The Hitchhiker's Assembly is a Supporting Policy Document for the MHA Charter. It was ratified on Thursday Sep 24, 2009.

Introduction
The Mostly Harmless Alliance has a history of representative democracy, a powerful voice of the people, and respect for all Hitchhikers. Throughout many different Charters and Documents, the MHA has lived to serve its people, and its people to govern the alliance. In the beginning, our Founders JimmyK, VinnyP, and R11ch established that a democratically elected council of five Senators governed the Alliance; whose decisions and votes were viewable for all members to see and discuss. In creating MHA, they established an alliance that was run for the people - by the people.

The Harmless Revolution came in November 2007, as decreed by the people once more. This changed the Government of the alliance to a council of three Triumvirs with five Ministers; but the democracy remained the same. Our Government became organized, efficient, and broad; operations were stream lined and the people's voice was strengthened even more. Through the empowerment of the Third Revolution, the MHA Court, a sound legal system and Judicial Body guarded the people, lead by three independently elected Court Officers. Further improvements saw the initiation of an Ombudsman, a completely independent position to liaise between the people, the Government, and the Court, to ensure the will of the people was protected.

Throughout these changes, however, a need for organization, moderation, and system for our Hoopy Democracy became prevalent. And from that need, the Hitchhiker's Assembly was formed. A formal organizational body to Legislate and represent the alliance. Through the Assembly, the Hitchhiker's voices were once again promoted, making it simpler for them to enact change and pass motions, and the creation of two new positions to ensure their voice was heard. The Speaker of the Assembly, powered by the people to organize and manage our democracy and enact all Assembly decisions; and the Legislator, responsible for maintaining and protecting the Charters - appointed to give the Assembly the guidance and organization that democracy needs to be effective.

The following document outlines the current purpose, elections, procedure, and powers of the Hitchhiker's Assembly and the Judicial Body.

Article I: Role of The Assembly
Part A: We, the Hitchhikers, do hereby convene together in Assembly to represent, legislate, and govern through democracy, the Mostly Harmless Alliance.

Part B: All Hitchhikers in good standing have an equal voice and an equal vote in the Assembly. This right is sacred, and shall not be denied from any member in good standing of the alliance. Hitchhikers shall have the ability, but not the requirement, to enact this right at all times.

Part C: A Hitchhiker "in good standing" is defined as a member of the Mostly Harmless Alliance, that has successfully completed the application and Academy processes, remaining active in the alliance, and not currently under trial or serving a conviction from the Judicial Body of the alliance. This includes all members of the Executive Body, Judicial Body, and elected or appointed representatives of the Assembly, and any other official of the alliance, whose voice and vote are equal to all others within the Assembly.

Part D: The jurisdiction of Assembly includes the MHA Charter and policies, the Executive Body, the Judicial Body, forums and IRC channels, foreign agreements ("treaties"), and the election of Triumvirs, Court Officers, and Assembly Representatives. Decisions made by the Executive body, including but not limited to Ministerial appointments, may be appealed and overturned by the Assembly at any time, up to two weeks after the decision was made. The Assembly may veto an Urgent decision made by the Executive Body, by creating an Urgent Motion, excluding the Activation of a Mutual Defence treaty.

Part E: A Motion is a formal proposal to be put into action or legislation. Any Hitchhiker may propose a Motion in the Assembly at any time. All Hitchhikers within the Assembly shall have the right to vote on any Motion proposed, including the right to Abstain from Voting.

Part F: Once a Motion has been discussed for at least 3 days (48 hours for urgent Motions), a Vote will be opened by the Speaker. A Vote will remain open for at least 3 days (48 hours for urgent Votes). The Motion is considered Passed if over 51% of those who voted support the Motion and the Motion is considered ratified by the Assembly. Should the Vote receive less than this requirement, the Motion has failed. Amendments to the Charter or Supporting Policy Documents, and Votes of No Confidence follow their own individual requirements.

Part G: Any Motion passed by the Assembly shall be considered law immediately upon the completion of a successful vote. The passed Motion may only be altered or removed via a new Motion, following the same procedure.

Part H: Motions proposed to the Executive Body (for example, treaty requests), may be accepted by the Executive Body before or during a vote on the Motion, if the proposal has strong vocal support or early voting support within the Assembly; upon agreement by the Executive Body to accept the Motion prematurely. A vote on a Motion that has already been accepted will continue until the completion of the Voting Period, so the decision of the Assembly is considered final and legally binding.

Part I: Any issue not specifically mentioned in this article shall be considered under jurisdiction of the Assembly, as all areas of the alliance fall under the Assembly's jurisdiction.

Article II: Representatives of the Assembly
Part A: The Assembly shall elect for a term of three months, the Speaker of the Assembly. In order to be eligible for election, a member must have served in the alliance for a period of at least two months directly prior to their appointment. Candidates may not be currently under investigation, under trial or serving a conviction by the MHA Court. The Speaker may not hold any other concurrent positions within the alliance.

Part B: The role of The Speaker is to manage and organize the Assembly forums, initiate and oversee Motion Votes, oversee all elections (excluding the Speaker's own elections), act as a general guide and moderator in the Assembly, act as liaison between the Executive Body, the Judicial Body and the people, and ensure general productive conduct within the Assembly.

Part C: The Assembly shall elect for a term of three months, the Legislator of the Assembly. Candidates are required to have been members of the Assembly for no less than two months directly prior to their appointment, and can demonstrate (within their nomination) a clear understanding and knowledge of the Charter, policies, and procedures of the Assembly. Candidates may not be currently under investigation, under trial or serving a conviction by the MHA Court. The Legislator may concurrently hold one other position within the alliance, excluding Speaker of the Assembly, Deputy Minister, Minister, or Triumvir.

Part D: The role of The Legislator is to put into writing any Motion of amendment to the Charters, or any written law document the alliance holds; to maintain and oversee the Charters and any amendments; to ensure the proper application of all Charters and laws; and to notify the Judicial Body of any breaches of the Charters and laws. The Legislator will also oversee the election of the Speaker.

Part E: All Assembly Representatives will be elected at the same time, in separate elections with a Nomination and Election thread for each Representative position. Nominations will open Seven days prior to end of the Term, whereby all Eligible candidates, including the incumbent Representatives, will Nominate themselves for election. During elections, the incumbent Representatives will maintain their current positions. In the event that no one nominates for either or both positions, Nominations shall remain open until at least one person nominates for each position.

Part F: After four days, Nominations will close and the Voting Period will begin. No one apart from the person who initiated the poll may edit the Poll, or the Post containing the Poll, at any time. Doing so shall violate the integrity of the Poll and all persons caught doing so shall be placed on Trial in the MHA Court, and a new Vote will opened with the Voting period starting again. Voting will last for three Days, whereby the candidate with the Highest Amount of Votes for each position shall be considered elected to in that position. Each election will include the option to Abstain from Voting.

Part G: In the event that only one person nominates for each position, a Confirmation Vote will be held for three days, whereby the Assembly may vote to Elect the candidate or cast a Vote of No Confidence. Should the candidate receive a majority to Elect, he/she will be elected into the position. Should the candidate receive a majority of No Confidence, he/she will not be elected and the Nominations will open again.

Part H: On the first day of the term, each elected Representative will complete the following Oath, to be posted within the Assembly and remain accessible for the duration of their term:

"I [ruler name], do hereby swear to uphold the rights and responsibilities entrusted to me by the Hitchhikers of the Mostly Harmless Alliance. I swear to act with honesty and integrity for the full duration of my term, and shall always ensure the complete representation of the people."

Part I: Any Elected Representative may be removed from their position via a Vote of No Confidence Motion by the Assembly, be removed after violating MHA Charter or policy, or resign from their position by submitting a Formal Resignation letter in the Assembly. Should a Representative Resign during their term, they will be ineligible to nominate or hold the position for a period of three months. Should a Representative be removed from their position during their term, they will be ineligible to nominate or hold the position for a period of six months.

Part J: In the event that a Representative is removed or resigns, a Replacement Representative will be chosen from the Runner Up of the previous Election, on the condition that the Runner Up is still a member of the Assembly and still able to hold the position. In the event that the Runner Up is unable to fill the position, or if no Runner Up exists, a Replacement Election will be held, whereby nominations will be open for a period of two days and the Election will be open for a period of three days. A remaining Representative or a Court Officer will initiate the Election. The elected Replacement Representative will serve for the rest of the term. During the Replacement Election, one or more Court Officers may fill the position.

Part K: In the event that a Representative is removed or resigns, at no more than three weeks prior to the end of the term, the Replacement Election will serve as the election for the Next Term, whereby the newly elected Representative will serve for the remainder of the current term plus the usual three month term. If a Representative requires temporary Leave from their position, either the other Representative, a Court Officer, or a Runner-Up in the previous election, may be selected to fulfill the position.

Part L: Disputes relating to Elections shall be discussed and handled by the MHA Court and/or voted on by the Assembly. Any breaches of MHA Charter or policy either during an election or throughout their term, regardless of their result in the election or how long into the term the representative is, will result in immediate removal from their position.

Part M: A Vote of No Confidence against a Representative may be initiated by any member at any time, and must receive written support from up to ten other members. The Vote will be opened either by the other Representative or a Court Officer and will last for a period of three days, whereby the Assembly will vote to either remove or maintain the Representative. A Vote of No Confidence requires a majority of 67% of those who voted in order to pass, whereby the Representative is immediately removed from office and a Replacement is chosen. Should the vote fail to reach the majority, the Representative may choose to continue in their position.

Part N: The Assembly may convene in committees to discuss legislative, administrative, judicial, Government, or any other alliance issues. Committees shall consist of experts, those deemed to have experience and knowledge of the chosen subject, and/or regular hitchhikers. Decisions and recommendations made by the committee can be presented to the Assembly as a Recommendation Motion, which will then follow the standard Motion procedure. Committees can either form at the request of any Official (Executive, Assembly, or Judicial), or a proposal by any Hitchhiker that is supported by the Assembly. Generally, Committees may be granted their own sub forum or IRC Channel for discussion, and will proceed with a pre-determined time frame and chosen to date in which to present their recommendations.

Article I: Role of the Judiciary
Part A: The Court is a three-member judicial council responsible for the defence, prosecution, and judgement of cases brought before them. Democratically elected into three-month terms by the people and independent of the MHA Government, the Court shall ensure a fair and open justice system for all of the alliance.

Part B: At all times the MHA Court is legally entitled to investigate, trial, and prosecute any member of the Alliance, regardless of position. The Court is held responsible with due care, in that it is responsible for ensuring a clear, accountable, and trustworthy system. The Hitchhiker’s Assembly oversees the Court, and the Assembly retains the right to overturn any decision by the Court. Court Officers shall act with honesty and integrity at all times, and shall follow the Precedent Guide in The Hitchhiker's Assembly for specific details on definitions of a crime and appropriate punishments. The Court shall be considered separate and independent from the MHA Government, though cannot remove any elected or appointed officials without a clear and fair trial in the MHA Court. The Court cannot infringe, bypass, ignore, or alter any portion of the MHA Charter or Supporting Policy documents.

Part C: The maximum punishment that the Court can deliver shall be expulsion from the Alliance and destruction of the offender's nations for a pre-determined period.

Part D: The Court is not to interfere, overturn, ignore, or bypass any portion of the decisions made by the Executive Body, unless those decisions directly breach MHA Charter and law. The Court has no legal basis to interfere with motions or votes conducted by the Assembly, unless those decisions directly breach MHA Charter and law without the Assembly making subsequent changes to the MHA Charter and law. If there is an active Speaker and Legislator in the Assembly, the Court has no involvement with the Assembly's decisions other than to counsel on legal issues. All comments, recommendations and opinions held outside of the Court will be considered non-binding and unofficial. The Court cannot exceed it's jurisdiction at any time. Failure to comply with this article will result in offending Court Officers being suspended from duty and placed on Trial.

Article II: Officers of the Judiciary
Part A: The Assembly shall elect three Court Officers to perform the duties of Chief Judge, Prosecution, and Defence, and to act as counsel to the Assembly and the Executive Body. Court Officers shall be elected for a term of three months. The Speaker of the Assembly shall handle all Court Officer Elections. In order to be eligible for election as Court Officer, a member must have served in the alliance for a period of at least two months directly prior to their appointment. Court Officers may not be currently under investigation, under trial or serving a conviction by the MHA Court. Court Officers may not hold any other concurrent positions within the alliance.

Part B: The Chief Judge is responsible for managing trials, approving Trial Applications, moderating the Court Forum, passing Verdicts and Sentences where applicable and generally leading the Court. The Prosecutor is responsible for conducting the case against a Defendant, and to recommend the verdict and sentencing of the crime based on the evidence provided. The Defence is responsible for conducting the case on behalf of a Defendant, to prove their innocence of the alleged charges, or to recommend sentencing based on the evidence provided.

Part C: All Court Officers will be elected at the same time, in a joint election. Elections will be initiated and monitored by the Speaker of the Assembly. During elections, the incumbent Court Officers will maintain their current positions.

Part D: Nominations will open seven days prior to end of the Term, whereby all Eligible candidates, including the incumbent Court Officers, will Nominate themselves for Election. Nominations will remain open until at least three members nominate.

Part E: After four days, Nominations will close and the Voting Period will begin. No one apart from the person who initiated the poll may edit the Poll, or the Post containing the Poll, at any time. Doing so shall violate the integrity of the Poll and all persons caught doing so shall be placed on Trial in the MHA Court, and a new Vote will open with the Voting Period starting again. Voting will last for three Days, whereby the three candidates with the Highest Amount of Votes shall be considered elected. Each Election will include the option to Abstain from Voting.

Part F: Should only three people nominate for the position, a Confirmation Vote will be held for each Candidate. Voting will last for 3 days, with the option to either Elect the candidate, Vote of No Confidence, or Abstain from Voting. Candidates who receive a majority of votes to elect will be considered elected into the Court. Candidates who receive a majority Vote of No Confidence or Abstain will not be elected into the position and nominations will remain open until all three positions are filled, with a Confirmation Vote required for each. The position of Chief Judge will be filled first, followed by Defense, then Prosecutor. Assembly Representatives may fill any remaining positions until a candidate is elected, by appointing temporary Court Officers or by filling the position themselves.

Part G: On the first day of the term, each elected Court Officer will complete the following Oath, to be posted within the MHA Court and remain accessible for the duration of their term:

"I [ruler name], do hereby swear to uphold the rights and responsibilities entrusted to me by the Hitchhikers of the Mostly Harmless Alliance. I swear to act with honesty and integrity for the full duration of my term, and shall always ensure the complete representation of the people."

Part H: Any Elected Court Officer may be removed from their position via a Vote of No Confidence by the Assembly, or resign from their position by submitting a Formal Resignation letter in the MHA Court. A Court Officer who resigns during their term will be ineligible to nominate or hold the position for a period of three months. A Court Officer who is removed during their term will be ineligible to nominate or hold the position for a period of six months.

Part I: In the event that a Court Officer is removed or resigns, a replacement Court Officer will be chosen from the Runner Up of the previous Election, on the condition that the Runner Up is still a member of the Assembly and still able to hold the position. The Replacement Officer will face a Confirmation Vote, held for two days, whereby the people will vote to either Elect or cast a Vote of No Confidence. If the candidate receives a simple majority to elect, he/she will be elected to the position. If the candidate receives a majority Vote of No Confidence, he/she will not be elected and a new Replacement Election will be held.

Part J: In the event that the Runner Up is unable to fill the position, a Replacement Election will be held, whereby nominations will be open for a period of Two Days and the Vote will be open for a period of 3 days. The Speaker, or the Legislator, or a remaining Court Officer will initiate the Election. The Replacement Court Officer will serve for the rest of the term. For the duration of the Replacement Election, either or both the Speaker or the Legislator of the Assembly may fill the position, by appointing temporary Court Officers or by filling the position themselves.

Part K: In the event that a Court Officer is removed or resigns, at no more than three weeks prior to the end of the term, the Replacement Election will serve as the election for the Next Term, whereby the newly elected Court Officer will serve for the remainder of the current term plus the usual three months. If a Court Officer requires temporary Leave from their position, either the Speaker, or Legislator, or a Runner-Up in the previous election, may be selected to fulfill the position.

Part L: Disputes relating to Elections shall be discussed and handled by the Speaker and Legislator of the Assembly and/or voted on by the Assembly. Any breaches of MHA Charter or policy during an election or throughout their term, regardless of their result in the election or how long into the term the Officer is, will result in immediate removal from their position.

Part M: Court Officers are expected to adhere to and exemplify the MHA Charter and policies at all times. A violation of either will result in the Court Officer/s in question being immediately suspended from their position and placed on Trial. No Court Officer can preside over cases involving themselves, whereby the Speaker or Legislator of the Assembly may step in to fill the position.

Part N: A Vote of No Confidence against a Court Officer may be initiated by any member at any time, and must receive written support from up to ten other members. The Vote will be opened either by the Speaker or the Legislator and will last for a period of three days, whereby the Assembly will vote to either remove or maintain the Officer. A Vote of No Confidence requires a majority of 67% of those who voted in order to pass, whereby the Officer is immediately removed from office and a Replacement is chosen. Should the vote fail to reach the majority, the Officer may choose to continue in their position.

Article III: Procedure of the Judiciary
Part A: Upon Election, the Court will assign one Court Officer each to fill the roles of Chief Judge, Prosecutor, or Defence. These roles are rotated at the expiration of one month. The Chief Judge becomes the Defence, the Defence becomes the Prosecutor, and the Prosecutor becomes the Chief Judge. In the event a trial is in progress at the end of the month, the positions remain until the expiration of the trial. Once the trial is over, they will rotate as prescribed. Any conflicts occurring from this rule will be decided by a 2/3 majority of the Court Officers.

Part B: When a breach of Charter or policy occurs, an Application for Trial must be made to the Court. In the Application, there must be a clear explanation of the breach, clear identification of who exactly has allegedly committed the breach, specific reference to the Charter or policy that has been breached, and evidence to support the accusation. Failure to provide such information will result in the Trial Application being dismissed by the Court.

Part C: The Chief Judge is responsible for reviewing all Applications that are brought to the Court. The Chief Judge will decide whether the evidence and type of case warrants an Investigation, Verdict Without Trial, or a Trial. He/she is responsible for maintaining court procedure and finally to pass verdict and sentencing on the Case itself.

Part D: In an Investigation, the Chief Judge must clearly stipulate to the Court (either in public or private) what information, evidence, or details require further insight, the purpose of the Investigation, and the legal ramifications of the Investigation. The Court must conduct an Investigation in order to proceed with a Verdict Without Trial (herein called Verdict) or Full Trial (Trial), both of which require a clear confirmation that a Breach has occurred and evidence of the Breach. Should the Investigation fail to deliver this information, no further progress is required.

Part E: The Court may decide to issue a Verdict without conducting a full Trial, if the accused Defendant admits guilt to the crime and/or if the Court believes no further discussion or investigation is required. The Verdict will depend on the type of crime, the punishment stipulated in the Precedent Guide (if applicable) and the remorse of the Defendant. The purpose of a Verdict is to ensure a speedy and efficient Court System. A Defendant, Defense Officer, or Prosecutor may Appeal a Verdict up to four weeks after it has been passed, whereby either the Speaker or Legislator of the Assembly will act as Appeals Judge to either uphold the Verdict or pursue a full Trial.

Part F: In a Trial, all evidence and information will be presented by the Chief Judge in a new thread. The Defendant/s, Witnesses, and Court Officers will then systematically discuss all information and evidence as outlined by the Chief Judge. Trials will last until the Chief Judge is confident that all information, evidence, and issues have been discussed sufficiently and he/she is able to make an appropriate verdict.

Part G: Court procedures shall normally be held in Public. However, should the Trial relate to private Out of Character information (that has not been displayed publicly), or Alliance Security (as deemed by the Triumvirate), a Trial may be held in Private. Witnesses will give their statements based on their involvement in the case, and will only be privy to the private information if they have an existing knowledge of it. Private Trials will have their final Verdict by the Chief Judge displayed on Public Records.

Part H: In the interest of protecting impartiality, no Court Officer can preside over a Trial involving him or herself. For this reason, either the Speaker or Legislator of the Assembly is required to handle all Trials involving a Court Officer or involving a Court Officer Election. In the event that neither is available, or is also involved in a Trial, a volunteer from the membership may nominate to fill the position for the duration, excluding Triumvirs or Ministers, and agreed upon by the Assembly, whereby the volunteer requires up to ten written statements of support.

Part I: An Appeal may be made against a Court verdict or overturned by a Motion in the Hitchhiker's Assembly up to four weeks after it has been passed. The Appeal must be heard by either the Speaker or the Legislator of the Assembly, who will decide whether or not there are grounds for an Appeal. An Appeal can be made on the basis of new evidence, mismanagement or misconduct by the Court during the trial, or incorrect application of the MHA Charter or policies by the Court. Should an Appeal be granted, or verdict overturned, a new Trial will be initiated with either the Speaker or Legislator acting as Chief Judge. The verdict given within the new Trial will be considered final.

Part J: Should a Court Officer be found to have mismanaged a Trial, acted inappropriately during a trial, or incorrectly applied the MHA Charter or policies, he/she will be removed from office and a Replacement Officer will be elected. Should a Court Officer be found to have unintentionally incorrectly applied the MHA Charter or policies, he/she will be subject to a trial to determine whether the mistake was due to negligence or actual incompetency - in which case the Officer will be removed from office - or the mistake was instead the result of an incorrect but not unreasonable interpretation of the MHA Charter or policies - in which case no further action will be taken against the Officer.

Article IV: Precedent Guide
Part A: This article shall henceforth be the legal Guide for specific breaches of MHA Charter and policies. There are three severities of crimes (Minor, Major and High Crime), and three types of crimes (In-Game, Anti-Hitchhiker, or External crimes). These rules are applicable to all members of the alliance, regardless of position. The MHA Court will decide whether the Guide is applicable to the specific breach that has occurred.

Part B: A Minor In-Game Crime shall include the declaration of war against another nation without authorization from MHA government; committing a Spy Operation against another nation without authorization from MHA Government; aiding a nation deemed an enemy of the alliance; sending inappropriate or offensive communications to another nation; displaying offensive language in a Nation Bio, Aid Reason, War Declaration or Alliance Affiliation; the increment of one in-game Warn by Cybernations Moderators; or the improper use of private messaging with the intention of spreading unauthorized, offensive, or inappropriate information to other members or CN players.

Part C: First offences for a Minor In-Game Crime shall be provided with leniency towards offender, whereby they have committed one singular Minor In-Game Offence crime in one singular occurrence. Precedent for first offences shall include the payment of reparations to offended parties at a base rate of 150% of damages caused for war and spy operations, and a public apology to those involved. Should another MHA member arrange reparations, the amount will be subtracted from future Aid handouts or be repaid by the offending nation in installments. For crimes involving the mass-messaging feature, they shall be banned from mass messaging anyone for a period of one month. Offending nations shall be placed on probation for a period of one month.

Part D: Second offences for a Minor In-Game crime shall result in the loss of any Government position for three months; re-education period through the MHAcademy whereby members shall undergo the complete course, regardless of NS or prior position; ineligibility to receive any aid from the alliance for two months; the exclusion from alliance military operations for one month; the payment of reps to offended parties at a base rate of 200% of damages caused for war and spy operations; and a public apology to those involved. Should reparations been arranged by another MHA member, the amount will be subtracted from future Aid handouts or be repaid by the offending nation in instalments. For crimes involving the mass-messaging feature, offenders shall be banned from mass messaging anyone for a period of three months. Offending nations shall be placed on probation for a period of three months.

Part E: A Major In-Game Crime shall include the Third Offence of a Minor In-Game Crime; the increment of a 100% Warn Level, Nation Deletion, and/or Game Ban by Cybernations Moderators; and the theft of alliance aid.

Part F: The act of committing a Major In-Game Crime shall incur instant expulsion from the alliance. For Major In-Game Crimes involving a Third Minor In-Game offence, multiple hostile actions against another nation, sending aid to an enemy nation, and aid theft; the Alliance shall target the offender's nation for destruction and they shall be banned from the MHA permanently. Additionally, offenders shall be recognized as an Enemy of the Alliance. For Major In-Game Crime involving Spy Operations; the offender shall be banned from the MHA for a period of over six months. Should the offender wish to apply after the ban period, they shall be subject to a review by the MHA Court. For Nation Deletions and In-Game Bans by Moderators, the offending nation shall be removed from the Forum and cannot reapply for membership until he/she overturns their in-game ban. Should the offending nation wish to apply after the ban period, they must do so with a legal, clean nation approved by Cybernations Moderators and they shall be subject to review by Executive Body. The MHA is under no obligation to allow offending nations back into the alliance, even after the ban period has expired.

Part G: A Minor Anti-Hitchhiker Crime includes breaking Forum and IRC Code of Conduct (rude, offensive language, the posting of inappropriate material); disrespectful language towards another nation ruler; use of violence, threats, or any similar act deemed dishonourable by the MHA Court; any act deemed to be in violation of the spirit of fair-play in elections; editing an election Vote or post containing an election Vote; intentionally recruiting members (whether successful or not) from another alliance; minor abuse of the MHA Court; or any act deemed consistent with the previous crimes.

Part H: Judgement of Minor Anti-Hitchhiker Crimes shall occur on a case-by-case basis, due the nature of differences between the severities of crimes. For first offences of Minor Anti-Hitchhiker Crimes, the penalties available shall be the loss of alliance position, loss of eligibility for alliance position, loss of eligibility for alliance aid, the payment of reparations to offended nations, re-education through the MHAcademy, suspension from the alliance for a set period of time, expulsion from the MHA Forums or IRC channel for a set period of time, ban from posting in public forums or IRC channels for a set period of time or permanently; ineligibility to run for Triumvir, Assembly, or Court Officer for a set period of time or permanently; or any other punishment deemed suitable by the MHA Court. These punishments apply for First or Second Offences of Minor Anti-Hitchhiker Crimes.

Part I: A Major Anti-Hitchhiker Crime includes a Third offence of a Minor Anti-Hitchhiker Crime; the act of blackmail, bribery, extortion, or any similar act deemed dishonourable by the MHA Court; the use of external influence to extort or blackmail the alliance or her members; the use of Out of Character information to slander, insult, offend, bribe, blackmail, extort, threaten, or otherwise improperly use as deemed by the MHA Court; being a registered and accepted member of another alliance without posting an official resignation without approval from the MHA Government; severe abuse of the MHA Court; or any act deemed consistent with the previous crimes.

Part J: The act of committing a Major Anti-Hitchhiker Crime shall incur instant expulsion from the alliance, the payment of reparations to offended parties, and hostile action taken by the MHA against the offender as deemed appropriate by the MHA Court. All of the crimes listed as a Major Anti-Hitchhiker Crime are strictly forbidden within the alliance and no reason given shall ever justify committing said crimes. For that reason, punishment must be instant and severe.

Part K: A High Anti-Hitchhiker Crime includes the collection, discussion, and redistribution, or the threat of doing so, of classified or internal information, guides, images, screen shots, IRC Logs, or any property deemed internal to the MHA (including all posts, threads, and discussions on the MHA Forums and IRC); the illegal misuse of Forum Position (as deemed on a case-by-case basis); accessing the MHA Forums or IRC channels through unauthorized means (including multiple accounts, account hacking, or any act that violates the security of the MHA Forums or IRC channels); failure to divulge to the MHA Government or Court knowledge of a breach in security; attempting to, or successfully obtaining control over the alliance through illegal means (in a way not prescribed by MHA charter, performing a coup d’état); or any act deemed consistent with the previous crimes.

Part L: The Act of Committing a High Anti-Hitchhiker Crime shall incur instant expulsion from the alliance, instant hostile action by MHA Military, and a sentence to "Perma ZI", whereby the offender's nation shall be reduced to zero infrastructure for a pre-determined period of time. Any and all means of achieving Perma ZI, including In-Game Spies and Nuclear Weapons shall be fully endorsed. Military action taken against the offending nation shall be ordered immediately to prevent escape into Peace Mode.

Part M: A Minor External Crime includes the attack by a foreign party on a MHA Nation, the use of In-Game Spies against a MHA nation, the threat or acts of violence against a MHA nation, posting offensive or disrespectful language on the MHA Forums or IRC Channel by a foreign diplomat or visitor, attempting to or successfully recruiting a MHA nation, or any act deemed consistent with the previous crimes.

Part N: A Major External Crime includes two or more offences of a Minor External Crime, the aiding of a MHA Enemy, or any other act deemed consistent with these previous crimes.

Part O: A High External Crime includes the collection, discussion, and redistribution, or the threat of doing so, of classified or internal information, guides, images, screen shots, IRC Logs, or any property deemed internal to the MHA (including all posts, threads, and discussions on the MHA Forums and IRC); accessing the MHA Forums or IRC channels through unauthorized means (including multiple accounts, account hacking, or any act that violates the security of the MHA Forums or IRC channels); failure to divulge to the MHA Government or Court knowledge of a breach in security; attempting to, or successfully obtaining control over the alliance through illegal means (in a way not prescribed by MHA charter, performing a coup d’état); or any other act deemed consistent with these previous crimes.

Part P: Judgement of any External Crime, and the nature of the crime, shall be discussed by the MHA Court and Triumvirate. The MHA Court cannot create a Trial against an External nation, however the MHA as a whole may pursue crimes committed against our alliance through diplomacy or appropriate military action.

Article I: Amendments
Part A: This document serves as Supporting Policy for the MHA Charter; a guide for alliance functions and operations. This document will not alter, substitute, infringe, ignore, or bypass any portion of the MHA Charter.

Part B: Any amendments to this Document may be made at any time by any member, through the creation of a Motion in the Hitchhiker's Assembly. All Hitchhikers will be given the right to vote on the Amendment Motion, including the right to abstain from voting. The Vote will last for a period of five days.

Part C: An Amendment Motion must receive at least 67% in favor in order to pass, and all amendments will be immediately made to the document at the completion of the vote. Should the Vote fail to receive that majority, the Motion has failed and no further action will be taken.

Part D: The Mostly Harmless Alliance is constituted as a Democratic Society. Each and all the MHA Officials are elected by the Assembly or appointed by a body elected by the Assembly. Lifetime or indefinite terms for Officials are forbidden, with the only exception of titles purely honorific in nature and attributions. No Official, Elected or Appointed, is immune from removal by a Vote of No Confidence. This article cannot be removed, ignored, or bypassed in any way. Grammatical alterations to the wording of this article may occur, so long as alterations maintain the purpose of this article and continue to protect the Democracy of the Mostly Harmless Alliance.

Article II: Signatures
The First Hitchhiker’s Assembly

Crushtania of the Triumvirate

Scutterbug of the Triumvirate

Pourquoi of the Triumvirate

Working Class Ruler, Revolution Author

Dynasty, Revolution Author