Ban on Ritual Sacrifice
Category: Human Rights | Strength: Mild | Authored By: Imperial Polk County
The World Assembly:
Understanding that the universe is composed of beings of diverse cultures, backgrounds and religions;
Having considered that the importance of certain cultural and religious practices are integral to the beliefs of such followers;
However dismayed that there are those who, in the name of said culture or religion, continue to perform traditional rituals that cause irreparable harm or death;
Determining that such actions are violations of the basic human right to live;
Defining "ritual sacrifice" as the intentional and ritualistic act of killing one or more other beings (a) as an offering to a god or spirit, (b) as an effort to control sapient population growth, or (c) as a method by which a ruling class or regime creates or perpetuates social hierarchy;
Clarifying that such "ritual sacrifice" does not include capital punishment, assisted suicide or euthanasia of a terminally ill patient or other medical procedures, or any acts of war including insurgency and counterinsurgency;
Hereby:
1. Bans the ritual sacrifice of sapient beings in all member nations;
2. Requires member nations criminalize such acts of ritual sacrifice and prosecute perpetrators accordingly;
3. Urges member nations to ban the ritual sacrifice of animals and other sentient beings.
Changelog:
Rev 1: Revised definition (c), added "Clarifying" clause, added criminalization clause.
Rev 2: Added "intentional" to definition; added "sapient" to definition part (b); added medical procedure exclusion
Rev 3: Changed title
Rev 4: Added ritualistic nature to definition, modified war exception, added "other" to "one or more (other) beings" in definition to exclude self-sacrifice