NS Parliament Chamber [IC]

[East Meranopirus]

“Did you not hear my response?”

"Madam Speaker, I believe the honourable member is violating parliamentary protocol."

“Madam Speaker, I was not talking about abortion, but instead feticide or someone else killing an unborn child without the mother’s permission.”

"Madam Speaker, I would like to express my scepticism as to this being my honourable colleague's true intentions.

When "the rights of the unborn child" are talked about it is almost always in the abortion debate. His comments are fallacious - I do not think a single person on this island thinks that it is okay to kill an unborn child without the mother's permission, and that would clearly be counted as murder."

"Hear, hear"

[Merni]

"Mister Speaker, may I ask my colleagues why they think the rights of an unborn baby supercedes the rights of that baby's mother?"

(OOC: The speaker is female, and she has reminded us of the fact many times. This is really disappointing.)
IC:
"Madam Speaker, I don't think any reasonable person would support banning abortion in cases where the mother's life or health are in danger. (Glances surreptitiously at the right wing) Undoubtedly, the right to life of the mother supersedes that of the foetus. However, where this is not the case, and when the pregnancy is not a result of rape or other sexual offences, I do believe that the right to life of the foetus must be upheld."

[Lamaredia]

Eliasson rose,

"Madam Speaker, when I first proposed the bill that would give Saint Hilda's citizens rights, I did so poorly and without much thought. Many of my colleagues were right to point out the obvious flaws and errors in that bill, and I applaud them for taking the initiative to vote it down. However, I have been able to meet with my honourable colleague James Penta of the Greens, and we have hashed out a better, improved act that will try to do what my former bill could not. To start, this bill takes a much simpler approach; we have resolved to do away with the subclauses and sections, opting for a neat, fourteen-point aesthetic. Much of the original framework of that former bill still remains here, particularly in the judicial protections Clauses 8 - 13, while most everything else has been changed. We have attempted to head the notes of my colleagues, opting for example to remove the ambiguity caused by the word "passed" in context of ex post facto laws and ensuring that the voting age is clearly defined. We have also clarified more rights, such as introducing a provision to protect digital rights, and despite this proposal's smaller size, it is more comprehensive than before.

"Madam Speaker, I hope all of my fellow members will vote in favour of this bill, as delineating clear rights is necessary. Thank you."


"Madam Speaker, I remind the Honourable Member that the bill's provisions does not actively deny the right to life of those unborn, it just merely does not regulate the matter. There is a difference between non-litigation, Madam Speaker, and expressed disapproval. This Parliament can easily either amend this bill or pass another bill to litigate this matter. The nature of abortion and the right to life is an extremely polarizing issue. If this Parliament wishes to bestow that right, I believe that it should be legislated further down the road, and I do not believe that a bill of this type would be appropriate.

"Madame speaker, I understand the distinction between non-litigation and disapproval. However, I believe that no human rights bill should be passed that does not explicitly protect the life of an unborn child."

"Madame Speaker, I would like to inform the Hon. Rep. that adding a section about the 'rights of an unborn child' into this bill would blanket ban abortion until an amendment. What needs to be done instead is to write a bill for the penal code where the killing of an fetus against the mother's wishes, either on purpose or on accident, is a crime. With exceptions of course for when a doctor, for example, has to prioritise saving the mother's life in case of a pregnancy-related medical emergency."

[Lamaredia]

"Mister Speaker, may I ask my colleagues why they think the rights of an unborn baby supercedes the rights of that baby's mother?"

(OOC: The speaker is female, and she has reminded us of the fact many times. This is really disappointing.)
IC:
"Madam Speaker, I don't think any reasonable person would support banning abortion in cases where the mother's life or health are in danger. (Glances surreptitiously at the right wing) Undoubtedly, the right to life of the mother supersedes that of the foetus. However, where this is not the case, and when the pregnancy is not a result of rape or other sexual offences, I do believe that the right to life of the foetus must be upheld."

"Madame Speaker, I vehemently disagree with the Hon. Rep.'s opinion in this matter. It has been seen many times around the world that banning abortion doesn't reduce the amount of abortions done, it only means more women die due to back-alley, unsanitary abortions with seedy individuals. Not to mention, a pregnancy is always a danger to the mother, and we can not in good conscience force a woman to go through that process against their will."

[Martune]

“Did you not hear my response?”

"Madam Speaker, I believe the honourable member is violating parliamentary protocol."

"Is the member raising a point of order?"

[Martune]

“Madam Speaker, I was not talking about abortion, but instead feticide or someone else killing an unborn child without the mother’s permission.”

"Madam Speaker, I would like to express my scepticism as to this being my honourable colleague's true intentions.

"Order. While I don't think the honourable member meant to I must say that this language borders on impugning the dignity and honorable nature that Mr. Miller holds within this chamber. I will not name the honorable member but just remember that language that dances on the line of calling someone a liar shouldn't be vocalized in this chamber."

[The Archipelago Territory]

"Madam Speaker, I would like to express my scepticism as to this being my honourable colleague's true intentions.

"Order. While I don't think the honourable member meant to I must say that this language borders on impugning the dignity and honorable nature that Mr. Miller holds within this chamber. I will not name the honorable member but just remember that language that dances on the line of calling someone a liar shouldn't be vocalized in this chamber."

“Thank you, Madam Speaker. I speak for myself when I say I wasn’t referencing abortion, but I do not know about my colleagues’ intentions.”

[Kowani]

"Mister Speaker, may I ask my colleagues why they think the rights of an unborn baby supercedes the rights of that baby's mother?"

(OOC: The speaker is female, and she has reminded us of the fact many times. This is really disappointing.)
IC:
"Madam Speaker, I don't think any reasonable person would support banning abortion in cases where the mother's life or health are in danger. (Glances surreptitiously at the right wing) Undoubtedly, the right to life of the mother supersedes that of the foetus. However, where this is not the case, and when the pregnancy is not a result of rape or other sexual offences, I do believe that the right to life of the foetus must be upheld."

“Madam Speaker, if I may interject. The honorable member makes an incorrect assumption, which is that the life of the fetus of the woman is the issue. It is not, never has been and never will be. The issue is that of bodily sovereignty, or the right to control one’s own body.”

[Martune]

“Order. The reading of the Human Rights Act has concluded and we will now begin division. Lock the doors!"

Human Rights Act
Author: Eloise Eliasson (NPP) and James Penta (Green) (Editor)
Sponsors: Dorgival R. Seč (SDP), Carl von Leslie (NPP - Prime Minister), Alexander Norberg (NPP)

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To give all persons within Saint Hilda the rights to life, bodily autonomy, privacy of belongings, free expression, sufferage, equality before the law, fair trial, and other rights.

BE IT THEREFORE ENACTED, as follows:

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1. Right to life is bestowed upon all persons upon birth and shall not be violated in any circumstance except to protect the lives of others in immediate, life-threatening peril, or in wartime where the killing of enemy combatants is just under international law.
   
   
2. All persons have the right to bodily autonomy and privacy; no person, personal effect, or person’s property—physical or digital—shall be forcibly detained, seized, searched, or otherwise violated except by an officer of the law for the purposes of protecting the health and safety of others, interrupting criminal activity committed in flagrante delicto, or pursuant to a warrant issued by a lawful judge of Saint Hilda on the basis of probable cause.
   
   
3. Torture, involuntary physical maiming, or psychological abuse are prohibited without exception.
   
   
4. All persons enjoy the right to free speech, peaceful assembly, free press, and petition for grievances inasmuch as such expressions or manifestations do not incite violence, do not jeopardize the health and security of others, and do not defame, slander, or libel a person, persons, or organization.
   
   
5. All persons enjoy the right to freely practice nonviolent, harmless religious or cultural practice, as well as the right to abstain thereof.
   
   
6. All citizens having seventeen years of age or greater shall have the right to freely vote or abstain from voting in a national election, or in the local elections of a locality in which they reside, and all votes in these elections cast shall be secret. The Government of Saint Hilda shall not institute a poll tax or attempt in any way to obstruct any citizen from voting.
   
   
7. All persons—regardless of sex, religion, culture, socioeconomic status, or political identity—are equal before the Government of Saint Hilda.
   
   
8. No person shall be detained for criminal offense except under substantial charge filed by a prosecutor of Saint Hilda with the consent of the Ministry of Justice. Upon charge, all persons shall have the right to petition for a writ of habeas corpus to be seen by a court within forty-eight hours of their detainment. The right to habeas corpus may be justifiably suspended during grave internal or external unrest as declared by Parliament and ratified by the Constitutional Court, and such suspensions shall only last until the period of unrest has lapsed.
   
   
9. All persons are protected against self-incrimination or the incrimination of their spouse or children, and all persons are to be assumed innocent before the law until proven guilty.
   
   
10. All persons have a right to a fair, unbiased, and expeditious trial in a court of law before a jury of their peers, and shall have unconstrained access to a trained barrister or barristers for their civil or criminal defense, and all communication between a person and their barrister shall be privileged beyond any subpoena; if a person cannot afford a private barrister, the state shall furnish one for them.
    
    
11. All persons shall have the right to access and examine any evidence or testimony against them, as well as the right to bring forth and compel any evidence or testimony in their defense. All evidence or testimony offered in support of the innocence of the defense must be considered, regardless of the nature of such evidence or testimony.
    
    
12. All persons found guilty shall have the right to petition for a writ of certiorari before a higher court, and no person shall be subjected to double jeopardy for the same offense.
    
    
13. No law shall be administered ex post facto, except those applying retroactively in mitius or any statute that enforces international peremptory norms.
    
    
14. The Human Rights Act shall apply to the government of Saint Hilda and all constituent and local governing bodies therein, as well as within all chancelleries, consulates, and other extensions of the Government of Saint Hilda abroad, as well as on all vessels of land or sea, public or private, that fly the Saint Hilda flag.

Code: Select all

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[color=grey]Abstain:[/color] [ ]

[The Liberated Territories]

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[Rebels and Saints]

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No: [X]
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[Crylante]

Aye: [X]
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[The Archipelago Territory]

Aye: [ ]
No: [X]
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Austin turned to lance and whispered,

“If you want to protect unborn babies make an amendment.”

Aye: [X]
No: [ ]
Abstain: [ ]

[Thermodolia]

Aye: [ X ]
No: [ ]
Abstain: [ ]

[Agarntrop]

Aye: [X]
No: [ ]
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[Puertollano]

Aye: [X]
No: [ ]
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[Van Hool Islands]

Aye: [X]
No: [ ]
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[Amuaplye]

Aye: [X]
No: [ ]
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[Soviet Canuckistan]

Aye: [X]
No: [ ]
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[Kowani]

Aye: [X]
No: [ ]
Abstain: [ ]

[Roosevetania]

Aye: [X]
No: [ ]
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[Eibenland]

Aye: [X]
No: [ ]
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[Pere Housh Alpha]

Aye: [ ]
No: [X]
Abstain: [ ]

Austin turned to lance and whispered,

“If you want to protect unborn babies make an amendment.”

Aye: [X]
No: [ ]
Abstain: [ ]

Aye: [ ]
No: [x]
Abstain: [ ]

Michael leans over and whispers to his fellow MPs, "I am willing to sponsor this amendment. As you can see, I'm pro-life myself and will fully support your amendment."

[Equitesia]

Aye: [ ]
No: [X]
Abstain: [ ]

PS: In Gårt, two months ago, was closed the last clinic for abortion of Little Sverige and was opened the first Pediatric Hospital of the region: I'm disappointed to see how babies don't have any rights for many of the deputies.

[East Meranopirus]

Aye: [X]
No: [ ]
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