On Witness Protection
International Security, Significant
THIS WORLD ASSEMBLY,
UNDERSTANDING that national and international crime can go unpunished due to lack of willing witnesses.
RECOGNIZING that for justice to be served, some witnesses require protection in exchange for their testimony.
HEREBY ENACTS the following as international law:
Section 1: Definitions
(a) A “witness” is any individual who provides evidence or testimony to bolster the case for conviction of a suspected criminal.
(b) A “Witness Protection Program” (WPP) is a program created with the purpose of protecting witnesses who incur a threat to their lives due to their testimony.
(c) “Covered entities” for the purposes of this resolution includes the witness, any immediate family, and other individuals who would require protection as a result of the witness’s testimony.
Section 2: Subscription Requirement
Member states shall subscribe to a WPP that meets the standards set in section 3, either operated by the state in question, another member state, or a private organization.
Section 3: Program Standards
(a) New identities and living arrangements are to be provided by the WPP to covered entities.
(b) All assets held by covered entities will be transferred to them after they cannot be associated with the prior identity, and equal exchanges can be negotiated with the covered entity.
(c) In the case that the WPP transfers individuals to a different nation, matters of citizenship will be dealt with by the receiving nation.
(d) Covered entities will be provided a living wage until employment is found that does not expose them to dangers associated with their past life. The WPP should assist covered entities in finding employment and ensure that sufficient progress and effort to finding employment is demonstrated, either through pursuing education or searching for employment.
(e) The witness and other covered entities will be checked regularly by an agent of the WPP by a combination of personal visits and other means to ensure security.
(f) The witness and other covered entities should have access to a WPP agent at all times to inform them of any security concerns.
(g) A covered entity will be considered officially deceased or missing. Their records will be expunged under their old identity and transferred to the new one accordingly and covertly. Their criminal records will be rendered confidential and only subject to subpoena.
Section 4: Miscellaneous
(a) Any witness who can present evidence of reasonable threat to his or her life or the life of any prospective covered entity due to their testimony has a right to enter a WPP as a result of the witness’s testimony. Protective custody should be offered until testimony occurs.
(b) No prospective covered entity may be forced or otherwise coerced to enter such a program in order to testify, and any covered entity may leave protection at any time by providing informed consent.
(c) If the witness chooses not to testify, their enrollment in the WPP can be withdrawn. If the witness is not needed to testify, and their involvement with the police does not pose a risk to their life or limb (or that of a prospective covered entity), then they need not be enrolled in the WPP.
(d) All charges incurred by the WPP will be the responsibility of the member state to pay on behalf of the witness.
(e) Nothing in this resolution shall be construed to affect existing national age of majority laws or to prevent further WA action on witness protection.