##500.01 - Treason

Although this statute is labeled Treason, it can be applied both to citizens and non-citizens. If applied to non-citizens, the description "Crimes Against the State" can be used in lieu of the description "Treason", with no other differences.

###1. Offense

a. Any attempt to establish within the borders of Mount Augusta an independent sovereign nation, state, city, supra-national body, or any other entity not subject to her laws and capable of independent sovereign action.

b. Any attempt to release, give away, sell, or otherwise deny Mount Augusta’s sovereignty from applying to land within her borders

i. Including but not limited to declarations that property within Mount Augusta’s borders are now subject to the sovereignty of a foreign entity;

ii. Assisting in the annexation of land duly claimed by Mount Augusta and her citizens to a foreign entity without official consent;

iii. The only exception is where borders are in dispute, the recognition by the Mayor of a foreign state’s borders as they interact with Mount Augusta’s borders is considered a function of State, and cannot be interpreted as a treasonous act.

c. Any attempt to cause the unjustified murder or removal from play any portion of the leadership of Mount Augusta, including but not specifically limited to the Mayor, the Judges, the Bailiff, the Cartographer, the Diplomat, or any other named position current or future.

d. Any attempt to unjustly remove the leadership of Mount Augusta through proxy for any purpose, including but not limited to causing civil disorder or to foster a foreign takeover, shall be punishable as the same.

e. Anyone assisting in the above by engaging in violence, or providing defensive or war materials (such as Prot, bastions, or other items known or unknown) to prevent the just prosecution of individuals under this code, or attempting to free those convicted under this code, shall be guilty of the same.

f. The coercion by force, threat of force, fraud, payment or contracting by promise of payment or reimbursement any party with the goal of causing the above shall be prosecuted as the same

g. Materially assisting anyone via donation of goods, materials, or other aid (snitch network access, etc.) with the goal of causing the above shall be prosecuted as the same

###2. Burden of Proof

a. The prosecution must prove with clear and convincing evidence (as defined in section 900: Definitions of Burdens of Proof) that the facts constituting the prosecution did exist in order to sustain a finding of guilt.

###3. Mandatory Minimum Sentencing

a. If the judge sustains a finding of guilt, the judge will deliver a sentence based upon the counts of the crime. Counts will be understood as individual instances of treason, or prior instances in which the defendant was convicted of the same crime. Multiple counts on one occasion may be served concurrently or consecutively, as decided by the judge.

b. One count will result in 3 to 6 weeks (21 to 42 days) Prison Pearl or Exile Pearl.

c. Two counts will result in 5 to 10 weeks (35 to 56 days) Prison Pearl or Exile Pearl.

d. Three counts will result in lifetime Prison Pearl or Exile Pearl.

###4. Alleviating Sentencing

a. The community of Mount Augusta as a whole may decide to reduce the sentence of an individual given a lifetime sentence, Prison Pearl or Exile Pearl, via ⅔ vote of registered Mount Augusta voters on the subreddit if:

b. The individual has already served a minimum of four weeks Prison Pearl or Exile Pearl; and

c. The individual issues a formal, public declaration (as an independent post on the Mount Augusta subreddit) swearing to never again commit a treasonous act against Mount Augusta; and

d. The subreddit alleviating sentencing post is allowed 48 hours for votes to be posted.

###5. Reparations

a. The sentencing judge may recommend that some or all of the property owned (within the borders of Mount Augusta) by the individual convicted of treason may be declared derelict, effective immediately and without appeal. It shall be considered unowned and available for new ownership within 1 week of this declaration, as if unimproved. Any existing structures, and any items within, are forfeit.

b. For the recommendation to pass, a simple majority of judges must concur on the terms of reparations. Any ties are broken by the Mayor.