News:Alva

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2021

Dec 25: National Security Act repealed

By THEO WENTZ | 25 December 2021 — 8:00 (UTC+4)


ALVASTADT, Alva — Thunderous applause emanates from within the Reichstag as one of the last major vestiges of the Emergency Era is removed. As of Christmas Day 2021, the National Security Act has been repealed.

The National Security Act was an Alvak law enforced since 1926 with the avowed purpose "to secure the security of the State and the subsistence and freedom of nationals, by regulating any anticipated activities compromising the safety of the State." However, the law was updated in 1963 by the Nicolatsis Cabinet with the insertion of an article that limits its arbitrary application. "In the construction and application of this Act, it shall be limited at a minimum of construction and application for attaining the aforementioned purpose, and shall not be permitted to construe extensively this Act, or to restrict unreasonably the fundamental human rights of citizens guaranteed by the Constitution."

The Act was abused widely, especially during the Emergency Era. Alleged "communist infiltrators" and "socialist agitators" being arrested on the spot was a common sight to see from the 30s onwards until the May Putsch in 1956. Since then, usage of the Act has died down considerably. The Alvak constitution guarantees freedom of speech, press, petition and assembly for its nationals. However, behaviours or speeches in favour of the Goetic regime or communism could have been punished by the National Security Act, though in recent years prosecutions under the law had been exceedingly rare. Despite the lack of usage in modern times, the Act ran in direct opposition to the Constitution, a point that had been repeatedly made over several decades.

The repeal of the Act has been met with widespread positive support from Alva's allies and economic partners, with Ovancian political analyst Isaïe Chastain proclaiming that "the Exiles have learned their lessons regarding 1921 well".