Sovereign Decree on Software Use, Preference for Open-Source Solutions, and Secure Foreign Hosting of Kaharagian Personal and Official Data

WHEREAS the Principality of Kaharagia affirms privacy, integrity, and technological sovereignty as essential attributes of civilisation and good governance;

HAVING REGARD TO the necessity of ensuring that all State, educational, and administrative institutions operate upon secure, transparent, and auditable technological foundations;

RECALLING that the protection of personal data and official information is an expression of national sovereignty and a moral duty to every subject of the Realm;

ACKNOWLEDGING that open-source technologies, when responsibly governed, strengthen transparency, independence, and public trust;

NOW, THEREFORE, We, in Our Sovereign capacity, by the authority vested in Us, do hereby decree as follows:

Article I – National Policy on Software and Systems

1. All governmental, educational, and public institutions of the Principality shall give preference to open-source software and open standards permitting public audit, interoperability, and long-term independence from proprietary control.

2. Closed-source software may be employed only where no suitable open-source alternative exists, or where expressly authorised by the Office of Digital Infrastructure.

3. All newly developed or procured systems shall conform to principles of transparency, modular design, and secure lifecycle management.

Article II – Privacy as a Fundamental Principle

1. Privacy is hereby affirmed as a fundamental principle of Kaharagian governance, integral to the dignity and liberty of the Kaharagian People.

2. Every organ of the State shall ensure that its digital conduct upholds the confidentiality, integrity, and lawful use of all personal and official information.

3. No authority or external entity shall obtain or process Kaharagian personal data except in accordance with Kaharagian law.

Article III – Adoption of the Privacy and Digital Conduct Policy

1. The document entitled “Privacy and Digital Conduct Policy of the Principality of Kaharagia” through the Office of Digital Infrastructure and effective 1 June 2025, is hereby adopted as Annex I to this Decree and given full legal and administrative effect.

2. Said Policy shall govern all processing of personal or official data conducted by, for, or under the authority of the Principality, including all systems operating under the domains kaharagia.org, kaharagia.ch, and any successors.

3. The Office of Digital Infrastructure shall ensure the Policy’s continuous enforcement, periodic review, and timely revision to reflect legal or technological development.

4. The most recently promulgated version of the Policy shall be deemed binding upon all officers, contractors, and affiliates of the State, superseding any prior digital-conduct regulations.

Article IV – Foreign Hosting and Data Sovereignty

1. All data of Kaharagian origin shall remain under Kaharagian jurisdiction, regardless of physical storage location.

2. Foreign-hosted or externally managed services may be employed only where the provider:

  (a) operates within non-U.S. or equivalently protective jurisdictions;

  (b) enters into binding undertakings to respect Kaharagian sovereignty; and

  (c) permits technical and legal audit by the Office of Digital Infrastructure.

3. The storage or transmission of sensitive or classified data on unapproved systems is strictly prohibited.

Article V – Oversight, Compliance, and Education

1. Each ministry, agency, and educational institution shall report annually to the Office of Digital Infrastructure on:

  (a) software inventories and licensing;

  (b) compliance with open-source and privacy standards; and

  (c) incidents or vulnerabilities affecting data security.

2. The Office shall present to the Sovereign and the Secretary of State an Annual Report on Digital Sovereignty and Privacy.

3. Educational institutions shall employ open-source tools wherever possible, cultivating national competence in ethical and secure computing.

Article VI – Interpretation and Jurisdiction

1. The interpretation, application, and enforcement of this Decree and its annex shall rest exclusively with the courts and competent authorities of the Principality of Kaharagia.

2. In any case of ambiguity or conflict between this Decree and its annex, the Decree shall prevail in matters of principle, and the annex in matters of implementation.

3. No foreign court, government, or authority shall claim or exercise jurisdiction over the interpretation or enforcement of this Decree or any data governed thereby.

Article VII – Enforcement and Effect

1. Execution of this Decree is entrusted to the Office of Digital Infrastructure, under the supervision of the Secretary of State, in coordination with all ministries and offices concerned.

2. All previous provisions inconsistent with this Decree are hereby repealed.

3. This Decree shall take effect immediately upon its promulgation and publication in the Royal Kaharagian Gazette.