What Is This?
The Open Witness Declaration is a sworn statement — signed under penalty of perjury — declaring that you have personally witnessed corruption, crimes, civil rights violations, or other misconduct by government officials, courts, agencies, or institutions.
This is not a complaint. This is not a rant. This is a legal declaration that carries the same weight as testimony in court. You are putting your name on the line, under oath, because what you witnessed is real and it matters.
Constitutional & Legal Basis
- 28 U.S.C. § 1746 — Unsworn declarations under penalty of perjury carry the same force as a sworn affidavit in any federal court proceeding.
- 18 U.S.C. § 1512-1513 — Federal witness tampering and retaliation statutes. Once you declare yourself a witness, anyone who intimidates, threatens, or retaliates against you commits a federal crime punishable by up to 30 years.
- 42 U.S.C. § 1983 — Any person acting under color of state law who deprives you of your constitutional rights is liable in civil court.
- First Amendment — Right to petition the government for redress of grievances.
- Fifth & Fourteenth Amendments — Due process and equal protection under law.
- State whistleblower statutes — Most states provide additional protections for witnesses to government misconduct.
By completing this declaration, you are swearing under penalty of perjury that every statement you make is true and correct to the best of your knowledge. False statements carry criminal penalties. This is what makes your declaration credible and powerful — you are putting yourself on the line for the truth.