14Discipline and Appeals

14.1 From Fu Tun to today

14.1.1 Historically the 墨者之法 — the law of the Mohists — was severe. The Lüshi Chunqiu records that when the son of the 鉅子 (Juzi, head of the Mohist order) Fu Tun (腹䵍) killed a man in Qin, King Hui offered to pardon him out of respect for his father's age. Fu Tun refused: "The law of the Mohists is that one who kills dies and one who wounds is punished." He had his own son executed.

14.1.2 What 墨门 / The Mohist Community inherits from Fu Tun is his refusal to make exceptions — the Juzi's son and anyone else fall under the same rule — not his punishments. The Community's discipline is humane and restorative. Its aims are that the person harmed is cared for, that the person who did wrong has a chance to put it right, and that trust in the community is rebuilt.

14.1.3 The Community is not a court and does not replace one. This chapter deals only with membership and 职 within the Community, never with legal liability.

14.2 The first step is always a conversation

14.2.1 Any concern about a Mohist's conduct begins with a conversation — held privately with the member by their care partner (chapter 8) or by the 社长 (chapter lead). Most matters end there.

14.2.2 The conversation is to find out what happened, whether anyone was harmed, and whether the member is willing to make amends. No written record is kept unless the member asks for one.

14.2.3 The procedure in 14.3 begins only if the conversation does not resolve the matter; if the conduct falls under 14.4 and is serious; or if the member themselves asks for a formal hearing.

14.3 The panel

14.3.1 A formal hearing is conducted by a three-member panel of the chapter (墨社), appointed by the chapter council. No member of the panel may be the care partner of the complainant or of the person complained of, a relative of either party, or the 社长 — who has already taken part under 14.2.

14.3.2 If the chapter is too small to form a qualified panel, the region (墨区) appoints members from neighbouring chapters.

14.3.3 Panel members keep the hearing confidential, and that duty continues after the hearing ends.

14.4 Grounds for discipline

14.4.1 Only the following conduct is a ground for discipline:

1. Breaking the 非攻 pledge (12.3).
2. Misusing, taking or knowingly misreporting money of the 兼爱基金 (chapter 9).
3. Harassment, including sexual harassment, discriminatory conduct, bullying and online harassment.
4. Misuse of member data, including using lists for political or commercial purposes (chapter 13).
5. Repeated dishonesty — giving false information again after it has been raised in conversation (12.4).
6. Breaking the rules protecting minors in 11.4.

14.4.2 The following are not grounds for discipline: not attending, not contributing, disagreeing with any teaching of the Community, criticizing a leader, taking part in politics as an individual, or applying to rejoin after leaving.

14.5 Procedure

14.5.1 The person complained of receives the complaint in writing before the hearing: the conduct alleged, the dates, and the provisions relied on. The complainant's identity is normally disclosed, but the panel may withhold it where there is a risk of retaliation.

14.5.2 The person complained of may bring a companion to the hearing. The companion may be anyone, need not be a Mohist, and may speak.

14.5.3 The person complained of has the right to reply in writing and is given at least fourteen days to prepare. They may choose not to attend and to submit a written reply only.

14.5.4 The panel hears both sides and may ask others who know the facts. The hearing is private and is not recorded unless both parties agree.

14.5.5 Within thirty days of the hearing the panel gives a written decision stating the facts found, the provisions applied, the sanction if any, and the reasons, delivered to both parties at the same time. The chapter council files the decision (13.6).

14.6 Sanctions

14.6.1 The panel may impose one of the following, or none:

1. Loss of the current 职, with a stated period during which no 职 may be held.
2. Suspension of membership for up to twelve months. A suspended member does not attend meetings or hold a 职, but their care partner's weekly check-in continues.
3. Removal from membership.

14.6.2 Any sanction may carry restorative conditions: an apology, repayment, training, or mediation with the person harmed in the presence of a third party.

14.6.3 Where fund money was misused, it must be repaid whatever the sanction.

14.6.4 A sanction takes effect on the day the decision is delivered. The records of a removed member are handled under 13.4.3.

14.7 Appeals

14.7.1 Either party may appeal in writing to the region within thirty days of receiving the decision. The region appoints a fresh three-member panel, none from the original chapter, which decides within sixty days.

14.7.2 Either party may appeal the region's decision to the 墨门理事会 (the Council) within thirty days. The Council's decision is final.

14.7.3 A sanction is suspended while an appeal is pending, except a loss of 职 imposed to protect minors or personal safety.

14.8 No public shaming

14.8.1 A discipline decision is not announced at any meeting, not published on mohist.org, and not circulated in any group. The only people who need to know are the parties, the panel, the chapter council, and — where a 职 is lost — the person who takes it over.

14.8.2 A suspended or removed member is not named at any meeting. When necessary the chapter says only that "this person is not currently holding a 职" or "this person is no longer a Mohist," without reasons.

14.8.3 Publicly discussing the details of a discipline case online or at a meeting is itself harassment under 14.4.1(3).

14.9 Reporting to the authorities

14.9.1 Where conduct may be a crime — above all violence, sexual assault, harm to a minor and misappropriation of funds — the 社长 must report it to the authorities as local law requires. An internal procedure neither delays nor replaces that report.

14.9.2 An internal hearing may run alongside legal proceedings or wait for their outcome. While waiting, a provisional loss of 职 may be imposed.

14.10 The way back

14.10.1 A suspended member regains full membership automatically when the suspension ends. No application is needed.

14.10.2 A removed person may apply to rejoin their former chapter after two years, under the procedure in chapter 3, once the chapter council confirms that the original harm has been made good. A member who rejoins carries no mark.

14.10.3 Mozi said: "Having erred, correct it." The Community holds that a person who has put right a wrong is as much a Mohist as one who never did wrong.