Cuba

Cuba

Right	Section	Contents
Freedom of Association	History	Article 54 of the 1976 Cuba Constitution states: "The rights of assembly, demonstration and association are exercised by workers, both manual and intellectual; peasants; women; students; and other sectors of the working people, [rights] to which they have the necessary ability (los medios necesarios) to exercise. The social and mass organizations have all the facilities they need to carry out those activities in which the members have full freedom of speech and opinion based on the unlimited right of initiative and criticism." https://constituteproject.org/constitution/Cuba_2002
Freedom of Expression	History	While the 1976 constitution protected freedom of expression that promoted the socialist society of Cuba, the 2019 constitution fully guarantees freedom of expression. “Cuba 2019 Constitution.” Constitute. Last modified 2019. Accessed September, 2022. https://www.constituteproject.org/constitution/Cuba_2019?lang=en.
Freedom of Religion	History	Article 26 of the 1901 Constitution of Cuba, adopted in 1902, asserted separation of church from state and freedom of religious practice, "without further restriction than that demanded by the respect for Christian morality and public order." The Constitution of Cuba was ratified on 24 February 2019. Articles 15, 42, and 57 grant religious freedoms, equality, and prohibit religious discrimination. Articles 15 and 32.b declare Cuba a secular state. References: 1901/1902 Constitution: English translation of the Spanish original text of the Constitution of 1901/2. 155 (2010) Section I: Individual Rights: https://heinonline-org.proxygw.wrlc.org/HOL/Page?collection=cow&handle=hein.cow/zzcu0004&id=4&men_tab=srchresults https://www.constituteproject.org/constitution/Cuba_2019.pdf?lang=en
Freedom of the Press	History	Cuba’s 1901 Constitution, its first as an independent nation, protected press freedom under Article 25: “Every person may freely, without censorship, express his thought either by word of mouth or in writing, through the press, or in any other manner whatsoever, subject to the responsibilities specified by law, whenever thereby attacks are made upon the honor of individuals, upon social order, and upon public peace” (George A. Smathers Libraries, “Translation of the proposed constitution for Cuba”). Today, Article 55 of the 2019 Cuban Constitution protects press freedom: “People's freedom of press is recognized. This right is exercised according to the law and for the good of society. The fundamental means of social communication, in any of their forms, are the socialist property of all people or of political, social, and mass organizations, and may not be categorized as any other type of property. The State establishes the principles of organization and operation for all means of social communication” (Constitute Project, “Cuba's Constitution of 2019” ).
Privacy Rights	History	The 2019 constitution protects personal and familial privacy in Article 48, the home in Article 49, and correspondence in Article 50 (Constitute Project, “Cuba 2019” ). Privacy was not in the previous Cuban constitution of 1976 (Constitute Project, “Cuba 1976 rev. 2002” ). https://constituteproject.org/constitution/Cuba_ 2019? lang=en https://constituteproject.org/constitution/Cuba_ 2002? lang=en
Voting Rights and Suffrage	History	Article 205 of Cuba’s Constitution states that voting is the right of all Cuban citizens over the age of 16 unless they have been judicially disqualified to vote. Article 104 states that the National Assembly of the People’s Power is made up of representatives elected via direct, free, and secret elections. Additionally, Article 126 states that the President is elected by similar principles. (Constitute Project, “Cuba’s Constitution of 2019) .