Semantic search

Privacy rights in Israel derive from the Basic Law Human Liberty and Dignity of 1992. In this law, Article 7 protects privacy, intimacy, private premises, and confidential communications (Constitute Project, “Israel 1953 rev. 2013” ).

https://constituteproject.org/constitution/Israel_ 2013? lang=en

The only specific privacy right mentioned in the constitution is that in Article 8, which inviolably protects the home (Constitute Project, “Côte d'Ivoire 2016” ).

https://constituteproject.org/countries/Africa/Cote_d_Ivoire?lang=en

Article 25 of the 1889 Japan Constitution protected the privacy of the home: "Except in the cases provided for in the law, the house of no Japanese subject shall be entered or searched without his consent". Article 26 of the 1889 Constitution protected correspondence: "Except in the cases mentioned in the law, the secrecy of the letters of every Japanese subject shall remain inviolable."

In the 1946 Constitution, Article 35 protects the home, and Article 21 protects communication: "No censorship shall be maintained, nor shall the secrecy of any means of communication be violated."

References:

1889 Japan Constitution: https://constituteproject.org/constitution/Japan_1889

1946 Japan Constitution: https://japan.kantei.go.jp/constitution_and_government_of_japan/constitution_e.html

Article 33 of the 1993 Kazakhstan Constitution reads: "Private life of a citizen shall be inviolable. Intrusion upon private life of a citizen, and also infringement upon his honor and dignity shall be prohibited." Article 34 guarantees the inviolability of the home.

Kazakhstan protected the right to privacy in Article 18 of its 1995 Constitution. It says, “1. Everyone shall have the right to inviolability of private life, personal or family secrets, protection of honor and dignity. 2. Everyone shall have the right to confidentiality of personal deposits and savings, correspondence, telephone conversations, postal, telegraph, and other messages. Limitation of this right shall be permitted only in the cases and according to the procedure directly established by law. 3. State bodies, public associations, officials, and the mass media must provide every citizen with the possibility to obtain access to documents, decisions and other sources of information concerning his rights and interests” (Constitute Project, “Kazakhstan 1995 rev. 2017” ).

References:

"The Constitution of the Republic of Kazakhstan," International Legal Perspectives 5, no. 1 (1993): 114

1995 Constitution: https://www.constituteproject.org/constitution/Kazakhstan_2017

Article 10 of the 1814 Constitution grants privacy rights to persons in the Kingdom of the Netherlands. 10(1) states “Everyone has, save for limitations to be provided by or pursuant to statute, the right to respect for his private life.” Article 13 protects private correspondence and Article 12 protects the home (Hardt & Kiiver, 2019, 141).

Sascha Hardt & Phillip Kiiver. Comparative Constitutional Law Documents. “Constitution for the Kingdom of the Netherlands of 24 August 1815. ”

Kuwait’s 1962 constitution has been reinstated twice, but it does not mention privacy rights generally. It does, however, protect the inviolability of the home in Article 38 (Constitute Project, “Kuwait 1962 reinst. 1992” ).

https://constituteproject.org/constitution/Kuwait_ 1992? lang=en

Privacy rights are scarcely protected in Laos. The revised 2015 constitution protects violations of life, body, integrity, and property in Article 42, which has been amended since the implementation of the constitution in 1991 (Constitute Project, “Lao People’s Democratic Republic 1991 rev. 2015” ).

https://media.bloomsburyprofessional.com/rep/files/laos-constitution- 1947- 1949- englishx.pdf https://constituteproject.org/constitution/Laos_ 2015? lang=en

The constitution provides no protections for general privacy rights. However, Article 14 does protect the inviolability of the home (Constitute Project, “Lebanon 1926 rev. 2004” ).

https://constituteproject.org/constitution/Lebanon_ 2004? lang=en

The 1825 and 1847 constitutions of Liberia did not included mention of privacy rights. The first protection of privacy rights was in the 1986 constitution, Article 16. Article 16 states “No person shall be subjected to interference with his privacy of person, family, home or correspondence except by order of a court of competent jurisdiction” (Constitute Project, “Liberia 1986” ).

http://crc.gov.lr/doc/CONSTITUTION%20OF%20 1847% 20final.pdf https://constituteproject.org/constitution/Liberia_ 1986? lang=en

The 1862 constitution alludes to privacy rights in the home in Article 12 (Wright, “Constitution of 26 September 1862. ”). Today, privacy rights go further under the 1921 constitution, with Article 32 guaranteeing “Personal liberty, the immunity of the home and the inviolability of letters and written matter” (Constitute Project, “Liechtenstein 1921 rev. 2011” ).

https://books.google.com/books?id=kXBDAAAAIAAJ&pg=PA375&lpg=PA375&dq= 1862+ Constitution+of+Liechtenstein+full+text&source=bl&ots=6dAZ5MiCdX&sig=YurO0ujdxMdcKsMLT_DfGdxPCm0&hl=en&sa=X&ei=axZlU-b1KorroATU9oG4Cg#v=onepage&q=priva&f=false https://www.constituteproject.org/constitution/Liechtenstein_ 2011? lang=en

The 1868 constitution, since amended, protects private life in Article 3. In Article 15, it protects the home and in Article 28, correspondence (Constitute Project, “Luxembourg 1868 rev. 2009” ).

https://www.constituteproject.org/constitution/Luxembourg_ 2009? lang=en

The 1964 Malawi Constitution protects the person from search and the home from entry and search at article 17(1). Article 11(c) promises to the citizen of Malawi "protection for the privacy of his home and other property." Article 20(1) protected against interference with correspondence.

The 1994 Malawi Constitution protects personal privacy in Article 21. As defined in the article, personal privacy protects possessions, home, and property (Constitute Project, “Malawi 1994 rev. 2017” ).

References:

“Constitution of Malawi.” Citizenship Rights Africa. Accessed July 26, 2023. http://citizenshiprightsafrica.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/Malawi-Constitution-1964.pdf

https://www.constituteproject.org/constitution/Malawi_ 2017? lang=en

Articles 9 and 12 of the are relevant to privacy rights. Article 9 protects the private home: "Private premises and dwellings shall be respected. Such premises and dwellings shall not be trespassed, save under conditions stipulated in the law." Article 12 protects communications: "Letters, correspondence, telephone calls, telegrams and wireless messages exchanged between person shall not be opened, intercepted, read or divulged, except in accordance with the express provision in the law."

Article 24 of the 2008 Constitution grants the right to privacy in the Maldives. It says: “Everyone has the right to respect for his private and family life, his home and his private communications. Every person must respect these rights with respect to others” (Constitute Project, “Maldives 2008” ).

References:

1969 Constitution of the Republic of Maldives As Amended to 1975: Peaslee Amos J.; Xydis, Dorothy Peaslee. Constitutions of Nation. The Hague, Martinus Nijhoff.: https://heinonline-org.proxygw.wrlc.org/HOL/Page?collection=cow&handle=hein.cow/ctituson0002&id=723#

2008 Maldives Constitution: https://www.constituteproject.org/constitution/Maldives_2008

Article 32 of the Maltese Constitution protects the right to private and family life. Article 38 protects the home (Constitute Project, “Malta 1964 rev. 2016” ).

https://www.constituteproject.org/constitution/Malta_ 2016? lang=en

Article 13(4) protects the right to privacy in Mauritania: “The honor and the private life of the citizen, the inviolability of the human person, of his domicile and of his correspondence are guaranteed by the State” (Constitute Project, "Mauritania 1991 rev. 2012" ).

https://www.constituteproject.org/constitution/Mauritania_ 2012? lang=en

Article 7 of the 1857 constitution prevents writers from writing about people’s private lives (World History Commons, “Federal Constitution of the United Mexican States of 1857” ). Today, Article 16 of the 1917 constitution protects the privacy rights and data privacy in Mexico: “No person shall be disturbed in his private affairs, his/her family, papers, properties or be invaded at home without a written order from a competent authority, duly explaining the legal cause of the proceeding. All people have the right to enjoy protection on his personal data, and to access, correct and cancel such data. All people have the right to oppose the disclosure of his data, according to the law. The law shall establish exceptions to the criteria that rule the handling of data, due to national security reasons, law and order, public security, public health, or protection of third party’s rights” (Constitute Project, “Mexico 1917 rev. 2015” ).

https://www.constituteproject.org/constitution/Mexico_ 2015? lang=en https://worldhistorycommons.org/federal-constitution-united-mexican-states- 1857

The 1962 constitution, still in force today, protects the home in Article 21 and the general right to privacy in Article 22. Article 22 calls out private and family life as well as correspondence (Constitute Project, “Monaco 1962 rev 2002” ).

https://www.constituteproject.org/constitution/Monaco_ 2002? lang=en

According to Article 211 of the 1905 Montenegro Constitution: "Epistolary and telegraphic privacy is inviolable except in case of war or judicial inquiry."

Article 20 of the 1992 constitution says, “physical and psychological integrity of man, his privacy and personal rights are inviolable” (Venice Commission, “Constitution of the Republic of Montenegro”). Today, Article 28 says “The inviolability of the physical and mental integrity of a man, and privacy and individual rights thereof shall be guaranteed” (Constitute Project, “Montenegro 2007 rev. 2013” ).

https://www.venice.coe.int/webforms/documents/?pdf=CDL( 2005) 096-e https://www.constituteproject.org/constitution/Montenegro_ 2013? lang=en 1905 Montenegro Constitution: English translation from the French text of the original Constitution of 1905 "Part 14: The Constitutional Rights of Montenegrin Citizens," Constitution of 6/19 December 1905. (1905): 426-427: https://heinonline-org.mutex.gmu.edu/HOL/Page?handle=hein.cow/zzmb0013&id=20&collection=cow&index=

The 1975 constitution of Mozambique granted “All citizens … the right to their honor, good name and reputation, as well as the right to privacy and to defend their public image” (RefWorld, “Constitution of the Republic of Mozambique”). This is echoed in Article 41 of the 2004 constitution (Constitute Project, “Mozambique 2004 rev. 2007” ).

https://www.refworld.org/docid/3ae6b4f40.html https://www.constituteproject.org/constitution/Mozambique_ 2007? lang=en

The 1990 constitution protects the right to privacy in the home and for correspondence in Article 13 (Constitute Project, “Namibia 1990 rev. 2014” ).

https://www.constituteproject.org/constitution/Namibia_ 2014? lang=en

The 1990 constitution was the first to protect privacy as a fundamental right. In Article 22: “Except as provided by law, the privacy of the person, house, property, document, correspondence or information of anyone is inviolable” (Constitution Net, “The Constitution of Nepal 1990” ). In the 2015 constitution, the same language is used in Article 28 (Constitute Project, “Nepal 2015 rev. 2016" ).

https://www.constituteproject.org/constitution/Nepal_ 2016? lang=en https://constitutionnet.org/sites/default/files/ 1990_ constitution_english.pdf

The 1974 constitution “guarantees the inviolability of the home, the dwelling, and of any other private premises of persons” in Article 58 (General Secretariat Organization of American States, Washington D.C., “Constitution of the Republic of Nicaragua”). Article 80 protected correspondence. The 1987 constitution broadened privacy rights in Article 26 stating: “Everyone has the right to: 1. Privacy in his/her life and that of his/her family; 2. Respect of his/her honor and reputation; 3. Know about any information which private or public entities may have on record about him/her as well as the right to know why and for what purpose they hold such information; 4. Inviolability of his/her domicile, correspondence and communication of any kind.” (Constitute Project, “Nicaragua 1987 rev. 2014” ).

https://books.google.com/books?printsec=frontcover&vid=LCCN77374018#v=snippet&q=inviolable&f=false https://www.constituteproject.org/constitution/Nicaragua_ 2014? lang=en

In 1960, the country’s first constitution protected the private life, home, and correspondence of each person in Article 22 (World Statesmen, “The Constitution of the Federation of Niger”). Today, the same language is seen in Article 37 of the 1999 constitution (Constitute Project, “Nigeria Constitution 1999 rev. 2011” ).

https://www.worldstatesmen.org/nigeria_const 1960. pdf https://constituteproject.org/constitution/Nigeria_ 2011? lang=en

Article 25 of the 1991 constitution states “Each citizen is guaranteed the respect and protection of the privacy of his/her personal and family life and of his/her dignity and repute.” Amendment XIX, altering Article 17, protects communications more heavily (Constitute Project, “North Macedonia 1991 rev. 2011” ).

https://constituteproject.org/constitution/Macedonia_ 2011? lang=en

The Oman constitution, written in 1996, only constitutional protects the privacy of homes in Article 27 (Constitute Project, "Oman 1996 rev. 2011" ).

https://constituteproject.org/constitution/Oman_ 2011? lang=en