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According to Article 14 of Royal Decree No.42 (1923): “Freedom of opinion shall be ensured. Every person may express their thoughts in saying, writing, depiction, or otherwise in consistency with the law.”
References:
1923. Royal Decree No. 42 of 1923:
https://constitutionnet.org/sites/default/files/1923_-_egyptian_constitution_english_1.pdf +
Chapter 16, Section 73 of the 1841 Constitution of the State of Salvador reads: "Every citizen and inhabitant may freely express, write, and publish his opinion, without being subject to censorship, and with the sole condition of being answerable for the abuse of that liberty before a jury established by the law. In like manner, Salvadoreans may assemble peaceably and orderly to discuss questions of public interest, or to address petitions to the constituted authorities; but the originators of such meetings shall be held responsible for any disturbance which may occur."
References:
English translation of the Constitution of 1841. 218 (2010) "Chapter XVI: Declaration of the Rights, Duties, and Securities of the Nation, and of Salvadoreans in Particular," Political Constitution of the State of Salvador (1841): 218-222
https://heinonline-org.proxygw.wrlc.org/HOL/Page?collection=cow&handle=hein.cow/zzsv0002&id=14&men_tab=srchresults +
Equatorial Guinea were granted their independence from Spanish rule in 1968 which led to the enactment of the Equatorial Guinea Constitution. Title I, Article 3 of the 1968 constitution expressly recognizes and guarantees all rights outlined in the 1948 Universal Declaration of Human Rights. The Universal Declaration of Human Rights in which Article 19 guarantees the “the right to freedom of opinion and expression; this right includes freedom to hold opinions without interference and to seek, receive and impart information and ideas through any media and regardless of frontiers,”(United Nations, 1948).
Sources:
United Nations. 1948. “Universal Declaration of Human Rights.” https://www.ohchr.org/sites/default/files/UDHR/Documents/UDHR_Translatio ns/eng.pdf.
“Northwestern SSO.” n.d. Prd-Nusso.it.northwestern.edu. Accessed June 10, 2024. https://heinonline-org.turing.library.northwestern.edu/HOL/Page?men_tab=srchresults&handle=hein.cow/text gu0001&id=18&size=2&collection=cow&terms=libertades&termtype=phrase&set_as_cursor=. +
The 1997 constitution of Eritrea brought with it freedom of expression. +
The country of Estonia has had three separate governing constitutions, the first of which was enacted in 1920. Section II, Article 13 of the Constitution of the Republic of Estonia declares that “In Esthonia there is freedom for the expression of personal ideas in words, print, letters, pictures and sculpture. This freedom can be restricted only in the defense of the State and morals. There is no censorship in Esthonia.”
Sources:
“Northwestern SSO.” n.d. Prd-Nusso.it.northwestern.edu. Accessed June 8, 2024. https://heinonline-org.turing.library.northwestern.edu/HOL/Page?collection=co w&handle=hein.cow/zzee0004&id=2&men_tab=srchresults.
“Constitution of Estonia.” 2024. Wikipedia. April 25, 2024. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Constitution_of_Estonia#cite_note-5.
https://www.eesti.ee/en/republic-of-estonia/human-rights/freedom-of-speech-and-religion +
Eswatini has been considered an independent country since 1968 but the earliest assertion of the right to freedom of expression is presented in the Constitution of the Kingdom of Swaziland Act 2005. In Article 14, Chapter III secures the “freedom of conscience, of expression and of peaceful assembly and association and of movement.”
Sources:
“Eswatini 2005 Constitution - Constitute.” n.d. Www.constituteproject.org. https://www.constituteproject.org/constitution/Swaziland_2005. +
Chapter III, Article 41 of the 1955 Revised Constitution of the Empire of Ethiopia states: "Art. 41. Freedom of speech and of the press is guaranteed throughout the Empire in accordance with the law."
References:
1955 Revised Constitution of the Empire of Ethiopia: Peaslee Amos J.; Xydis, Dorothy Peaslee. Constitutions of Nations. The Hague, M. Nijhoff.
https://heinonline-org.proxygw.wrlc.org/HOL/Page?collection=cow&handle=hein.cow/conatio0001&id=192&men_tab=srchresults +
Freedom of expression is protected in Micronesia by Article IV, Section 1 of the 1978 Constitution as Amended in 1990.
References:
1978 Constitution as Amended in 1990: Article IV: Declaration of Rights," Constitution of the Federated States of
Micronesia, 1978 : [3]-[4]
https://heinonline-org.proxygw.wrlc.org/HOL/Page?collection=cow&handle=hein.cow/zzmf0001&id=3&men_tab=srchresults +
Freedom of expression was first protected by Article II, Section 3 of the 1970 constitution of Fiji.
References:
1970 Constitution of Fiji: 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=136&men_tab=srchresults +
According to Article 10 of the 1919 Form of Government, Finland protects the freedom of speech and the freedom to publish without restraint, although it does not explicitly state the freedom of expression. The 1999/2000 Constitution grants freedom of expression to all Finnish citizens, including “the right to express, disseminate, and receive information, opinions, and other communications without prior prevention by anyone.” There are limits to this freedom, such as to protect children or classified cases.
References English translation of the French official translation of the original text of the Constitution of 17 July 1919. 469 (2010) https://heinonline.org/HOL/Page?handle=hein.cow/zzfi0005&id=2&collection=cow&index=
English translation Finnish original official text of the Constitution of 1999/2000. 3 (2017) https://heinonline.org/HOL/Page?collection=cow&handle=hein.cow/zzfi0015&id=3&men_tab=srchresults +
France laid the groundwork for inalienable rights to freedom of expression through the Declaration of the Rights of Man, and of the Citizen. Article 11 of this 1789 document states, “The free communication of ideas and of opinion is one of the most precious rights of man.” The 1791 French Constitution utilized this phrasing in its 11th Article to enshrine freedom of expression, and continues this tradition of citing the Rights of Man in the 1958 Constitution.
References:
English translation of the French original text of the Declaration of 1789, 2 (2010) Declaration of the Rights of Man and Citizen, 1789 https://heinonline.org/HOL/Page?collection=cow&handle=hein.cow/zzfr0143&id=2&men_tab=srchresults
English translation of the French original text of the Constitution of 1791, 60 (2010) https://heinonline.org/HOL/Page?collection=cow&handle=hein.cow/zzfr0138&id=3&men_tab=srchresults
English original text of the Constitution of 1958, together with the Preamble of 1946, 77 (2010) https://heinonline.org/HOL/Page?handle=hein.cow/zzfr0147&id=3&collection=cow&index= +
Following independence from France, Gabon’s 1959 Constitution did not explicitly grant freedom of expression. The 2nd Republic’s 1961 Constitution drew ideas from the 1789 Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen and from the 1948 Universal Declaration Of the Rights of Man. It added, “Everyone has the right to the free development of his personality, within the limits of respect for the rights of others and for the public order.” Moreover, the 3rd Republic’s 1991 Constitution expanded upon this conception of the freedom of expression to include “the freedom of conscience, of thought, of opinion, of expression, of communication, the free practice of religion,” based on the 1981 African Charter of the Rights of Man and of Peoples and the 1990 National Charter of Freedoms.
References:
English Translation of the French Official Original Text of the Constitution of 1959, 3 (2022) https://heinonline.org/HOL/Page?handle=hein.cow/zzga0042&id=3&collection=cow&index=
English translation of the French original text of the Constitution of 1961, 194 (2017) https://heinonline.org/HOL/Page?handle=hein.cow/zzga0032&collection=cow
English Translation of the French Original Text of the Constitution of 1991, 3 (2022) https://heinonline.org/HOL/Page?collection=cow&handle=hein.cow/zzga0054&id=3&men_tab=srchresults +
The Constitution of the Democratic Republic of Georgia of 1921 protected freedom of expression, and the redrafted version of this constitution is still in place today. Article 19 of the 1995 Georgia Constitution grants freedom of expression to all individuals. It also stipulates that no one may be forced to express certain beliefs. Article 16 broadens this conceptualization of expression by postulating that “everyone has the right to free personal development.”
References:
English Translation of the Georgian Original Text of the Constitution of 1995, 3 (1995) https://heinonline.org/HOL/Page?collection=cow&handle=hein.cow/zzge0021&id=3&men_tab=srchresults +
Article 4of the "Law Concerning the Basic Rights of the German People," from 27 December 1848, asserted freedom of expression.
Article 118 of the 11 August 1919 Constitution of the German Reich (The Weimar Constitution) guaranteed freedom of expression.
References:
"IV. Fundamental Rights of the German People voted in by the National Assembly in Frankfurt.," IV. Droits Fondementaux du Peuple Allemand votes par l'Assemblee Nationale de Francfort. (1848): 210-211: https://heinonline-org.proxygw.wrlc.org/HOL/Page?handle=hein.cow/zzde0172&id=1&collection=cow&index=
The Constitution of the German Reich / August 11, 1919 / Translation of Document 2050-PS / Office of U.S. Chief of Counsel. Courtesy of Cornell University Law Library, Donovan Nuremberg Trials Collection.
https://digital.library.cornell.edu/catalog/nur01840 +
Article 22 of the 1969 Constitution grants freedom of expression. It also requires press mediums to provide equal opportunities for opposing views. The 1979 Constitution confirms this right and prohibits censorship. Ghana’s current Constitution from 1992 groups freedom of expression, press, and speech together.
References:
English original text of the Constitution of 1969, 22 (2010) https://heinonline.org/HOL/Page?collection=cow&handle=hein.cow/zzgh0024&id=38&men_tab=srchresults
English original text of the Constitution of 1979 as scheduled to the Order 29 (2010) Liberty https://heinonline.org/HOL/Page?handle=hein.cow/zzgh0003&id=42&collection=cow&index=
English original text of the Constitution of 1992 as scheduled to the Promulgation Law, 23 (2009) https://heinonline.org/HOL/Page?collection=cow&handle=hein.cow/zzgh0001&id=53&men_tab=srchresults +
The 10th Article of the 1844 Greek Constitution cedes the right to free verbal and written expression. Notably, it restricts access to the position of newspaper editor to only Greek citizens. This designation is not changed until the 1975 Constitution of Greece designates free expression in Article 14, except in the cases of attempts to overthrow the government, criticize the President, or make offensive remarks against Christianity or another religion.
References:
English translation of the Greek original text of the Constitution of 1844, 6 (1844) https://heinonline.org/HOL/Page?collection=cow&handle=hein.cow/zzgr0044&id=6&men_tab=srchresults
English translation of the Greek original text of the Constitution of 1975, 14 (2011) https://heinonline.org/HOL/Page?collection=cow&handle=hein.cow/zzgr0016&id=12&men_tab=srchresults +
Grenada’s 1973 Constitution declares the freedom of expression in its first Article. It groups freedom of expression with freedom of conscience, assembly, and association. This version of the Constitution was reinstated in 1991 and revised in 1992.
References:
English original text of the Constitution of 1973 as scheduled to the Order 6 (1973) https://heinonline.org/HOL/Page?handle=hein.cow/zzgd0001&id=6&collection=cow&index=
https://pdba.georgetown.edu/Constitutions/Grenada/gren73eng.html#mozTocId391068 +
The 1823 Constitutional Bases mentioned freedom of thought, which was officially installed as a right in the 1825 First Constitution the State of Guatemala in Article 25. The pattern of short, turbulent regimes during the 20th century manifested in numerous constitutions, all of which guaranteed freedom of expression and opinion. Most recently, the Political Constitution of the Republic of Guatemala from 1985/86 grants freedom of expression “through any means of dissemination, without censorship or prior permission.”
References:
English translation of the Spanish original text of the fundamental law of 1823, 114 (2017) https://heinonline.org/HOL/Page?collection=cow&handle=hein.cow/zzgt0103&id=4&men_tab=srchresults
English translation of the Spanish orignal text of the Constitution of 1825, 117 (2017) https://heinonline.org/HOL/Page?handle=hein.cow/zzgt0100&id=2&collection=cow&index=
English Translation of the Spanish Original Text of the Constitution of 1985/86, 10 (1986) https://heinonline.org/HOL/Page?collection=cow&handle=hein.cow/zzgt0106&id=10&men_tab=srchresults +
The 1958 Constitution of the First Republic of Ghana does not explicitly protect freedom of expression, but lays the groundwork for freedom of speech in Article 40. The seventh Article in the constitution of the Third Republic, crafted in 1990, dictates that everyone is “free to express, to manifest and to diffuse” ideas. The most recent 2020 Constitution guarantees freedom of expression and of opinion in Article 10.
References:
Amos J.; Xydis Peaslee, Dorothy Peaslee. Constitutions of Nations, 3 https://heinonline.org/HOL/Page?collection=cow&handle=hein.cow/conatio0001&id=251&men_tab=srchresults
English Translation of the French Original Text of the Fundamental Law of 1990, 4 (2021) https://heinonline.org/HOL/Page?handle=hein.cow/zzgn0016&id=4&collection=cow&index=
English Translation Based on a Transcription of Decree D/2020/073/PRG/SGG of 6 April 2020, as Published in the Journal Officiel de la Republique de Guinee of 14 April 2020, Provided by the Web Portal for the Law of Guinea [GuiLaw], 6 (2021) https://heinonline.org/HOL/Page?collection=cow&handle=hein.cow/zzgn0019&id=6&men_tab=srchresults +
Guinea-Bissau’s 1973 Constitution groups freedom of opinion, assembly, association, demonstration, and religion together in Article 17. The 1984 version, amended in 1993, individually grants freedom of expression in Article 51.
References:
Guinea-Bissau 1973 Constitution: https://heinonline-org.mutex.gmu.edu/HOL/COWShow?collection=cow&cow_id=182Guinea-Bissau’s
English Translation of the Portuguese Original Text of the Constitution of 1984 as Amended by Constitutional Law No. 1/95 of 1 December 1995 and Constitutional Law No. 1/96 of 16 December 1996, 13 (2023) https://heinonline.org/HOL/Page?collection=cow&handle=hein.cow/zzgw0008&id=13&men_tab=srchresults +