Italy

Italy

Right	Section	Contents
Freedom of Association	History	Part 1 Title 1 Article 18 of the Italian Constitution ( 1947) states that: - “Citizens have the right to form associations freely and without authorization for those ends that are not forbidden by criminal law.” - “Secret associations and associations that, even indirectly, pursue political aims by means of organisations having a military character shall be forbidden.”
Freedom of Expression	History	Italy first ratified the Constitution of the Italian Republic in 1947 and it was officially law on January 1, 1948. Article 2 expressly guarantees inviolable rights, including freedom of expression, to any person “both as an individual and in the social groups where human personality is expressed.” Article 21 addresses the freedom of expression in the first line, “Anyone has the right to freely express their thoughts in speech, writing, or any other form of communication,” and includes the right for the press to be protected from authorisation and censorship. Article 21 also includes certain limitations of freedom of expression deeming “Publications, performances, and other exhibits offensive to public morality shall be prohibited,” and that measures to ensure this prohibition “shall be established by law.” Sources: “Italy 1947 (Rev. 2012) Constitution - Constitute.” n.d. Www.constituteproject.org. https://www.constituteproject.org/constitution/Italy_2012.
Freedom of Religion	History	The Constitution of the Italian Republic was ratified on 22 December 1947. Article 7 states a separation between the state of Italy and the Catholic Church. Articles 3, 8, 19, and 20 grant religious freedom and equality. Article 8 of the Italian Constitution states: “All religious denominations are equally free before the law” but stipulates that “Denominations other than Catholicism have the right to self-organisation according to their own statutes, provided these do not conflict with Italian law” (constituteproject.org). “Italy 1947 (Rev. 2020) Constitution.” Constitute. Accessed July 21, 2023. https://www.constituteproject.org/constitution/Italy_2020.
Freedom of the Press	History	Article 21 of Italy’s 1948 Constitution protects press freedom: “Anyone has the right to freely express their thoughts in speech, writing, or any other form of communication. The press may not be subjected to any authorisation or censorship” (Constitute Project, “Italy's Constitution of 1947 with Amendments through 2012” ).
Privacy Rights	History	Articles 13, 14, and 15 of the Italian Constitution deal with various aspects of the right to privacy. Article 13 states that no person shall be inspected or searched without an order from the Judiciary. Article 14 expands upon that, stating that “home inspections, searches, or seizures shall not be admissible save in the cases and manners complying with measures to safeguard personal liberty. Controls and inspections for reason of public health and safety, or for economic and fiscal purposes, shall be regulated by appropriate laws.” Article 15 provides freedom of confidentiality of correspondence, with limitations only by judicial decision. Also, the 1997 Data Protection Act created the Italian Data Protection Authority which protects “fundamental rights and freedoms in connection with the processing of personal data, and to ensure respect for individuals' dignity.” References: “Constitution of the Italian Republic.” Senato della Repubblica. https://www.senato.it/documenti/repository/istituzione/costituzione_inglese.pdf “The Italian Data Protection Authority: Who We Are.” Garante Per La Protezione Dei Dati Personali. https://www.garanteprivacy.it/web/garante-privacy-en/the-italian-data-protection-authority-who-we-are#:~:text=The%20Italian%20Data%20Protection%20Authority%20
Voting Rights and Suffrage	History	Under Article 48, any citizen, regardless of gender, who has attained majority is entitled to vote. The vote is free, secret, and a civic duty. The Chamber of Deputies is elected via universal suffrage, the Senate of the Republic is elected via regional voting, (Constitute Project, “Italy’s Constitution of 1947 with Amendments through 2020” ).