Malta
Malta
| Right | Section | Contents |
|---|---|---|
| Freedom of Association | History | Achieving its independence as the State of Malta in September of 1964, the country adopted a constitution that included a provision guaranteeing its citizens the right to freedom of association. Article 32 of Chapter IV of the 1964 constitution states that every person in Malta is entitled to the freedom of “peaceful assembly and association” (Mali 1964).
Mali. “Mali 1964 (rev. 2016) Constitution.” Constitute 1964 https://www.constituteproject.org/constitution/Malta_2016 |
| Freedom of Expression | History | Following their independence from British rule in 1964, Malta enacted their first constitution as an independent republic(Malta - Countries - Office of the Historian, n.d). Chapter IV, Article 33 guarantees the “freedom of conscience, of expression and of peaceful assembly and association.”
Sources: “Northwestern SSO.” n.d. Prd-Nusso.it.northwestern.edu. Accessed June 10, 2024. https://heinonline-org.turing.library.northwestern.edu/HOL/Page?collection=cow&handle=hein.cow/zzmt006 0&id=16&men_tab=srchresults. “Malta - Countries - Office of the Historian.” n.d. History.state.gov. https://history.state.gov/countries/malta. |
| Freedom of Religion | History | Article 40(1) of Malta’s 1964 Constitution contains the first guarantee of freedom of religion in the country’s independent history. Meanwhile, Article 2 states that the country’s official faith is the Roman Catholic Apolistic Religion.
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| Freedom of the Press | History | Article 41 of Malta’s 1964 Constitution protects press freedom as a subset of freedom of expression: “Except with his own consent or by way of parental discipline, no person shall be hindered in the enjoyment of his freedom of expression, including freedom to hold opinions without interference, freedom to receive ideas and information without interference, freedom to communicate ideas and information without interference" (Constitute Project, “Malta’s Constitution of 1964 with Amendments through 2016” ). |
| Privacy Rights | History | 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 |
| Voting Rights and Suffrage | History | According to Article 57, a citizen of Malta over the age of 18 and currently residing in Malta may vote in secret elections via transferable voting. These public elections are used to determine the members of the House of Representatives through proportional representation. (Constitute Project, “Malta’s Constitution of 1964 with Amendments through 2016” ). |