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Constitution of Malta 1964, as amended to 2022
Limitations and/or Derogations
- EnglishWhereas every person in Malta is entitled to the fundamental rights and freedoms of the individual, that is to say, the right, whatever his race, place of origin, political opinions, colour, creed, sex, sexual orientation or gender identity, but subject to respect for the rights and freedoms of others and for the public interest,
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the subsequent provisions of this Chapter3 shall have effect for the purpose of affording protection to the aforesaid rights and freedoms, subject to such limitations of that protection as are contained in those provisions being limitations designed to ensure that the enjoyment of the said rights and freedoms by any individual does not prejudice the rights and freedoms of others or the public interest. (Art. 32) - MalteseBilli kull persuna f’Malta hija intitolata għad-drittijiet u libertajiet fundamentali tal-individwu, jiġifieri, id-dritt, tkun xi tkun ir-razza, post ta’ oriġini, fehmiet politiċi, kulur, twemmin, sess, orjentazzjoni sesswali jew identità tal-ġeneru tagħha, iżda suġġett għar-rispett tad-drittijiet u l-libertajiet ta’ oħrajn u tal-interess pubbliku,
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id-disposizzjonijiet li ġejjin ta’ dan il-Kapitolu jkollhom effett sabiex jagħtu protezzjoni għad-drittijiet u libertajiet imsemmija qabel, salvi dawk il-limitazzjonijiet ta’ dik il-protezzjoni kif jinsabu f’dawk id-disposizzjonijiet li huma limitazzjonijiet maħsuba biex jiżguraw illi t-tgawdija tal-imsemmija drittijiet u libertajiet minn xi individwu ma tippreġudikax id-drittijiet u libertajiet ta’ oħrajn jew l-interess pubbliku. (Art. 32)
Limitations and/or Derogations
- English(1) Subject to the provisions of sub-articles (4), (5) and (7) of this article, no law shall make any provision that is discriminatory either of itself or in its effect.
(2) Subject to the provisions of sub-articles (6), (7) and (8) of this article, no person shall be treated in a discriminatory manner by any person acting by virtue of any written law or in the performance of the functions of any public office or any public authority.
(3) In this article, the expression "discriminatory" means affording different treatment to different persons attributable wholly or mainly to their respective descriptions by race, place of origin, political opinions, colour, creed, sex, sexual orientation or gender identity whereby persons of one such description are subjected to disabilities or restrictions to which persons of another such description are not made subject or are accorded privileges or advantages which are not accorded to persons of another such description.
(4) Sub-article (1) of this article shall not apply to any law so far as that law makes provision –
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(e) for authorising the taking during a period of public emergency of measures that are reasonably justifiable for the purpose of dealing with the situation that exists during that period of public emergency;
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(7) Nothing contained in or done under the authority of any law shall be held to be inconsistent with or in contravention of this article to the extent that the law in question makes provision (not being provisions specifically relating to sex) whereby persons of any such description as is mentioned in sub-article (3) of this article may be subjected to any restriction on the rights and freedoms guaranteed by articles 38, 40, 41, 42 and 44 of this Constitution, being such a restriction as is authorised by article 38(2), 40(2), 41(2), 42(2) or 44(3).
... (Art. 45) - Maltese(1) Bla ħsara għad-disposizzjonijiet tas-subartikoli (4), (5) u (7) ta’ dan l-artikolu, ebda liġi ma għandha tagħmel xi disposizzjoni li tkun diskriminatorja sew fiha nnifisha jew fl-effett tagħha.
(2) Bla ħsara għad-disposizzjonijiet tas-subartikoli (6), (7) u (8) ta’ dan l-artikolu, ħadd ma għandu jiġi trattat b’mod diskriminatorju minn xi persuna li taġixxi bis-saħħa ta’ xi liġi miktuba jew fil-qadi tal-funzjonijiet ta’ xi kariga pubblika jew xi awtorità pubblika.
(3) F’dan l-artikolu, il-kelma "diskriminatorju" tfisser għoti ta’ trattament differenti lil persuni differenti attribwibbli għal kollox jew prinċipalment għad-deskrizzjoni tagħhom rispettiva skont ir-razza, post ta’ oriġini, opinjonijiet politiċi, kulur, fidi, sess, orjentazzjoni sesswali jew identità tal-ġeneru li minħabba fihom persuni ta’ deskrizzjoni waħda bħal dawn ikunu suġġetti għal inkapaċitajiet jew restrizzjonijiet li persuni ta’ deskrizzjoni oħra bħal dawn ma jkunux suġġetti għalihom jew ikunu mogħtija privileġġi jew vantaġġi li ma jkunux mogħtija lil persuni ta’ deskrizzjoni oħra bħal dawn.
(4) Is-subartikolu (1) ta’ dan l-artikolu ma għandux jgħodd għal xi liġi safejn dik il-liġi tipprovdi –
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(e) għall-awtorizzazzjoni tat-teħid matul perijodu ta’ emerġenza pubblika ta’ miżuri li jkunu raġonevolment ġustifikabbli sabiex tiġi milqugħa s-sitwazzjoni li tkun teżisti matul dak il-perijodu ta’ emerġenza pubblika:
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(7) Ebda ħaġa li tkun hemm jew li tkun magħmula bl-awtorità ta’ xi liġi ma għandha titqies li tkun inkonsistenti ma jew bi ksur ta’ dan l-artikolu safejn il-liġi in kwistjoni tagħmel provvediment (li ma jkunux provvedimenti li jirrigwardaw is-sess speċifikatament) li li bih persuni ta’ xi deskrizzjoni bħal dik kif hija msemmija fis-subartikolu (3) ta’ dan l-artikolu jistgħu jiġu assoġġettati għal xi restrizzjoni fuq drittijiet u libertajiet garantiti bl-artikoli 38, 40, 41, 42 u 44 ta’ din il-Kostituzzjoni, li tkun restrizzjoni bħal dik kif awtorizzata bl-artikolu 38(2), 40(2), 41(2), 42(2) jew 44(3).
... (Art. 45)
1
Constitution of Malta 1964, as amended to 2022 (English). According to Art. 5(1): "The National language of Malta is the Maltese language.”
3
Chapter IV on Fundamental Rights and Freedoms of the Individual