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The Global Gender Equality Constitutional Database is a repository of gender equality related provisions in 194 constitutions from around the world. The Database was updated in partnership with the International Bar Association's Human Rights Institute (IBAHRI) and with support from the Swedish International Development Agency (SIDA) and the Government of Japan. Experience its wealth and depth of information by starting your search now.
Limitations and/or Derogations
- EnglishNotwithstanding anything in this Constitution, there shall be no derogation from the enjoyment of the following rights and freedoms
(a) life, equality before the law and security of person;
(b) the right to fair hearing;
(c) freedom from slavery or servitude;
(d) the right to an order in terms of section 35 (1); and
(e) freedom from torture, cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment. (Sec. 38)
Limitations and/or Derogations
- EnglishIn addition to the other attributions that this Constitution confers on it, it corresponds exclusively to the Legislative Assembly:
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7. To suspend by a vote of no less than the two-thirds of the totality of its members, in the case of evident public necesity, the individual rights and guarantees written in Articles 22, 23, 24, 26, 28, 29, 30 and 37 of this Constitution. This suspension may be of all or of some rights and guarantees, for the totality or part of the territory, and [for] up to thirty days; during this, and with regard to persons, the Executive Power may only order their detention in establishments not allocated to common inmates, or decree their confinement to inhabited places. It must also give account to the Assembly at its next meeting on the measures taken to safeguard the public order or to maintain the security of the State.
In no case may individual rights and guarantees not written in this paragraph be suspended;
… (Art. 121) - SpanishAdemás de las otras atribuciones que le confiere esta Constitución, corresponde exclusivamente a la Asamblea Legislativa:
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7) Suspender por votación no menor de los dos tercios de la totalidad de sus miembros, en caso de evidente necesidad pública, los derechos y garantías individuales consignados en los artículos 22, 23, 24, 26, 28, 29, 30 y 37 de esta Constitución. Esta suspensión podrá ser de todos o de algunos derechos y garantías, para la totalidad o parte del territorio, y hasta treinta días; durante ella y respecto de las personas, el Poder Ejecutivo sólo podrá ordenar su detención en establecimientos no destinados a reos comunes o decretar su confinamiento en lugares habitados.
Deberá también dar cuenta a la Asamblea en su próxima reunión de las medidas tomadas para salvar el orden público o mantener la seguridad del Estado. En ningún caso podrán suspenderse derechos o garantías individuales no consignados en este inciso;
… (Art. 121)
Limitations and/or Derogations
- English(1) Laws regarding military and alternative service may provide that the basic right of members of the Armed Forces and of alternative service freely to express and disseminate their opinions in speech, writing and pictures (first clause of paragraph (1) of Article 5), the basic right of assembly (Article 8), and the right of petition (Article 17) insofar as it permits the submission of requests or complaints jointly with others, be restricted during their period of military or alternative service.
(2) Laws regarding defence, including protection of the civilian population, may provide for restriction of the basic rights of freedom of movement (Article 11) and inviolability of the home (Article 13). (Art. 17a) - German(1) Gesetze über Wehrdienst und Ersatzdienst können bestimmen, daß für die Angehörigen der Streitkräfte und des Ersatzdienstes während der Zeit des Wehr- oder Ersatzdienstes das Grundrecht, seine Meinung in Wort, Schrift und Bild frei zu äußern und zu verbreiten (Artikel 5 Abs. 1 Satz 1 erster Halbsatz), das Grundrecht der Versammlungsfreiheit (Artikel 8) und das Petitionsrecht (Artikel 17), soweit es das Recht gewährt, Bitten oder Beschwerden in Gemeinschaft mit anderen vorzubringen, eingeschränkt werden.
(2) Gesetze, die der Verteidigung einschließlich des Schutzes der Zivilbevölkerung dienen, können bestimmen, daß die Grundrechte der Freizügigkeit (Artikel 11) und der Unverletzlichkeit der Wohnung (Artikel 13) eingeschränkt werden. (Art. 17a)
Limitations and/or Derogations
- English1. Fundamental rights enshrined in the Constitution do not negate other rights foreseen by the laws of the Republic and applicable rules of international law.
2. Constitutional and legal principles relating to fundamental rights have to be interpreted in harmony with the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. (Art. 29) - Portuguese1 - Os direitos fundamentais consagrados na Constituição não excluem quaisquer outros constantes das demais leis da República e das regras aplicáveis de direito internacional.
2 - Os preceitos constitucionais e legais relativos aos direitos fundamentais devem ser interpretados de harmonia com a Declaração Universal dos Direitos do Homem. (Art. 29)
Limitations and/or Derogations
- EnglishThe National Assembly and all bodies with legal and regulatory authority shall be obligated to adjust, formally and materially, the laws and other legal standards related to the rights provided for in the Constitution and international treaties and those that are needed to guarantee the dignity of human beings or communities, peoples and nations. In no case shall amending the Constitution, laws, other legal and regulatory frameworks or actions by the government endanger the rights recognized by the Constitution. (Art. 84)
- SpanishLa Asamblea Nacional y todo órgano con potestad normativa tendrá la obligación de adecuar, formal y materialmente, las leyes y demás normas jurídicas a los derechos previstos en la Constitución y los tratados internacionales, y los que sean necesarios para garantizar la dignidad del ser humano o de las comunidades, pueblos y nacionalidades. En ningún caso, la reforma de la Constitución, las leyes, otras normas jurídicas ni los actos del poder público atentarán contra los derechos que reconoce la Constitución. (Art. 84)
Limitations and/or Derogations
- English
In case of international crisis, or of real threats to the vital interests of all or part of the population or of imminent danger resulting from grave infringement of public security, the Grand Duke, after having declared urgency resulting from the impossibility of the chamber of deputies to legislate in the appropriate time periods, may take regulatory measures in all matters.
These measures may derogate from existing laws. They must be necessary, appropriate and proportionate to the goal pursued and be in conformity with the Constitution and with the international treaties.
... (Art. 48)
Limitations and/or Derogations
- English1. No derogation from rights contained in this Chapter8 shall be permissible save to the extent provided for by this section and no such derogation shall be made unless there has been a declaration of a state of emergency within the meaning of this section.
2. There shall be no derogation with regard to—
a. the right to life;
b. the prohibition of torture and cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment;
c. the prohibition of genocide;
d. the prohibition of slavery, the slave trade and slave-like practices;
e. the prohibition of imprisonment for failure to meet contractual obligations;
f. the prohibition on retrospective criminalization and the retrospective imposition of greater penalties for criminal acts;
g. the right to equality and recognition before the law;
h. the right to freedom of conscience, belief, thought and religion and to academic freedom; or
i. the right to habeas corpus.
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4. Derogation from the rights contained in this Chapter, other than the rights listed in subsection (2), shall be permissible during a state of emergency within the meaning of this section and to the extent that—
a. such derogation is consistent with the obligations of Malawi under international law; and
b. in the case of—
i. war or threat of war, it is strictly required to prevent the lives of defensive combatants and civilians as well as legitimate military objectives from being placed in direct jeopardy; or
ii. a widespread natural disaster, it is strictly required for the protection and relief of those people and facilities whether in or outside the disaster area.
… (Sec. 45)
Limitations and/or Derogations
- EnglishLaws and governmental provisions or any other provisions that regulate the exercise of declarations, rights and guarantees recognized by this Constitution shall not be enforced if they diminish, restrict, or evade such rights and guarantees. (Art. 64)
- SpanishNo se aplicarán leyes y disposiciones gubernativas o de cualquier otro orden, que regulen el ejercicio de las declaraciones, derechos y garantías establecidos en esta Constitución, si los disminuyen, restringen o tergiversan. (Art. 64)
Limitations and/or Derogations
- English1. Entities that exercise sovereignty may not jointly or separately suspend the exercise of the rights, freedoms and guarantees, save in the case of a state of siege or a state of emergency declared in the form provided for in the Constitution.
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4. Both the choice between a state of siege and a state of emergency and the declaration and implementation thereof must respect the principle of proportionality and limit themselves, particularly as regards their extent and duration and the means employed, to that which is strictly necessary for the prompt restoration of constitutional normality.
5. Declarations of a state of siege or a state of emergency shall set out adequate grounds therefore and specify the rights, freedoms and guarantees whose exercise is to be suspended. Without prejudice to the possibility of renewals subject to the same limits, neither state may last for more than fifteen days, or, when it results from a declaration of war, for more than the duration laid down by law.
6. In no case may a declaration of a state of siege or a state of emergency affect the rights to life, personal integrity, personal identity, civil capacity and citizenship, the non-retroactivity of the criminal law, accused persons' right to a defence, or the freedom of conscience and religion.
7. Declarations of a state of siege or a state of emergency may only alter constitutional normality in accordance with the provisions of the Constitution and the law. In particular, they may not affect the application of the constitutional rules concerning the competences and modus operandi of the entities that exercise sovereignty or of the self-government organs of the autonomous regions, or the rights and immunities of the respective officeholders.
... (Art. 19) - Portuguese1. Os órgãos de soberania não podem, conjunta ou separadamente, suspender o exercício dos direitos, liberdades e garantias, salvo em caso de estado de sítio ou de estado de emergência, declarados na forma prevista na Constituição.
...
4. A opção pelo estado de sítio ou pelo estado de emergência, bem como as respectivas declaração e execução, devem respeitar o princípio da proporcionalidade e limitar-se, nomeadamente quanto às suas extensão e duração e aos meios utilizados, ao estritamente necessário ao pronto restabelecimento da normalidade constitucional.
5. A declaração do estado de sítio ou do estado de emergência é adequadamente fundamentada e contém a especificação dos direitos, liberdades e garantias cujo exercício fica suspenso, não podendo o estado declarado ter duração superior a quinze dias, ou à duração fixada por lei quando em consequência de declaração de guerra, sem prejuízo de eventuais renovações, com salvaguarda dos mesmos limites.
6. A declaração do estado de sítio ou do estado de emergência em nenhum caso pode afectar os direitos à vida, à integridade pessoal, à identidade pessoal, à capacidade civil e à cidadania, a não retroactividade da lei criminal, o direito de defesa dos arguidos e a liberdade de consciência e de religião.
7. A declaração do estado de sítio ou do estado de emergência só pode alterar a normalidade constitucional nos termos previstos na Constituição e na lei, não podendo nomeadamente afectar a aplicação das regras constitucionais relativas à competência e ao funcionamento dos órgãos de soberania e de governo próprio das regiões autónomas ou os direitos e imunidades dos respectivos titulares.
... (Art. 19)
Limitations and/or Derogations
- English
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The suppression or the diminishment of the fundamental rights of the person may not be submitted to referendum, … (Art. 32) - Spanish
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No pueden someterse a referéndum la supresión o la disminución de los derechos fundamentales de la persona, … (Art. 32)