Chapter VIII. Fundamental Human Rights
Article 89
The State shall recognise and protect fundamental human rights in accordance with this Constitution, laws and international agreements binding upon Latvia.
Article 90
Everyone has the right to know about his or her rights.
Article 91
All human beings in Latvia shall be equal before the law and the courts.
Human rights shall be realised without discrimination of any kind.
Article 92
Everyone has the right to defend his or her rights and lawful interests in a fair court. Everyone shall be presumed innocent until his or her guilt has been established in accordance with law. Everyone, where his or her rights are violated without basis, has a right to commensurate compensation. Everyone has a right to the assistance of counsel.
Article 93
The right to life of everyone shall be protected by law.
Article 94
Everyone has the right to liberty and security of person. No one may be deprived of or have their liberty restricted, otherwise than in accordance with law.
Article 95
The State shall protect human honour and dignity. Torture or other cruel or degrading treatment of human beings is prohibited. No one shall be subjected to inhuman or degrading punishment.
Article 96
Everyone has the right to inviolability of his or her private life, home and correspondence.
Article 97
Everyone residing lawfully in the territory of Latvia has the right to freely move and to choose his or her place of residence.
Article 98
Everyone has the right to freely depart from Latvia. Everyone having a Latvian passport shall be protected by the State when abroad and has the right to freely return to Latvia. A citizen of Latvia may not be extradited to a foreign country, except in the cases provided for in international agreements ratified by the Saeima if by the extradition the basic human rights specified in the Constitution are not violated.
Article 99
Everyone has the right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion. The church shall be separate from the State.
Article 100
Everyone has the right to freedom of expression, which includes the right to freely receive, keep and distribute information and to express his or her views. Censorship is prohibited.
Article 101
Every citizen of Latvia has the right, as provided for by law, to participate in the work of the State and of local government, and to hold a position in the civil service. Local governments shall be elected by Latvian citizens and citizens of the European Union who permanently reside in Latvia. Every citizen of the European Union who permanently resides in Latvia has the right, as provided by law, to participate in the work of local governments. The working language of local governments is the Latvian language.
Article 102
Everyone has the right to form and join associations, political parties and other public organisations.
Article 103
The State shall protect the freedom of previously announced peaceful meetings, street processions, and pickets.
Article 104
Everyone has the right to address submissions to State or local government institutions and to receive a materially responsive reply. Everyone has the right to receive a reply in the Latvian language.
Article 105
Everyone has the right to own property. Property shall not be used contrary to the interests of the public. Property rights may be restricted only in accordance with law. Expropriation of property for public purposes shall be allowed only in exceptional cases on the basis of a specific law and in return for fair compensation.
Article 106
Everyone has the right to freely choose their employment and workplace according to their abilities and qualifications. Forced labour is prohibited. Participation in the relief of disasters and their effects, and work pursuant to a court order shall not be deemed forced labour.
Article 107
Every employed person has the right to receive, for work done, commensurate remuneration which shall not be less than the minimum wage established by the State, and has the right to weekly holidays and a paid annual vacation.
Article 108
Employed persons have the right to a collective labour agreement, and the right to strike. The State shall protect the freedom of trade unions.
Article 109
Everyone has the right to social security in old age, for work disability, for unemployment and in other cases as provided by law.
Article 110
The State shall protect and support marriage – a union between a man and a woman, the family, the rights of parents and rights of the child. The State shall provide special support to disabled children, children left without parental care or who have suffered from violence.
Article 111
The State shall protect human health and guarantee a basic level of medical assistance for everyone.
Article 112
Everyone has the right to education. The State shall ensure that everyone may acquire primary and secondary education without charge. Primary education shall be compulsory.
Article 113
The State shall recognise the freedom of scientific research, artistic and other creative activity, and shall protect copyright and patent rights.
Article 114
Persons belonging to ethnic minorities have the right to preserve and develop their language and their ethnic and cultural identity.
Article 115
The State shall protect the right of everyone to live in a benevolent environment by providing information about environmental conditions and by promoting the preservation and improvement of the environment.
Article 116
The rights of persons set out in Articles ninety-six, ninety-seven, ninety-eight, one hundred, one hundred and two, one hundred and three, one hundred and six, and one hundred and eight of the Constitution may be subject to restrictions in circumstances provided for by law in order to protect the rights of other people, the democratic structure of the State, and public safety, welfare and morals. On the basis of the conditions set forth in this Article, restrictions may also be imposed on the expression of religious beliefs.
