| ARMENIA Republic of Armenia Hayastani Hanrapetut'yun Joined United Nations: 2 March 1992 Human Rights as assured by their constitution Updated 18 November 2012 |
CHAPTER 2. FUNDAMENTAL HUMAN AND CIVIL RIGHTS AND FREEDOMS
Article 14
Human dignity shall be respected and protected by the state as an inviolable foundation of human rights and freedoms.
Article 14.1
Everyone shall be equal before the law.
Any discrimination based on any ground such as sex, race, colour, ethnic or social origin, genetic features, language, religion or belief,
political or any other opinion, membership of a national minority, property, birth, disability, age or other personal or social circumstances
shall be prohibited.
Article 15
Everyone shall have a right to life. No one shall be condemned to the death penalty or executed.
Article 16
Everyone shall have a right to liberty and security. A person can be deprived of or restricted in his/her liberty by the procedure defined by
law and only in the following cases:
1) a person is sentenced for committing a crime by the competent court;
2) a person has not executed a legitimate judicial act;
3) to ensure the fulfillment of certain responsibilities prescribed by the law;
4) when reasonable suspicion exists of commission of a crime or when it is necessary to prevent the commission of a crime by a person
or to prevent his/her escape after the crime has been committed;
5) to establish educational control over a minor or to present him/her to the competent body;
6) to prevent the spread of infectious diseases and other social dangers posed by mental patients, persons addicted to alcohol and drugs,
as well as vagrants;
7) to prevent the unauthorized entry of a person into the Republic of Armenia, as well as to deport or extradite him/her to a foreign
country.
Everyone who is deprived of his/her freedom shall in a language comprehensible to him/her immediately be informed of the reasons for
this and of an indictment should such be brought against him/her Everyone who is deprived of his/her freedom shall have a right to
immediately notify this to any person chosen by him/her.
If the arrested person is not detained within 72 hours by the court decision he/she must be released immediately.
Every person shall have the right to recover damages in case when he/she has illegally been deprived of freedom or subjected to search on
the grounds and by the procedure defined by the law. Every person shall have the right to appeal to a higher instance court against the
lawfulness and reasons for depriving him/her of freedom or subjecting to search.
No one shall be deprived of freedom for not honoring his/her civil and legal obligations.
No one shall be subjected to search otherwise than in conformity with the procedure prescribed by the law.
Article 17
No one shall be subjected to torture, as well as to inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment. Arrested, detained or incarcerated
persons shall be entitled to human treatment and respect of dignity.
No one shall be subjected to scientific, medical and other experiments without his/her consent.
Article 18
Everyone shall be entitled to effective legal remedies to protect his/her rights and freedoms before judicial as well as other public bodies.
Everyone shall have a right to protect his/her rights and freedoms by any means not prohibited by the law.
Everyone shall be entitled to have the support of the Human Rights' Defender for the protection of his/her rights and freedoms on the
grounds and in conformity with the procedure prescribed by law.
Everyone shall in conformity with the international treaties of the Republic of Armenia be entitled to apply to the international institutions
protecting human rights and freedoms with a request to protect his/her rights and freedoms.
Article 19
Everyone shall have a right to restore his/her violated rights, and to reveal the grounds of the charge against him/her in a fair public
hearing under the equal protection of the law and fulfilling all the demands of justice by an independent and impartial court within a
reasonable time".
The representatives of the mass media and the public may be excluded from all or part of the trial in the interests of morals, public order,
national security, protection of the private life of the participants, or if the administration of justice so require.
Article 20
Everyone shall be entitled to legal assistance. In cases prescribed by the law the legal assistance shall be provided at the expense of the
state resources.
Everyone shall have a right to the assistance of a legal defender chosen by him/her starting from the moment of his/her arrest, subjection
to a security measure or indictment.
Every convicted person shall have the right to review of the judgment passed on him/her by a higher instance court in conformity with the
procedure prescribed by the law.
Every convicted person shall have a right to request pardon or mitigation of the punishment.
All damages incurred by the victim shall be compensated in conformity with the procedure prescribed by the law.
Article 21
Everyone charged with a criminal offence shall be presumed innocent until proved guilty by the court judgment lawfully entered into force
as prescribed by law.
The defendant shall not be obliged to prove his/her innocence. The remaining suspicions shall be interpreted in favor of the defendant.
Article 22
No one shall be obliged to testify about himself/herself, his/her spouse or close relatives. The law may prescribe other cases of release
from the obligation to testify.
The use of illegally obtained evidence is prohibited.
Imposing of a heavier punishment than the one prescribed by the law in effect at the time when the crime was committed shall be
prohibited.
No one shall be held guilty for a crime on account of any act which did not constitute a crime under the law in effect at the time when it
was committed.
The law eliminating or mitigating the punishment for the offence shall be retroactive.
The law prescribing or increasing liability shall not be retroactive.
No one shall be tried twice for one and the same act.
Article 23
Everyone shall have the right to respect for his private and family life.
The collection, maintenance, use or dissemination of any information about the person other than that stipulated by the law without the
person's consent shall be prohibited. The use and dissemination of information relating to the person for purposes contravening the aims
of their collection or not provided for by the law shall be prohibited.
Everyone shall have the right to become acquainted with the data concerning him/her available in the state and local self-government
bodies.
Everyone shall have the right to correction of any non-verified information and elimination of the illegally obtained information about
him/her.
Everyone shall have the right to secrecy of correspondence, telephone conversations, mail, telegraph and other communications, which
may be restricted only by court decision in cases and in conformity with the procedure prescribed by the law.
Article 24
Everyone shall have the right of inviolability of the residence. Breaking into a person's residence against his/her will shall be prohibited
save in cases prescribed by the law.
The place of residence can be searched only by the decision of the court in cases and in conformity with the procedure prescribed by law.
Article 25
Everyone legally residing in the Republic Armenia shall have the right to freedom of movement and choice of residence in the territory of
the Republic Armenia.
Everyone shall have a right to leave the Republic of Armenia.
Every citizen and everyone legally residing in the Republic of Armenia shall have the right to return to the Republic of Armenia.
Article 26
Everyone shall have the right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion. This right includes freedom to change the religion or belief
and freedom to, either alone or in community with others manifest the religion or belief, through preaching, church ceremonies and other
religious rites.
The exercise of this right may be restricted only by law in the interests of the public security, health, morality or the protection of rights
and freedoms of others.
Article 27
Everyone shall have the right to freely express his/her opinion. No one shall be forced to recede or change his/her opinion.
Everyone shall have the right to freedom of expression including freedom to search for, receive and impart information and ideas by any
means of information regardless of the state frontiers.
Freedom of mass media and other means of mass information shall be guaranteed.
The state shall guarantee the existence and activities of an independent and public radio and television service offering a variety of
informational, cultural and entertaining programs.
Article 27.1
Everyone shall have the right to submit letters and recommendations to the authorized public and local self-government bodies for the
protection of his/her private and public interests and the right to receive appropriate answers to them in a reasonable time.
Article 28
Everyone shall have the right to freedom of association with others, including the right to form and to join trade unions.
Every citizen shall have a right to form political parties with other citizens and join such parties.
The rights to form parties and trade unions and join them may be restricted in a manner prescribed by law for the employees in the armed
forces, police, national security, prosecutor's office, as well as judges and members of the Constitutional Court.
No one shall be compelled to join any political party or association.
The activities of associations can be suspended or prohibited only through judicial procedure and in cases prescribed by the law.
Article 29
Everyone shall have the right to freedom of peaceful and unarmed assembly.
Restrictions on exercising these rights by the employees in the armed forces, police, national security, prosecutor's office, bodies as well
as judges and members of the Constitutional Court may be prescribed only by the law.
Article 30
Eighteen-year old citizens of the Republic of Armenia have the right to take part in the elections and referenda as well as the right to take
part in the public administration and local self-governance through their representatives chosen directly and through the expression of free
will.
The law may define the right of suffrage for the elections of the bodies of local self-government and for the local referenda for persons
who are not citizens of the Republic of Armenia.
Citizens found to be incompetent by a court decision, duly sentenced to prison or serving the sentence, shall not be entitled to vote or be
elected.
Article 30.1
A child born of citizens of the Republic of Armenia, shall be a citizen of the Republic of Armenia. Every child whose one parent a citizen
of the Republic of Armenia, shall have the right to citizenship of the Republic of Armenia.
The procedure for being granted or terminating the citizenship of the Republic of Armenia shall be defined by the law.
No person may be deprived of citizenship of the Republic of Armenia, or the right to change citizenship.
A citizen of the Republic of Armenia may not be extradited to a foreign state save for cases stipulated in the international treaties ratified
by the Republic of Armenia.
The rights and responsibilities of the persons having dual citizenship shall be defined by the law.
Article 30.2
All citizens shall have the right to equal access to public service in conformity with the procedure prescribed by the law.
The principles of and the procedure for the organizational aspects of public service shall be defined by law.
Article 31
Everyone shall have the right to freely own, use, dispose of and bequeath the property belonging to him/her. The right to property shall
not be exercised to cause damage to the environment or infringe on the rights and lawful interests of other persons, the society and the
state.
No one shall be deprived of property except for cases prescribed by law in conformity with the judicial procedure.
The private property may be alienated for the needs of the society and the state only in exclusive cases of prevailing public interests, in the
manner prescribed by the law and with prior equivalent compensation.
Foreign citizens and non-citizens shall not enjoy the right to land ownership except for cases prescribed by the law
The intellectual property shall be protected by the law.
Article 31.1
The state shall protect the interests of consumers, take measures prescribed by the law to exercise quality control over goods, services
and works
Article 32
Everyone shall have the freedom to choose his/her occupation.
Everyone shall have the right to fair remuneration in the amount no less than the minimum set by the law, as well as the right to working
conditions in compliance with the safety and hygiene requirements.
The employees shall have the right to strike for the protection of their economic, social and employment interests, the procedure and
limitations thereof shall be prescribed by the law.
The children under the age of 16 shall not be allowed to work full time. The procedure and conditions for their hiring to a part-time job
shall be defined by the law.
Compulsory employment shall be prohibited.
Article 33
Everyone shall have the right to rest.
The law shall define the maximum working hours, holidays, as well as the minimum length of annual leave.
Article 33.1
Everyone shall have the right to freedom of enterprise not prohibited by law.
Abuse of monopoly or dominant position in the market and bad-faith competition shall be prohibited.
Restriction of competition, possible forms of monopoly and their permitted sizes may be prescribed by the law.
Article 33.2
Everyone shall have the right to live in an environment favorable to his/her health and well-being and shall be obliged to protect and
improve it in person or jointly with others.
The public officials shall be held responsible for hiding information on environmental issues and denying access to it.
Article 34
Everyone shall have the right to a standard of living adequate for himself/herself and for his/her family, including housing as well as
improvement of living conditions. The state shall take the necessary measures for the exercise of this right by the citizens.
Article 35
The family is the natural and fundamental cell of the society.
Men and women of marriageable age have the right to marry and found a family according to their free will. They are entitled to equal
rights as to marriage, during marriage and divorce.
Dismissal for reasons connected with maternity is prohibited. Everyone woman-employee shall, in case of pregnancy and childbirth, have
the right to paid maternity leave and parental leave following the birth or adoption of a child.
Article 36
Parents shall have the right and obligation to take care of the education, health of as well as the full and harmonious development of their
children.
No one may be deprived of or restricted in his/her parental rights save by the decision of the court in conformity with the procedure
prescribed by the law.
Adult capable persons are obliged to take care of their parents who are incapacitated and in need of such care.
Article 37
Everyone shall have the right to social security during old age, disability, loss of bread-winner, unemployment and other cases prescribed
by the law. The extent and forms of social security shall be prescribed by the law.
Article 38
Everyone shall have the right to benefit from medical aid and service under the conditions prescribed by the law.
Everyone shall have the right to free of charge benefit from basic medical aid and services. The list and the procedure of the services shall
be prescribed by the law.
Article 39
Everyone shall have a right to education.
Basic general education shall be compulsory except the cases prescribed by law. The law may establish a higher level of compulsory
education.
The secondary education in state educational institutions is free of charge.
The law shall define the principles of autonomy in higher educational institutions.
The procedures for establishing and operations of educational institutions shall be defined by the law.
All citizens shall have the right to free higher and professional education in state higher and other professional educational institutions on
the basis of competition as prescribed by the law. In cases and in conformity with the procedure prescribed by law the state shall provide
financial and other assistance to institutions conducting higher and other professional education programs, as well as their students.
Article 40
Everyone shall have the right to freedom of literary, aesthetic, scientific and technical creation, to make use of the scientific advancement
and to participate in the cultural life of the society.
Article 41
Everyone shall have the right to preserve his or her national and ethnic identity.
Persons belonging to national minorities shall have the right to preservation and development of their traditions, religion, language and
culture.
Article 42
The fundamental human and civil rights and freedoms stipulated in the Constitution shall not exclude the other rights and freedoms
prescribed by laws and international treaties.
Everyone shall have the right to act in a way not prohibited by the law and not violating others' rights and freedoms. No one shall bear
obligations not stipulated by the law.
The laws and other legal acts exacerbating the legal status of an individual shall not be retroactive.
The legal acts improving the legal status of an individual, eliminating or mitigating his/her liability shall be retroactive if prescribed by the
acts in question.
Article 42.1
The fundamental human and civil rights and freedoms shall apply to legal persons to the extent these fundamental rights and freedoms are
applicable to them.
Article 43
The fundamental human and civil rights and freedoms set forth in Articles 23-25, 27, 28-30, 30.1, Part 3 of Article 32 may be temporarily
restricted only by the law if it is necessary in a democratic society in the interests of national security, public order, crime prevention,
protection of public health and morality, constitutional rights and freedoms, as well as honor and reputation of others.
Limitations on fundamental human and civil rights and freedoms may not exceed the scope defined by the international commitments
assumed by the Republic of Armenia.
Article 44
Special categories of fundamental human and civil rights, except for those stipulated in Articles 15, 17-22 and 42 of the Constitution may
be temporarily restricted as prescribed by the law in case of martial law or state of emergency within the scope of the assumed
international commitments on deviating from commitments in cases of emergency.
Article 45
Everyone shall be obliged to pay taxes, duties and other compulsory fees in conformity with the procedure prescribed by the law.
Article 46
Every citizen shall be obliged to take part in the defense of the Republic of Armenia in conformity with the procedure prescribed by the
law.
Article 47
Everyone shall be obliged to honor the Constitutions and laws, to respect the rights, freedoms and dignity of others.
The exercise of the rights and freedoms with the purpose of overthrow of the constitutional order, incitement to national, racial and
religious hatred, propaganda of violence or warfare shall be prohibited.
Article 48
The basic tasks of the state in the economic, social and cultural spheres are:
1) to protect and patronage the family, the motherhood and the childhood;
2) to contribute to the employment for the population and the improvement of working conditions;
3) to foster housing construction, to contribute to the improvement of every citizen's housing conditions
4) to implement health care programs for the population and contribute to the effective and affordable medical service for the population;
5) to contribute to the involvement of the youth in the political, economic and cultural life of the country;
6) to promote the physical culture and sport;
7) to carry out a policy of preventive care, treatment and integration of the handicapped ;
8) to support the development of free of charge higher and vocational education;
9) to support the development of science and culture;
10) to pursue the environmental security policy for present and future generations;
11) to support the free access for each person to national and universal values;
12) to ensure decent living standard for old persons.
The state shall, within the scope of its possibilities, be obliged to undertake necessary measures for the fulfillment of the purposes
prescribed in this Article.
Article 14
Human dignity shall be respected and protected by the state as an inviolable foundation of human rights and freedoms.
Article 14.1
Everyone shall be equal before the law.
Any discrimination based on any ground such as sex, race, colour, ethnic or social origin, genetic features, language, religion or belief,
political or any other opinion, membership of a national minority, property, birth, disability, age or other personal or social circumstances
shall be prohibited.
Article 15
Everyone shall have a right to life. No one shall be condemned to the death penalty or executed.
Article 16
Everyone shall have a right to liberty and security. A person can be deprived of or restricted in his/her liberty by the procedure defined by
law and only in the following cases:
1) a person is sentenced for committing a crime by the competent court;
2) a person has not executed a legitimate judicial act;
3) to ensure the fulfillment of certain responsibilities prescribed by the law;
4) when reasonable suspicion exists of commission of a crime or when it is necessary to prevent the commission of a crime by a person
or to prevent his/her escape after the crime has been committed;
5) to establish educational control over a minor or to present him/her to the competent body;
6) to prevent the spread of infectious diseases and other social dangers posed by mental patients, persons addicted to alcohol and drugs,
as well as vagrants;
7) to prevent the unauthorized entry of a person into the Republic of Armenia, as well as to deport or extradite him/her to a foreign
country.
Everyone who is deprived of his/her freedom shall in a language comprehensible to him/her immediately be informed of the reasons for
this and of an indictment should such be brought against him/her Everyone who is deprived of his/her freedom shall have a right to
immediately notify this to any person chosen by him/her.
If the arrested person is not detained within 72 hours by the court decision he/she must be released immediately.
Every person shall have the right to recover damages in case when he/she has illegally been deprived of freedom or subjected to search on
the grounds and by the procedure defined by the law. Every person shall have the right to appeal to a higher instance court against the
lawfulness and reasons for depriving him/her of freedom or subjecting to search.
No one shall be deprived of freedom for not honoring his/her civil and legal obligations.
No one shall be subjected to search otherwise than in conformity with the procedure prescribed by the law.
Article 17
No one shall be subjected to torture, as well as to inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment. Arrested, detained or incarcerated
persons shall be entitled to human treatment and respect of dignity.
No one shall be subjected to scientific, medical and other experiments without his/her consent.
Article 18
Everyone shall be entitled to effective legal remedies to protect his/her rights and freedoms before judicial as well as other public bodies.
Everyone shall have a right to protect his/her rights and freedoms by any means not prohibited by the law.
Everyone shall be entitled to have the support of the Human Rights' Defender for the protection of his/her rights and freedoms on the
grounds and in conformity with the procedure prescribed by law.
Everyone shall in conformity with the international treaties of the Republic of Armenia be entitled to apply to the international institutions
protecting human rights and freedoms with a request to protect his/her rights and freedoms.
Article 19
Everyone shall have a right to restore his/her violated rights, and to reveal the grounds of the charge against him/her in a fair public
hearing under the equal protection of the law and fulfilling all the demands of justice by an independent and impartial court within a
reasonable time".
The representatives of the mass media and the public may be excluded from all or part of the trial in the interests of morals, public order,
national security, protection of the private life of the participants, or if the administration of justice so require.
Article 20
Everyone shall be entitled to legal assistance. In cases prescribed by the law the legal assistance shall be provided at the expense of the
state resources.
Everyone shall have a right to the assistance of a legal defender chosen by him/her starting from the moment of his/her arrest, subjection
to a security measure or indictment.
Every convicted person shall have the right to review of the judgment passed on him/her by a higher instance court in conformity with the
procedure prescribed by the law.
Every convicted person shall have a right to request pardon or mitigation of the punishment.
All damages incurred by the victim shall be compensated in conformity with the procedure prescribed by the law.
Article 21
Everyone charged with a criminal offence shall be presumed innocent until proved guilty by the court judgment lawfully entered into force
as prescribed by law.
The defendant shall not be obliged to prove his/her innocence. The remaining suspicions shall be interpreted in favor of the defendant.
Article 22
No one shall be obliged to testify about himself/herself, his/her spouse or close relatives. The law may prescribe other cases of release
from the obligation to testify.
The use of illegally obtained evidence is prohibited.
Imposing of a heavier punishment than the one prescribed by the law in effect at the time when the crime was committed shall be
prohibited.
No one shall be held guilty for a crime on account of any act which did not constitute a crime under the law in effect at the time when it
was committed.
The law eliminating or mitigating the punishment for the offence shall be retroactive.
The law prescribing or increasing liability shall not be retroactive.
No one shall be tried twice for one and the same act.
Article 23
Everyone shall have the right to respect for his private and family life.
The collection, maintenance, use or dissemination of any information about the person other than that stipulated by the law without the
person's consent shall be prohibited. The use and dissemination of information relating to the person for purposes contravening the aims
of their collection or not provided for by the law shall be prohibited.
Everyone shall have the right to become acquainted with the data concerning him/her available in the state and local self-government
bodies.
Everyone shall have the right to correction of any non-verified information and elimination of the illegally obtained information about
him/her.
Everyone shall have the right to secrecy of correspondence, telephone conversations, mail, telegraph and other communications, which
may be restricted only by court decision in cases and in conformity with the procedure prescribed by the law.
Article 24
Everyone shall have the right of inviolability of the residence. Breaking into a person's residence against his/her will shall be prohibited
save in cases prescribed by the law.
The place of residence can be searched only by the decision of the court in cases and in conformity with the procedure prescribed by law.
Article 25
Everyone legally residing in the Republic Armenia shall have the right to freedom of movement and choice of residence in the territory of
the Republic Armenia.
Everyone shall have a right to leave the Republic of Armenia.
Every citizen and everyone legally residing in the Republic of Armenia shall have the right to return to the Republic of Armenia.
Article 26
Everyone shall have the right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion. This right includes freedom to change the religion or belief
and freedom to, either alone or in community with others manifest the religion or belief, through preaching, church ceremonies and other
religious rites.
The exercise of this right may be restricted only by law in the interests of the public security, health, morality or the protection of rights
and freedoms of others.
Article 27
Everyone shall have the right to freely express his/her opinion. No one shall be forced to recede or change his/her opinion.
Everyone shall have the right to freedom of expression including freedom to search for, receive and impart information and ideas by any
means of information regardless of the state frontiers.
Freedom of mass media and other means of mass information shall be guaranteed.
The state shall guarantee the existence and activities of an independent and public radio and television service offering a variety of
informational, cultural and entertaining programs.
Article 27.1
Everyone shall have the right to submit letters and recommendations to the authorized public and local self-government bodies for the
protection of his/her private and public interests and the right to receive appropriate answers to them in a reasonable time.
Article 28
Everyone shall have the right to freedom of association with others, including the right to form and to join trade unions.
Every citizen shall have a right to form political parties with other citizens and join such parties.
The rights to form parties and trade unions and join them may be restricted in a manner prescribed by law for the employees in the armed
forces, police, national security, prosecutor's office, as well as judges and members of the Constitutional Court.
No one shall be compelled to join any political party or association.
The activities of associations can be suspended or prohibited only through judicial procedure and in cases prescribed by the law.
Article 29
Everyone shall have the right to freedom of peaceful and unarmed assembly.
Restrictions on exercising these rights by the employees in the armed forces, police, national security, prosecutor's office, bodies as well
as judges and members of the Constitutional Court may be prescribed only by the law.
Article 30
Eighteen-year old citizens of the Republic of Armenia have the right to take part in the elections and referenda as well as the right to take
part in the public administration and local self-governance through their representatives chosen directly and through the expression of free
will.
The law may define the right of suffrage for the elections of the bodies of local self-government and for the local referenda for persons
who are not citizens of the Republic of Armenia.
Citizens found to be incompetent by a court decision, duly sentenced to prison or serving the sentence, shall not be entitled to vote or be
elected.
Article 30.1
A child born of citizens of the Republic of Armenia, shall be a citizen of the Republic of Armenia. Every child whose one parent a citizen
of the Republic of Armenia, shall have the right to citizenship of the Republic of Armenia.
The procedure for being granted or terminating the citizenship of the Republic of Armenia shall be defined by the law.
No person may be deprived of citizenship of the Republic of Armenia, or the right to change citizenship.
A citizen of the Republic of Armenia may not be extradited to a foreign state save for cases stipulated in the international treaties ratified
by the Republic of Armenia.
The rights and responsibilities of the persons having dual citizenship shall be defined by the law.
Article 30.2
All citizens shall have the right to equal access to public service in conformity with the procedure prescribed by the law.
The principles of and the procedure for the organizational aspects of public service shall be defined by law.
Article 31
Everyone shall have the right to freely own, use, dispose of and bequeath the property belonging to him/her. The right to property shall
not be exercised to cause damage to the environment or infringe on the rights and lawful interests of other persons, the society and the
state.
No one shall be deprived of property except for cases prescribed by law in conformity with the judicial procedure.
The private property may be alienated for the needs of the society and the state only in exclusive cases of prevailing public interests, in the
manner prescribed by the law and with prior equivalent compensation.
Foreign citizens and non-citizens shall not enjoy the right to land ownership except for cases prescribed by the law
The intellectual property shall be protected by the law.
Article 31.1
The state shall protect the interests of consumers, take measures prescribed by the law to exercise quality control over goods, services
and works
Article 32
Everyone shall have the freedom to choose his/her occupation.
Everyone shall have the right to fair remuneration in the amount no less than the minimum set by the law, as well as the right to working
conditions in compliance with the safety and hygiene requirements.
The employees shall have the right to strike for the protection of their economic, social and employment interests, the procedure and
limitations thereof shall be prescribed by the law.
The children under the age of 16 shall not be allowed to work full time. The procedure and conditions for their hiring to a part-time job
shall be defined by the law.
Compulsory employment shall be prohibited.
Article 33
Everyone shall have the right to rest.
The law shall define the maximum working hours, holidays, as well as the minimum length of annual leave.
Article 33.1
Everyone shall have the right to freedom of enterprise not prohibited by law.
Abuse of monopoly or dominant position in the market and bad-faith competition shall be prohibited.
Restriction of competition, possible forms of monopoly and their permitted sizes may be prescribed by the law.
Article 33.2
Everyone shall have the right to live in an environment favorable to his/her health and well-being and shall be obliged to protect and
improve it in person or jointly with others.
The public officials shall be held responsible for hiding information on environmental issues and denying access to it.
Article 34
Everyone shall have the right to a standard of living adequate for himself/herself and for his/her family, including housing as well as
improvement of living conditions. The state shall take the necessary measures for the exercise of this right by the citizens.
Article 35
The family is the natural and fundamental cell of the society.
Men and women of marriageable age have the right to marry and found a family according to their free will. They are entitled to equal
rights as to marriage, during marriage and divorce.
Dismissal for reasons connected with maternity is prohibited. Everyone woman-employee shall, in case of pregnancy and childbirth, have
the right to paid maternity leave and parental leave following the birth or adoption of a child.
Article 36
Parents shall have the right and obligation to take care of the education, health of as well as the full and harmonious development of their
children.
No one may be deprived of or restricted in his/her parental rights save by the decision of the court in conformity with the procedure
prescribed by the law.
Adult capable persons are obliged to take care of their parents who are incapacitated and in need of such care.
Article 37
Everyone shall have the right to social security during old age, disability, loss of bread-winner, unemployment and other cases prescribed
by the law. The extent and forms of social security shall be prescribed by the law.
Article 38
Everyone shall have the right to benefit from medical aid and service under the conditions prescribed by the law.
Everyone shall have the right to free of charge benefit from basic medical aid and services. The list and the procedure of the services shall
be prescribed by the law.
Article 39
Everyone shall have a right to education.
Basic general education shall be compulsory except the cases prescribed by law. The law may establish a higher level of compulsory
education.
The secondary education in state educational institutions is free of charge.
The law shall define the principles of autonomy in higher educational institutions.
The procedures for establishing and operations of educational institutions shall be defined by the law.
All citizens shall have the right to free higher and professional education in state higher and other professional educational institutions on
the basis of competition as prescribed by the law. In cases and in conformity with the procedure prescribed by law the state shall provide
financial and other assistance to institutions conducting higher and other professional education programs, as well as their students.
Article 40
Everyone shall have the right to freedom of literary, aesthetic, scientific and technical creation, to make use of the scientific advancement
and to participate in the cultural life of the society.
Article 41
Everyone shall have the right to preserve his or her national and ethnic identity.
Persons belonging to national minorities shall have the right to preservation and development of their traditions, religion, language and
culture.
Article 42
The fundamental human and civil rights and freedoms stipulated in the Constitution shall not exclude the other rights and freedoms
prescribed by laws and international treaties.
Everyone shall have the right to act in a way not prohibited by the law and not violating others' rights and freedoms. No one shall bear
obligations not stipulated by the law.
The laws and other legal acts exacerbating the legal status of an individual shall not be retroactive.
The legal acts improving the legal status of an individual, eliminating or mitigating his/her liability shall be retroactive if prescribed by the
acts in question.
Article 42.1
The fundamental human and civil rights and freedoms shall apply to legal persons to the extent these fundamental rights and freedoms are
applicable to them.
Article 43
The fundamental human and civil rights and freedoms set forth in Articles 23-25, 27, 28-30, 30.1, Part 3 of Article 32 may be temporarily
restricted only by the law if it is necessary in a democratic society in the interests of national security, public order, crime prevention,
protection of public health and morality, constitutional rights and freedoms, as well as honor and reputation of others.
Limitations on fundamental human and civil rights and freedoms may not exceed the scope defined by the international commitments
assumed by the Republic of Armenia.
Article 44
Special categories of fundamental human and civil rights, except for those stipulated in Articles 15, 17-22 and 42 of the Constitution may
be temporarily restricted as prescribed by the law in case of martial law or state of emergency within the scope of the assumed
international commitments on deviating from commitments in cases of emergency.
Article 45
Everyone shall be obliged to pay taxes, duties and other compulsory fees in conformity with the procedure prescribed by the law.
Article 46
Every citizen shall be obliged to take part in the defense of the Republic of Armenia in conformity with the procedure prescribed by the
law.
Article 47
Everyone shall be obliged to honor the Constitutions and laws, to respect the rights, freedoms and dignity of others.
The exercise of the rights and freedoms with the purpose of overthrow of the constitutional order, incitement to national, racial and
religious hatred, propaganda of violence or warfare shall be prohibited.
Article 48
The basic tasks of the state in the economic, social and cultural spheres are:
1) to protect and patronage the family, the motherhood and the childhood;
2) to contribute to the employment for the population and the improvement of working conditions;
3) to foster housing construction, to contribute to the improvement of every citizen's housing conditions
4) to implement health care programs for the population and contribute to the effective and affordable medical service for the population;
5) to contribute to the involvement of the youth in the political, economic and cultural life of the country;
6) to promote the physical culture and sport;
7) to carry out a policy of preventive care, treatment and integration of the handicapped ;
8) to support the development of free of charge higher and vocational education;
9) to support the development of science and culture;
10) to pursue the environmental security policy for present and future generations;
11) to support the free access for each person to national and universal values;
12) to ensure decent living standard for old persons.
The state shall, within the scope of its possibilities, be obliged to undertake necessary measures for the fulfillment of the purposes
prescribed in this Article.
Armenian culture spans anywhere from 7,000 to 13,000 years and is one of the oldest Indo-European
subgroups. The existence of Armenia as a cultural entity began with the proto-Armenian tribes such as
the Hayasa-Azzi and the Armens. After the crumbling of Alexander the Great's empire, the Orontid
dynasty established itself in Armenia. Later on, with the Artaxiad dynasty (190 BCE), the Armenians
affirmed themselves as a fearsome nation of the Roman East. Moreover, under the leadership of
Tigranes II, they successfully established an empire. In 301, Armenia became the first sovereign nation to
officially accept Christianity as a state religion. The Armenian Apostolic Church later became a great
defender of Armenian nationalism. The Armenians later fell under Byzantine, Persian, and Islamic
hegemony, but reinstated their independence with the Bagratuni Dynasty kingdom of Armenia, rival to
nearby Atropatene. After the fall of the kingdom in 1045, and the subsequent Seljuk conquest of Armenia
in 1064, the Armenians established a kingdom in Cilicia, where they established cordial relations with the
Europeans and prolonged their existence as an independent entity to 1375. Greater Armenia was later
divided between the Ottoman Empire and Russia. Armenians then suffered in the genocide that was
inflicted on them by the Ottomans. As a result, 1.5 million Armenians were killed, and the rest of the
Western Armenians were dispersed throughout the world via Syria and Lebanon. Armenia, from then on
corresponding to much of Eastern Armenia, once again gained independence on 28 May 1918, with the
establishment of the Democratic Republic of Armenia. The were absorbed by the Soviet Union in 1922
when the Bolsheviks marched against the Turks. On 21 September 1991, Armenia declared its
independence from the Soviet Union with the Republic of Armenia. The present constitution was adopted
by nationwide referendum 5 July 1995 with amendments adopted through a nationwide referendum 27
November 2005. Human rights are enumerated in CHAPTER 2. FUNDAMENTAL HUMAN AND
CIVIL RIGHTS AND FREEDOMS and conform with the 1948 Universal Declaration of Human Rights,
of which Armenia is a signatory. Following are those articles specifically pertaining to human rights. For a
full English translation of Armenia's constitution, click here.
subgroups. The existence of Armenia as a cultural entity began with the proto-Armenian tribes such as
the Hayasa-Azzi and the Armens. After the crumbling of Alexander the Great's empire, the Orontid
dynasty established itself in Armenia. Later on, with the Artaxiad dynasty (190 BCE), the Armenians
affirmed themselves as a fearsome nation of the Roman East. Moreover, under the leadership of
Tigranes II, they successfully established an empire. In 301, Armenia became the first sovereign nation to
officially accept Christianity as a state religion. The Armenian Apostolic Church later became a great
defender of Armenian nationalism. The Armenians later fell under Byzantine, Persian, and Islamic
hegemony, but reinstated their independence with the Bagratuni Dynasty kingdom of Armenia, rival to
nearby Atropatene. After the fall of the kingdom in 1045, and the subsequent Seljuk conquest of Armenia
in 1064, the Armenians established a kingdom in Cilicia, where they established cordial relations with the
Europeans and prolonged their existence as an independent entity to 1375. Greater Armenia was later
divided between the Ottoman Empire and Russia. Armenians then suffered in the genocide that was
inflicted on them by the Ottomans. As a result, 1.5 million Armenians were killed, and the rest of the
Western Armenians were dispersed throughout the world via Syria and Lebanon. Armenia, from then on
corresponding to much of Eastern Armenia, once again gained independence on 28 May 1918, with the
establishment of the Democratic Republic of Armenia. The were absorbed by the Soviet Union in 1922
when the Bolsheviks marched against the Turks. On 21 September 1991, Armenia declared its
independence from the Soviet Union with the Republic of Armenia. The present constitution was adopted
by nationwide referendum 5 July 1995 with amendments adopted through a nationwide referendum 27
November 2005. Human rights are enumerated in CHAPTER 2. FUNDAMENTAL HUMAN AND
CIVIL RIGHTS AND FREEDOMS and conform with the 1948 Universal Declaration of Human Rights,
of which Armenia is a signatory. Following are those articles specifically pertaining to human rights. For a
full English translation of Armenia's constitution, click here.