| LIBYA Libyan Republic Al Jumahiriyah al Libiyah Joined United Nations: 14 December 1955 Human Rights as assured by their constitution Updated 06 April 2013 |
Part Two
Rights and Public Freedoms
Article (7)
Human rights and his basic freedoms shall be respected by the State. The state shall commit itself to join the international and regional
declarations and charters which protect such rights and freedoms. The State shall endeavor to promulgate new charters which shall honor
the human being as being God's successor on Earth.
Article (8)
The State shall guarantee for every citizen equal opportunities and shall provide an appropriate standard of living. The State shall also
guarantee the right of work, education, medical care, and social security, the right of intellectual and private property. The State shall
further guarantee the fair distribution of national wealth among citizens, and among the different cities and districts thereof.
Article (9)
Defense of the motherland, safeguarding national unity, keeping the civil, constitutional and democratic system, abiding by civil values,
combating tribal, kindred and eminent bias shall be the duty of each and every citizen.
Article (10)
The State shall guarantee the right of asylum by virtue of the law. The extradition of political refugees shall be prohibited.
Article (11)
Dwelling houses and homes shall have their sanctity and they may not be entered or inspected except in cases prescribed by the law and
according to the manner set forth therein. Caring for the public and private funds shall be duty of each and every citizen.
Article (12)
The law shall protect the inviolability of the private life of citizens and the State shall not spy on the same except by a causal judicial
warrant in accordance with the provisions of the law.
Article (13)
Correspondence, telephone calls and other means of communication shall have their own sanctity and their secrecy shall be guaranteed.
They may not be confiscated or monitored except by a causal judicial warrant and for a definite period in accordance with the provisions
of the law.
Article (14)
Freedom of opinion for individuals and groups, freedom of scientific research, freedom of communication, liberty of the press, printing,
publication and mass media, freedom of movement, freedom of assembly, freedom of demonstration and freedom of peaceful strike shall
be guaranteed by the State in accordance with the law.
Article (15)
The State shall guarantee the freedom of forming political parties, societies and other civil societies, and a law shall be promulgated to
regulate same. The establishment of clandestine or armed societies, or societies in violation of public system or of public morals and
others which may be detriment to the State or the unity of the State shall be prohibited.
Article (16)
Property shall be inviolable. No owner may be prevented from disposing of his property except within the limits of the law.
Rights and Public Freedoms
Article (7)
Human rights and his basic freedoms shall be respected by the State. The state shall commit itself to join the international and regional
declarations and charters which protect such rights and freedoms. The State shall endeavor to promulgate new charters which shall honor
the human being as being God's successor on Earth.
Article (8)
The State shall guarantee for every citizen equal opportunities and shall provide an appropriate standard of living. The State shall also
guarantee the right of work, education, medical care, and social security, the right of intellectual and private property. The State shall
further guarantee the fair distribution of national wealth among citizens, and among the different cities and districts thereof.
Article (9)
Defense of the motherland, safeguarding national unity, keeping the civil, constitutional and democratic system, abiding by civil values,
combating tribal, kindred and eminent bias shall be the duty of each and every citizen.
Article (10)
The State shall guarantee the right of asylum by virtue of the law. The extradition of political refugees shall be prohibited.
Article (11)
Dwelling houses and homes shall have their sanctity and they may not be entered or inspected except in cases prescribed by the law and
according to the manner set forth therein. Caring for the public and private funds shall be duty of each and every citizen.
Article (12)
The law shall protect the inviolability of the private life of citizens and the State shall not spy on the same except by a causal judicial
warrant in accordance with the provisions of the law.
Article (13)
Correspondence, telephone calls and other means of communication shall have their own sanctity and their secrecy shall be guaranteed.
They may not be confiscated or monitored except by a causal judicial warrant and for a definite period in accordance with the provisions
of the law.
Article (14)
Freedom of opinion for individuals and groups, freedom of scientific research, freedom of communication, liberty of the press, printing,
publication and mass media, freedom of movement, freedom of assembly, freedom of demonstration and freedom of peaceful strike shall
be guaranteed by the State in accordance with the law.
Article (15)
The State shall guarantee the freedom of forming political parties, societies and other civil societies, and a law shall be promulgated to
regulate same. The establishment of clandestine or armed societies, or societies in violation of public system or of public morals and
others which may be detriment to the State or the unity of the State shall be prohibited.
Article (16)
Property shall be inviolable. No owner may be prevented from disposing of his property except within the limits of the law.
In the age of antiquity Libya existed as the separate states of Tripolitania and Cyrenaica and
was successively ruled by Phoenicians, Carthaginians, Alexander The Great, Egypt,
Romans, Vandals and the Byzantine Empire. Islamic Arab armies conquered Libya,
transferring power from the Byzantine Empire into the hands of the Ummayad caliph. In 750
the Abbasid Dynasty overthrew Ummayad and ruled from Baghdad, transferring power to
the Aghlabid Dynasty who dominated the region as an autonomous state. Spain conquered
Libya in 1510, transferring control to the Knights of Malta in 1528. In 1538, the pirate-king
Barbarossa reconquered Libya dubbing the area the Barbary Coast which remained
autonomous from the Ottoman Empire until conquered by the Karamanli Dynasty in 1711.
The Ottomans asserted authority in 1835 but, upon the collapse of the Empire, Italy invaded
in 1911 and colonized Libya until 1947 when Libya became the world's first United Nations'
protectorate to achieve independence. Independence was achieved with the establishment
of a Constitutional Monarchy on 24 December 1951. Following the September 1969 military
overthrow of the Libyan government, the Revolutionary Command Council replaced the
existing constitution with the Constitutional Proclamation in December 1969. During the
Arab Spring uprising, Libya became embroiled in a civil war which toppled the Qadhafi
government. On 08 March 2011 The Transitional National Council promulgated a "Draft
Constitutional Charter For the Transitional Stage" to serve until a Constituent Assembly can
draft and adopt a new constitution. Human rights are enumerated beginning with Part Two
Rights and Public Freedoms, conform with the 1948 Universal Declaration of Human Rights
of which Libya is a signatory and are detailed below. For a full English translation of Libya's
Constitutional Proclamation, click here.
was successively ruled by Phoenicians, Carthaginians, Alexander The Great, Egypt,
Romans, Vandals and the Byzantine Empire. Islamic Arab armies conquered Libya,
transferring power from the Byzantine Empire into the hands of the Ummayad caliph. In 750
the Abbasid Dynasty overthrew Ummayad and ruled from Baghdad, transferring power to
the Aghlabid Dynasty who dominated the region as an autonomous state. Spain conquered
Libya in 1510, transferring control to the Knights of Malta in 1528. In 1538, the pirate-king
Barbarossa reconquered Libya dubbing the area the Barbary Coast which remained
autonomous from the Ottoman Empire until conquered by the Karamanli Dynasty in 1711.
The Ottomans asserted authority in 1835 but, upon the collapse of the Empire, Italy invaded
in 1911 and colonized Libya until 1947 when Libya became the world's first United Nations'
protectorate to achieve independence. Independence was achieved with the establishment
of a Constitutional Monarchy on 24 December 1951. Following the September 1969 military
overthrow of the Libyan government, the Revolutionary Command Council replaced the
existing constitution with the Constitutional Proclamation in December 1969. During the
Arab Spring uprising, Libya became embroiled in a civil war which toppled the Qadhafi
government. On 08 March 2011 The Transitional National Council promulgated a "Draft
Constitutional Charter For the Transitional Stage" to serve until a Constituent Assembly can
draft and adopt a new constitution. Human rights are enumerated beginning with Part Two
Rights and Public Freedoms, conform with the 1948 Universal Declaration of Human Rights
of which Libya is a signatory and are detailed below. For a full English translation of Libya's
Constitutional Proclamation, click here.