| LITHUANIA Republic of Lithuania Lietuvos Respublika Joined United Nations: 17 September 1991 Human Rights as assured by their constitution Updated 24 December 2012 |
Chapter 2 The Individual and the State
Article 18
The rights and freedoms of individuals shall be inborn.
Article 19
The right to life of individuals shall be protected by law.
Article 20
(1) Personal freedom shall be inviolable.
(2) No person may be arbitrarily arrested or detained. No person may be deprived of freedom except on the bases, and according to the
procedures, which have been established in laws.
(3) A person detained in flagrante delicto must, within 48 hours, be brought to court for the purpose of determining, in the presence of
the detainee, the validity of the detention. In the event that the court does not pass a decision to arrest the person, the detained individual
shall be released immediately.
Article 21
(1) The person shall be inviolable.
(2) Human dignity shall be protected by law.
(3) It shall be prohibited to torture, injure, degrade, or maltreat a person, as well as to establish such punishments.
(4) No person may be subjected to scientific or medical testing without his or her knowledge thereof and consent thereto.
Article 22
(1) The private life of an individual shall be inviolable.
(2) Personal correspondence, telephone conversations, telegraph messages, and other intercommunications shall be inviolable.
(3) Information concerning the private life of an individual may be collected only upon a justified court order and in accordance with the
law.
(4) The law and the court shall protect individuals from arbitrary or unlawful interference in their private or family life, and from
encroachment upon their honor and dignity.
Article 23
(1) Property shall be inviolable.
(2) The rights of ownership shall be protected by law.
(3) Property may only be seized for the needs of society according to the procedure established by law and must be adequately
compensated for.
Article 24
(1) A person's dwelling place shall be inviolable.
(2) Without the consent of the resident(s), entrance into a dwelling place shall only be permitted upon a corresponding court order, or
according to the procedure established by law when the objective of such an action is to protect public order, apprehend a criminal, or
save a person's life, health, or property.
Article 25
(1) Individuals shall have the right to have their own convictions and freely express them.
(2) Individuals must not be hindered from seeking, obtaining, or disseminating information or ideas.
(3) Freedom to express convictions, as well as to obtain and disseminate information, may not be restricted in any way other than as
established by law, when it is necessary for the safeguard of the health, honor and dignity, private life, or morals of a person, or for the
protection of constitutional order.
(4) Freedom to express convictions or impart information shall be incompatible with criminal actions - the instigation of national, racial,
religious, or social hatred, violence, or
discrimination, the dissemination of slander, or misinformation.
(5) Citizens shall have the right to obtain any available information which concerns them from State agencies in the manner established by
law.
Article 26
(1) Freedom of thought, conscience, and religion shall not be restricted.
(2) Every person shall have the right to freely choose any religion or faith and, either individually or with others, in public or in private, to
manifest his or her religion or faith in worship, observance, practice or teaching.
(3) No person may coerce another person or be subject to coercion to adopt or profess any religion or faith.
(4) A person's freedom to profess and propagate his or her religion or faith may be subject only to those limitations prescribed by law and
only when such restrictions are necessary to protect the safety of society, public order, a person's health or morals, or the fundamental
rights and freedoms of others.
(5) Parents and legal guardians shall have the liberty to ensure the religious and moral education of their children in conformity with their
own convictions.
Article 27
A person's convictions, professed religion or faith may justify neither the commission of a crime nor the violation of law.
Article 28
While exercising their rights and freedoms, persons must observe the Constitution and the laws of the Republic of Lithuania, and must not
impair the rights and interests of other people.
Article 29
(1) All people shall be equal before the law, the court, and other State institutions and officers.
(2) A person may not have his rights restricted in any way, or be granted any privileges, on the basis of his or her sex, race, nationality,
language, origin, social status, religion, convictions, or opinions.
Article 30
(1) Any person whose constitutional rights or freedoms are violated shall have the right to appeal to court.
(2) The law shall establish the procedure for compensating material and moral damage inflicted on a person.
Article 31
(1) Every person shall be presumed innocent until proven guilty according to the procedure established by law and until declared guilty by
an effective court sentence.
(2) Every indicted person shall have the right to a fair and public hearing by an independent and impartial court. Persons cannot be
compelled to give evidence against themselves or against their family members or close relatives.
(3) Punishments may only be administered or applied on the basis of law.
(4) No person may be punished for the same offence twice.
(5) From the moment of arrest or first interrogation, persons suspected or accused of a crime shall be guaranteed the right to defence and
legal counsel.
Article 32
(1) Citizens may move and choose their place of residence in Lithuania freely, and may leave Lithuania at their own will.
(2) This right may not be restricted except as provided by law
and if it is necessary for the protection of State security or the health of the people, or to administer justice.
(3) A citizen may not be prohibited from returning to Lithuania.
(4) Every Lithuanian person may settle in Lithuania.
Article 33
(1) Citizens shall have the right to participate in the government of their State both directly and through their freely elected representatives,
and shall have the equal opportunity to serve in a State office of the Republic of Lithuania.
(2) Each citizen shall be guaranteed the right to criticize the work of State institutions and their officers, and to appeal against their
decisions. It shall be prohibited to persecute people for criticism.
(3) Citizens shall be guaranteed the right to petition; the procedure for implementing this right shall be established by law.
Article 34
(1) Citizens who, on the day of election, are 18 years of age or over, shall have the right to vote in the election.
(2) The right to be elected shall be established by the Constitution of the Republic of Lithuania and by the election laws.
(3) Citizens who are declared legally incapable by court shall not participate in elections.
Article 35
(1) Citizens shall be guaranteed the right to freely form societies, political parties, and associations, provided that the aims and activities
thereof do not contradict the Constitution and laws.
(2) No person may be forced to belong to any society, political party, or association.
(3) The founding and functioning of political parties and other political and public organization shall be regulated by law.
Article 36
(1) Citizens may not be prohibited or hindered from assembling in unarmed peaceful meetings.
(2) This right may not be subjected to any restrictions except those which are provided by law and are necessary to protect the security
of the State or the community, public order, people's health or morals, or the rights and freedoms of other persons.
Article 37
Citizens who belong to ethnic communities shall have the right to foster their language, culture, and customs.
Chapter 3 Society and the State
Article 38
(1) The family shall be the basis of society and the State.
(2) Family, motherhood, fatherhood, and childhood shall be under the care and protection of the State.
(3) Marriage shall be entered into upon the free consent of man and woman.
(4) The State shall register marriages, births, and deaths. The State shall also recognize marriages registered in church.
(5) In the family, spouses shall have equal rights.
(6) The right and duty of parents is to bring up their children to be honest individuals and loyal citizens, as well as to support them until
they come of age.
(7) The duty of children is to respect their parents, to care for them in old age, and to preserve their heritage.
Article 39
(1) The State shall take care of families bringing up children at home, and shall render them support in the manner established by law.
(2) The law shall provide for paid maternity leave before and after childbirth, as well as for favorable working conditions and other
privileges.
(3) Children who are under age shall be protected by law.
Article 40
(1) State and local government establishments of teaching and education shall be secular. At the request of parents, they shall offer
classes in religious instruction.
(2) Non-governmental teaching and educational institutions may be established according to the procedure established by law.
(3) Institutions of higher learning shall be granted autonomy.
(4) The State shall supervise the activities of establishments of teaching and education.
Article 41
(1) Education shall be compulsory for persons under the age of 16.
(2) Education at State and local government secondary, vocational, and higher schools shall be free of charge.
(3) Everyone shall have an equal opportunity to attain higher education according to their individual abilities. Citizens who demonstrate
suitable academic progress shall be guaranteed education at establishments of higher education free of charge.
Article 42
(1) Culture, science, research and teaching shall be unrestricted.
(2) The State shall support culture and science, and shall be concerned with the protection of Lithuanian history, art, and other cultural
monuments and valuables.
(3) The law shall protect and defend the spiritual and material interests of authors which are related to scientific, technical, cultural, and
artistic work.
Article 43
(1) The State shall recognize traditional Lithuanian churches and religious organizations, as well as other churches and religious
organizations provided that they have a basis in society and their teaching and rituals do not contradict morality or the law.
(2) Churches and religious organizations recognized by the State shall have the rights of legal persons.
(3) Churches and religious organizations shall freely proclaim the teaching of their faith, perform the rituals of their belief, and have
houses of prayer, charity institutions, and educational institutions for the training of priests of their faith.
(4) Churches and religious organizations shall function freely according to their canons and statutes.
(5) The status of churches and other religious organizations in the State shall be established by agreement or by law.
(6) The teachings proclaimed by churches and other religious organizations, other religious activities, and houses of prayer may not be
used for purposes which contradict the Constitution and the law.
(7) There shall not be a State religion in Lithuania.
Article 44
(1) Censorship of mass media shall be prohibited.
(2) The State, political parties, political and public organizations, and other institutions or persons may not monopolize means of mass
media.
Article 45
Ethnic communities of citizens shall independently administer the affairs of their ethnic culture, education, organizations, charity, and
mutual assistance. The State shall support ethnic communities.
Chapter 4 National Economy and Labor
Article 46
(1) Lithuania's economy shall be based on the right to private ownership, freedom of individual economic activity, and initiative.
(2) The State shall support economic efforts and initiative which are useful to the community.
(3) The State shall regulate economic activity so that it serves the general welfare of the people.
(4) The law shall prohibit monopolization of production and the market, and shall protect freedom of fair competition.
(5) The State shall defend the interests of the consumers.
Article 47
(1) Land, internal waters, forests, and parks may only belong to the citizens and the State of the Republic of Lithuania by the right of
ownership.
(2) Plots of land may belong to a foreign state by the right of ownership for the establishment of its diplomatic and consular missions in
accordance with the procedure and conditions established by law.
(3) The right of ownership of entrails of the earth, as well as nationally significant internal waters, forests, parks, roads, and historical,
archaeological and cultural facilities shall exclusively belong to the Republic of Lithuania
(4) The Republic of Lithuania shall have the exclusive ownership right to the air-space over its territory, its continental shelf, and the
economic zone in the Baltic Sea.
Article 48
(1) Every person may freely choose an occupation or business, and shall have the right to adequate, safe and healthy working conditions,
adequate compensation for work, and social security in the event of unemployment.
(2) The employment of foreigners in the Republic of Lithuania shall be regulated by law.
(3) Forced labor shall be prohibited.
(4) Military service or alternative service, as well as labor which is executed during war, natural calamity, epidemic, or other urgent
circumstances, shall not be deemed as forced labor.
(5) Labor which is performed by convicts in places of confinement and which is regulated by law shall not be deemed as forced labor
either.
Article 49
(1) Every person shall have the right to rest and leisure, as well as to annual paid holidays.
(2) Working hours shall be established by law.
Article 50
(1) Trade unions shall be freely established and shall function independently. They shall defend the professional, economic, and social
rights and interests of employees.
(2) All trade unions shall have equal rights.
Article 51
(1) Employees shall have the right to strike in order to protect their economic and social interests.
(2) The restrictions of this right, and the conditions and procedures for the implementation thereof shall be established by law.
Article 52
The State shall guarantee the right of citizens to old age and disability pension, as well as to social assistance in the event of
unemployment, sickness, widowhood, loss of breadwinner, and other cases provided by law.
Article 53
(1) The State shall take care of people's health and shall guarantee medical aid and services in the event of sickness. The procedure for
providing medical aid to citizens free of charge at State medical facilities shall be established by law.
(2) The State shall promote physical culture of the society and shall support sports.
(3) The State and each individual must protect the environment from harmful influences.
Article 54
(1) The State shall concern itself with the protection of the natural environment, its fauna and flora, separate objects of nature and
particularly valuable districts, and shall supervise the moderate utilization of natural resources as well as their restoration and augmentation.
(2) The exhaustion of land and entrails of the earth, the pollution of waters and air, the production of radioactive impact, as well as the
impoverishment of fauna and flora, shall be prohibited by law.
Article 18
The rights and freedoms of individuals shall be inborn.
Article 19
The right to life of individuals shall be protected by law.
Article 20
(1) Personal freedom shall be inviolable.
(2) No person may be arbitrarily arrested or detained. No person may be deprived of freedom except on the bases, and according to the
procedures, which have been established in laws.
(3) A person detained in flagrante delicto must, within 48 hours, be brought to court for the purpose of determining, in the presence of
the detainee, the validity of the detention. In the event that the court does not pass a decision to arrest the person, the detained individual
shall be released immediately.
Article 21
(1) The person shall be inviolable.
(2) Human dignity shall be protected by law.
(3) It shall be prohibited to torture, injure, degrade, or maltreat a person, as well as to establish such punishments.
(4) No person may be subjected to scientific or medical testing without his or her knowledge thereof and consent thereto.
Article 22
(1) The private life of an individual shall be inviolable.
(2) Personal correspondence, telephone conversations, telegraph messages, and other intercommunications shall be inviolable.
(3) Information concerning the private life of an individual may be collected only upon a justified court order and in accordance with the
law.
(4) The law and the court shall protect individuals from arbitrary or unlawful interference in their private or family life, and from
encroachment upon their honor and dignity.
Article 23
(1) Property shall be inviolable.
(2) The rights of ownership shall be protected by law.
(3) Property may only be seized for the needs of society according to the procedure established by law and must be adequately
compensated for.
Article 24
(1) A person's dwelling place shall be inviolable.
(2) Without the consent of the resident(s), entrance into a dwelling place shall only be permitted upon a corresponding court order, or
according to the procedure established by law when the objective of such an action is to protect public order, apprehend a criminal, or
save a person's life, health, or property.
Article 25
(1) Individuals shall have the right to have their own convictions and freely express them.
(2) Individuals must not be hindered from seeking, obtaining, or disseminating information or ideas.
(3) Freedom to express convictions, as well as to obtain and disseminate information, may not be restricted in any way other than as
established by law, when it is necessary for the safeguard of the health, honor and dignity, private life, or morals of a person, or for the
protection of constitutional order.
(4) Freedom to express convictions or impart information shall be incompatible with criminal actions - the instigation of national, racial,
religious, or social hatred, violence, or
discrimination, the dissemination of slander, or misinformation.
(5) Citizens shall have the right to obtain any available information which concerns them from State agencies in the manner established by
law.
Article 26
(1) Freedom of thought, conscience, and religion shall not be restricted.
(2) Every person shall have the right to freely choose any religion or faith and, either individually or with others, in public or in private, to
manifest his or her religion or faith in worship, observance, practice or teaching.
(3) No person may coerce another person or be subject to coercion to adopt or profess any religion or faith.
(4) A person's freedom to profess and propagate his or her religion or faith may be subject only to those limitations prescribed by law and
only when such restrictions are necessary to protect the safety of society, public order, a person's health or morals, or the fundamental
rights and freedoms of others.
(5) Parents and legal guardians shall have the liberty to ensure the religious and moral education of their children in conformity with their
own convictions.
Article 27
A person's convictions, professed religion or faith may justify neither the commission of a crime nor the violation of law.
Article 28
While exercising their rights and freedoms, persons must observe the Constitution and the laws of the Republic of Lithuania, and must not
impair the rights and interests of other people.
Article 29
(1) All people shall be equal before the law, the court, and other State institutions and officers.
(2) A person may not have his rights restricted in any way, or be granted any privileges, on the basis of his or her sex, race, nationality,
language, origin, social status, religion, convictions, or opinions.
Article 30
(1) Any person whose constitutional rights or freedoms are violated shall have the right to appeal to court.
(2) The law shall establish the procedure for compensating material and moral damage inflicted on a person.
Article 31
(1) Every person shall be presumed innocent until proven guilty according to the procedure established by law and until declared guilty by
an effective court sentence.
(2) Every indicted person shall have the right to a fair and public hearing by an independent and impartial court. Persons cannot be
compelled to give evidence against themselves or against their family members or close relatives.
(3) Punishments may only be administered or applied on the basis of law.
(4) No person may be punished for the same offence twice.
(5) From the moment of arrest or first interrogation, persons suspected or accused of a crime shall be guaranteed the right to defence and
legal counsel.
Article 32
(1) Citizens may move and choose their place of residence in Lithuania freely, and may leave Lithuania at their own will.
(2) This right may not be restricted except as provided by law
and if it is necessary for the protection of State security or the health of the people, or to administer justice.
(3) A citizen may not be prohibited from returning to Lithuania.
(4) Every Lithuanian person may settle in Lithuania.
Article 33
(1) Citizens shall have the right to participate in the government of their State both directly and through their freely elected representatives,
and shall have the equal opportunity to serve in a State office of the Republic of Lithuania.
(2) Each citizen shall be guaranteed the right to criticize the work of State institutions and their officers, and to appeal against their
decisions. It shall be prohibited to persecute people for criticism.
(3) Citizens shall be guaranteed the right to petition; the procedure for implementing this right shall be established by law.
Article 34
(1) Citizens who, on the day of election, are 18 years of age or over, shall have the right to vote in the election.
(2) The right to be elected shall be established by the Constitution of the Republic of Lithuania and by the election laws.
(3) Citizens who are declared legally incapable by court shall not participate in elections.
Article 35
(1) Citizens shall be guaranteed the right to freely form societies, political parties, and associations, provided that the aims and activities
thereof do not contradict the Constitution and laws.
(2) No person may be forced to belong to any society, political party, or association.
(3) The founding and functioning of political parties and other political and public organization shall be regulated by law.
Article 36
(1) Citizens may not be prohibited or hindered from assembling in unarmed peaceful meetings.
(2) This right may not be subjected to any restrictions except those which are provided by law and are necessary to protect the security
of the State or the community, public order, people's health or morals, or the rights and freedoms of other persons.
Article 37
Citizens who belong to ethnic communities shall have the right to foster their language, culture, and customs.
Chapter 3 Society and the State
Article 38
(1) The family shall be the basis of society and the State.
(2) Family, motherhood, fatherhood, and childhood shall be under the care and protection of the State.
(3) Marriage shall be entered into upon the free consent of man and woman.
(4) The State shall register marriages, births, and deaths. The State shall also recognize marriages registered in church.
(5) In the family, spouses shall have equal rights.
(6) The right and duty of parents is to bring up their children to be honest individuals and loyal citizens, as well as to support them until
they come of age.
(7) The duty of children is to respect their parents, to care for them in old age, and to preserve their heritage.
Article 39
(1) The State shall take care of families bringing up children at home, and shall render them support in the manner established by law.
(2) The law shall provide for paid maternity leave before and after childbirth, as well as for favorable working conditions and other
privileges.
(3) Children who are under age shall be protected by law.
Article 40
(1) State and local government establishments of teaching and education shall be secular. At the request of parents, they shall offer
classes in religious instruction.
(2) Non-governmental teaching and educational institutions may be established according to the procedure established by law.
(3) Institutions of higher learning shall be granted autonomy.
(4) The State shall supervise the activities of establishments of teaching and education.
Article 41
(1) Education shall be compulsory for persons under the age of 16.
(2) Education at State and local government secondary, vocational, and higher schools shall be free of charge.
(3) Everyone shall have an equal opportunity to attain higher education according to their individual abilities. Citizens who demonstrate
suitable academic progress shall be guaranteed education at establishments of higher education free of charge.
Article 42
(1) Culture, science, research and teaching shall be unrestricted.
(2) The State shall support culture and science, and shall be concerned with the protection of Lithuanian history, art, and other cultural
monuments and valuables.
(3) The law shall protect and defend the spiritual and material interests of authors which are related to scientific, technical, cultural, and
artistic work.
Article 43
(1) The State shall recognize traditional Lithuanian churches and religious organizations, as well as other churches and religious
organizations provided that they have a basis in society and their teaching and rituals do not contradict morality or the law.
(2) Churches and religious organizations recognized by the State shall have the rights of legal persons.
(3) Churches and religious organizations shall freely proclaim the teaching of their faith, perform the rituals of their belief, and have
houses of prayer, charity institutions, and educational institutions for the training of priests of their faith.
(4) Churches and religious organizations shall function freely according to their canons and statutes.
(5) The status of churches and other religious organizations in the State shall be established by agreement or by law.
(6) The teachings proclaimed by churches and other religious organizations, other religious activities, and houses of prayer may not be
used for purposes which contradict the Constitution and the law.
(7) There shall not be a State religion in Lithuania.
Article 44
(1) Censorship of mass media shall be prohibited.
(2) The State, political parties, political and public organizations, and other institutions or persons may not monopolize means of mass
media.
Article 45
Ethnic communities of citizens shall independently administer the affairs of their ethnic culture, education, organizations, charity, and
mutual assistance. The State shall support ethnic communities.
Chapter 4 National Economy and Labor
Article 46
(1) Lithuania's economy shall be based on the right to private ownership, freedom of individual economic activity, and initiative.
(2) The State shall support economic efforts and initiative which are useful to the community.
(3) The State shall regulate economic activity so that it serves the general welfare of the people.
(4) The law shall prohibit monopolization of production and the market, and shall protect freedom of fair competition.
(5) The State shall defend the interests of the consumers.
Article 47
(1) Land, internal waters, forests, and parks may only belong to the citizens and the State of the Republic of Lithuania by the right of
ownership.
(2) Plots of land may belong to a foreign state by the right of ownership for the establishment of its diplomatic and consular missions in
accordance with the procedure and conditions established by law.
(3) The right of ownership of entrails of the earth, as well as nationally significant internal waters, forests, parks, roads, and historical,
archaeological and cultural facilities shall exclusively belong to the Republic of Lithuania
(4) The Republic of Lithuania shall have the exclusive ownership right to the air-space over its territory, its continental shelf, and the
economic zone in the Baltic Sea.
Article 48
(1) Every person may freely choose an occupation or business, and shall have the right to adequate, safe and healthy working conditions,
adequate compensation for work, and social security in the event of unemployment.
(2) The employment of foreigners in the Republic of Lithuania shall be regulated by law.
(3) Forced labor shall be prohibited.
(4) Military service or alternative service, as well as labor which is executed during war, natural calamity, epidemic, or other urgent
circumstances, shall not be deemed as forced labor.
(5) Labor which is performed by convicts in places of confinement and which is regulated by law shall not be deemed as forced labor
either.
Article 49
(1) Every person shall have the right to rest and leisure, as well as to annual paid holidays.
(2) Working hours shall be established by law.
Article 50
(1) Trade unions shall be freely established and shall function independently. They shall defend the professional, economic, and social
rights and interests of employees.
(2) All trade unions shall have equal rights.
Article 51
(1) Employees shall have the right to strike in order to protect their economic and social interests.
(2) The restrictions of this right, and the conditions and procedures for the implementation thereof shall be established by law.
Article 52
The State shall guarantee the right of citizens to old age and disability pension, as well as to social assistance in the event of
unemployment, sickness, widowhood, loss of breadwinner, and other cases provided by law.
Article 53
(1) The State shall take care of people's health and shall guarantee medical aid and services in the event of sickness. The procedure for
providing medical aid to citizens free of charge at State medical facilities shall be established by law.
(2) The State shall promote physical culture of the society and shall support sports.
(3) The State and each individual must protect the environment from harmful influences.
Article 54
(1) The State shall concern itself with the protection of the natural environment, its fauna and flora, separate objects of nature and
particularly valuable districts, and shall supervise the moderate utilization of natural resources as well as their restoration and augmentation.
(2) The exhaustion of land and entrails of the earth, the pollution of waters and air, the production of radioactive impact, as well as the
impoverishment of fauna and flora, shall be prohibited by law.
Tribes migrating south from Jutland and north from Poland arrived in the region of Lithuania
about 10,000 BCE following the retreat of the glacier period. The Indo-European people
came around 2500 BC and the identity of the Balts formed about 2000 BCE. On 6 July 1253,
Mindaugas was crowned as King of Lithuania and state was proclaimed as Kingdom of
Lithuania. Early attempts as Christianization failed with paganism dominating until Christian
Poland established the Grand Duchy of Lithuania in 1377. Lithuania underwent a cultural
renaissance in the 16th Century. Poland joined in union with Lithuania in 1569. The
Constitution of May 3, 1791, agreed by the Sejm abolished the division of Poland and
Lithuania. However, partitions of Poland in 1772, 1793 and 1795 saw Lithuania divided
between Russia and Prussia and Lithuania ceased to exist as a distinct entity for more than
a century. The Russian empire assumed control of Lithuania in 1795 and maintained control
until 1914. During World War I, Germany occupied Lithuania touching off and independence
bid solidified in November 1918. Intermittent bouts of democracy and authoritarianism led to
Soviet control, both before World War II, and after when German occupying forces were
routed after 90% of Lithuania's Jewish population was exterminated during the Holocaust.
Lithuania was the first of the Soviet satellite states to declare independence on 11 March
1990. The Soviet Union made a failed coup attempt but nationalistic fervor led Lithuania and
Russia to signed an agreement on 8 September 1992 calling for the withdrawal of Russian
troops and the promulgation of a constitution on 25 October 1992. Human rights are
enumerated beginning with Chapter Two (The Individual and the State) and conform with
the 1948 Universal Declaration of Human Rights of which Lithuania is a signatory. For a full
English translation of Lithuania's Constitution, click here.
about 10,000 BCE following the retreat of the glacier period. The Indo-European people
came around 2500 BC and the identity of the Balts formed about 2000 BCE. On 6 July 1253,
Mindaugas was crowned as King of Lithuania and state was proclaimed as Kingdom of
Lithuania. Early attempts as Christianization failed with paganism dominating until Christian
Poland established the Grand Duchy of Lithuania in 1377. Lithuania underwent a cultural
renaissance in the 16th Century. Poland joined in union with Lithuania in 1569. The
Constitution of May 3, 1791, agreed by the Sejm abolished the division of Poland and
Lithuania. However, partitions of Poland in 1772, 1793 and 1795 saw Lithuania divided
between Russia and Prussia and Lithuania ceased to exist as a distinct entity for more than
a century. The Russian empire assumed control of Lithuania in 1795 and maintained control
until 1914. During World War I, Germany occupied Lithuania touching off and independence
bid solidified in November 1918. Intermittent bouts of democracy and authoritarianism led to
Soviet control, both before World War II, and after when German occupying forces were
routed after 90% of Lithuania's Jewish population was exterminated during the Holocaust.
Lithuania was the first of the Soviet satellite states to declare independence on 11 March
1990. The Soviet Union made a failed coup attempt but nationalistic fervor led Lithuania and
Russia to signed an agreement on 8 September 1992 calling for the withdrawal of Russian
troops and the promulgation of a constitution on 25 October 1992. Human rights are
enumerated beginning with Chapter Two (The Individual and the State) and conform with
the 1948 Universal Declaration of Human Rights of which Lithuania is a signatory. For a full
English translation of Lithuania's Constitution, click here.