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Article 100 of Latvia’s [[Probable year:: 1922]] Constitution protects press freedom: “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" (Constitute Project, “Latvia’s Constitution of [[Probable year:: 1992]], reinstated in [[Probable year:: 1991]], with Amendments through [[Probable year:: 2016]]” ). +
Article 13 of Lebanon’s [[Probable year:: 1926]] Constitution protects press freedom: “The freedom of opinion, expression through speech and writing, the freedom of the press, the freedom of assembly, and the freedom of association, are all guaranteed within the scope of the law" (Constitute Project, Lebanon’s Constitution of [[Probable year:: 1926]] with Amendments through [[Probable year:: 2004]]” ). +
The 1966 Constitution of Lesotho offers a general freedom of expression. Article 14 of Lesotho’s [[Probable year:: 1993]] Constitution states: “Every person shall be entitled to, and (except with his own consent) shall not be hindered in his enjoyment of, freedom of expression, including freedom to hold opinions without interference, freedom to receive ideas and information without interference, freedom to communicate ideas and information without interference (whether the communication be to the public generally or to any person or class of persons) and freedom from interference with his correspondence." (Constitute Project, “Lesotho’ Constitution of [[Probable year:: 1993]] with Amendments through [[Probable year:: 2018]]” ).
References:
1966 Lesotho Constitution: O’LEARY, B. L. “THE CONSTITUTION OF LESOTHO: AN OUTLINE.” The Comparative and International Law Journal of Southern Africa 1, no. 2 (1968): 266–70. http://www.jstor.org/stable/23240737.
1993 Lesotho Constitution:https://www.constituteproject.org/constitution/Lesotho_2018. +
Article 15 of Liberia’s [[Probable year:: 1847]] Constitution first protected press freedom: “The liberty of the press is essential to the security of freedom in a state; it ought not, therefore, to be restrained in this republic…” (Constitution Review Committee, “Constitutional Convention of [[Probable year:: 1847]]) .
Today, Article 15 of Liberia’s [[Probable year:: 1986]] Constitution protects press freedom: “The right encompasses the right to hold opinions without interference and the right to knowledge. It includes freedom of speech and of the press, academic freedom to receive and impart knowledge and information and the right of libraries to make such knowledge available" (Constitute Project, "Liberia’s Constitution of [[Probable year:: 1986]]” ). +
Article 23 of Libya’s [[Probable year:: 1951]] Constitution originally protected press freedom: “Freedom of press and of printing shall be guaranteed within the limits of the law" (Constitutionnet, “Libya’s Constitution”).
Today, Article 14 of Libya’s [[Probable year:: 2011]] Constitution protects press freedom: “The State shall guarantee freedom of opinion, individual and collective expression, research, communication, press, media, printing and editing, movement, assembly, demonstration and peaceful sit-in in accordance with the statute" (Constitute Project, Libya’s Constitution of [[Probable year:: 2011]] with Amendments through [[Probable year:: 2012]]” ). +
Article 8 of Liechtenstein’s [[Probable year:: 1826]] Constitution first mentioned press freedom: “Freedom of communicating thought through the press shall be regulated by a special law.” (The Constitutions of States at War [[Probable year:: 1919]], p. 376).
Article 40 of Liechtenstein’s [[Probable year:: 1921]] Constitution protects press freedom: “Every person shall be entitled to freely express his opinion and to communicate his ideas by word of mouth or in writing, print or pictures within the limits of the law and morality; no censorship may be exercised except in respect of public performances and exhibitions" (Constitute Project, “Liechtenstein’s Constitution of [[Probable year:: 1921]] with Amendments through [[Probable year:: 2011]]” ). +
Lithuania’s [[Probable year:: 1918]] Constitution “guaranteed freedom of speech and the press, religion and conscience” (Vardys [[Probable year:: 1979]], p. 321).
Today, Article 44 of the [[Probable year:: 1992]] Lithuanian Constitution protects press freedom: “Censorship of mass information shall be prohibited. The State, political parties, political and public organization, and other institutions or persons may not monopolise the mass media" (Constitute Project, “Lithuania’s Constitution of [[Probable year:: 1992]] with Amendments through [[Probable year:: 2019]]” ). +
Article 24 of Luxembourg’s [[Probable year:: 1868]] Constitution protects freedom of press: “The freedom to manifest one's opinion by speech in all matters, and the freedom of the press are guaranteed, save the repression of offenses committed on the occasion of the exercise of these freedoms. - Censorship may never be established" (Constitute Project, “Luxembourg’s Constitution of [[Probable year:: 1868]] with Amendments through [[Probable year:: 2009]]” ). +
Article 10 of Madagascar’s [[Probable year:: 2010]] Constitution protects press freedom: “The freedoms of opinion and of expression, of communication, of the press, of association, of assembly, of circulation, of conscience and of religion are guaranteed to all and may only be limited by the respect for the freedoms and rights of others, and by the imperative of safeguarding the public order, the national dignity and the security of the State" (Constitute Project, “Madagascar's Constitution of [[Probable year:: 2010]] ”). +
Article 20(1) of the 1964 Malawi Constitution referred to freedom of expression generally, and specified the"freedom to communicate ideas and information without interference (whether the communication to be the public generally or to any person or class of persons.)"
Article 36 of Malawi’s [[Probable year:: 1994]] Constitution protects press freedom: “The press shall have the right to report and publish freely, within Malawi and abroad, and to be accorded the fullest possible facilities for access to public information" (Constitute Project, “Malawi’s Constitution of [[Probable year:: 1994]]” ).
References:
“Constitution of Malawi.” Citizenship Rights Africa. http://citizenshiprightsafrica.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/Malawi-Constitution-1964.pdf
1994 Malawi Constitution: https://faolex.fao.org/docs/pdf/mlw136089.pdf +
According to Reporters Without Borders, "Press freedom is theoretically guaranteed by article 10 of the constitution, which provides for the freedom of expression." However, Malaysia’s Constitution contains no explicit protections on press freedom.
References:
1957 Malaysia Constitution: http://www.commonlii.org/my/legis/const/1957/2.html
Malaysia's Constitution of 1957 with Amendments through 2007: https://www.constituteproject.org/constitution/Malaysia_2007.pdf +
Articles 13 and 14 of the 1969 Constitution of the Republic of Maldives as Amended to 1975 are relevant to freedom of the press. Article 13 describes the right to freedom of expression: "Every person has freedom of speech and expression of thought, orally and in writing, so long as the express provisions of Shariath and the law are not contravened." Article 14 is also relevant to freedom of the press: "There exists freedom of acquiring knowledge and imparting it to others in
a manner that does not contravene Shariath or law."
Article 28 of Maldives’ [[Probable year:: 2008]] Constitution offers a more direct defense of freedom of the press: “Everyone has the right to freedom of the press, and other means of communication, including the right to espouse, disseminate and publish news, information, views and ideas. No person shall be compelled to disclose the source of any information that is espoused, disseminated or published by that person" (Constitute Project, “Maldives’s Constitution of [[Probable year:: 2008]]” ).
References:
1969 Constitution of the Republic of Maldives As Amended to 1975: Peaslee Amos J.; Xydis, Dorothy Peaslee. Constitutions of Nation. The Hague, Martinus Nijhoff.: https://heinonline-org.proxygw.wrlc.org/HOL/Page?collection=cow&handle=hein.cow/ctituson0002&id=723#
2008 Maldives Constitution: https://www.constituteproject.org/constitution/Maldives_2008 +
Article 7 of Mali’s [[Probable year:: 1992]] Constitution protects press freedom: “Freedom of the press shall be recognized and guaranteed. It shall be exercised within conditions determined by law. Equal access for all to the State media shall be assured by an independent organ who's regulations shall be established by an organic law" (Constitute Project, “Mali’s Constitution of [[Probable year:: 1992]]” ). +
Article 41 of Malta’s [[Probable year:: 1964]] Constitution protects press freedom as a subset of freedom of expression: “Except with his own consent or by way of parental discipline, no person shall be hindered in the enjoyment of his freedom of expression, including freedom to hold opinions without interference, freedom to receive ideas and information without interference, freedom to communicate ideas and information without interference" (Constitute Project, “Malta’s Constitution of [[Probable year:: 1964]] with Amendments through [[Probable year:: 2016]]” ). +
Article II, Section 1 of the Marshall Islands’ [[Probable year:: 1979]] Constitution protects press freedom: “Every person has the right to freedom of thought, conscience, and belief; to freedom of speech and of the press; to the free exercise of religion; to freedom of peaceful assembly and association; and to petition the government for a redress of grievances" (Constitute Project, “Marshall Islands’ Constitution of [[Probable year:: 1979]] with Amendments through [[Probable year:: 1995]]” ). +
Mauritania’s [[Probable year:: 1961]] Constitution drew from the French Declaration of the Rights of Man and included press freedom protections (Handloff [[Probable year:: 1987]], p. 126).
Today, however, Mauritania’s [[Probable year:: 1991]] Constitution contains no explicit protections on press freedom (Constitute Project, “Mauritania’s Constitution of [[Probable year:: 1991]] with Amendments through [[Probable year:: 2012]]” ). +
Article 12 of Mauritius’s [[Probable year:: 1968]] Constitution protects press freedom: “Nothing contained in or done under the authority of any law shall be held to be inconsistent with or in contravention of this section to the extent that the law in question makes provision…for the purpose of…regulating the technical administration or the technical operation of telephony, telegraphy, posts, wireless broadcasting, television, public exhibitions or public entertainments" (Constitute Project, “Mauritius’ Constitution of [[Probable year:: 1968]] with Amendments through [[Probable year:: 2016]]” ). +
Article 50 and 171 of Mexico’s [[Probable year:: 1824]] Constitution protected press freedom:
Article 50: “The exclusive faculties of the general Congress are the following… protect and regulate the political liberty of the press.”
Article 171: “The Articles of this Constitution and the Constitutional Act which establishes the Liberty and Independence of the Mexican Nation, its Religion, form of Government, Liberty of the Press, and division of the Supreme Powers of the Federation, and of the States, can never be reformed" (Sons of Dewitt Colony, “The Constitution of the Mexican United States”).
Today, Article 6 of Mexico’s [[Probable year:: 1917]] Constitution protects press freedom: “Every person shall be entitled to free access to plural and timely information, as well as to search for, receive and distribute information and ideas of any kind, through any means of expression. The State shall guarantee access to information and communication technology, access to the services of radio broadcast, telecommunications and broadband Internet. To that end, the State shall establish effective competition conditions for the provision of such services" (Constitute Project, “Mexico’s Constitution of [[Probable year:: 1917]] with Amendments through [[Probable year:: 2015]]” ). +
Article 32 of Moldova’s [[Probable year:: 1994]] Constitution protects press freedom as an element of freedom of expression: “Every citizen shall be guaranteed the freedom of thought and opinion, as well as the freedom of expression in public by way of word, image or any other means possible” (Președinția Republicii Moldova, “Titlul II. Drepturile, libertățile și îndatoririle fundamentale”). [Translated from Romanian] +
Monaco’s earliest protections of press freedom began with the adoption of the [[Probable year:: 1848]] Constitution (Ferrari [[Probable year:: 2019]], p. 33).
Today, Article 23 of Monaco’s [[Probable year:: 1962]] Constitution protects freedom of expression, but also includes press freedom protections: “ Freedom of religion and of public worship, and freedom to express one’s opinions in all matters, is guaranteed, subject to the right to prosecute any offences committed in the exercise of the said freedoms" Constitute Project, “Monaco’s Constitution of [[Probable year:: 1962]] with Amendments through [[Probable year:: 2002]]” ). +