Ecuador

Ecuador

Right	Section	Contents
Freedom of Association	History	Elements of freedom of association in Ecuador can be found in the Constitution of 1869, ratified on August 11. The right comes in Title XI, Article 109: "Equatorians have the right to assemble without arms, provided they respect religon, morality, and public order." Article 24 of the 1897 Constitution of Ecuador was more explicit about freedom of association: "There shall be liberty of meeting and association, without arms, for purposes not prohibited by the laws." The current Constitution, ratified in 2008, asserts the right in Article 66 (“Ecuador 2008 (rev. 2021) Constitution”, 2021). References: 1869 Constitution of Ecuador: English translation of the original Constitution of 1869 1244 (2010) Title XI: Of Guarantees https://heinonline-org.proxygw.wrlc.org/HOL/Page?collection=cow&handle=hein.cow/zzec0003&id=16&men_tab=srchresults 1897 Constitution of Ecuador: English translation of the original Constitution of 1897 1098 (2010) Chapter IV: Of Guarantees https://heinonline-org.proxygw.wrlc.org/HOL/Page?collection=cow&handle=hein.cow/zzec0008&id=4&men_tab=srchresults 2021. “Ecuador 2008 (Rev. 2021) Constitution.” 2021. ConstitutionNet. https://www.constituteproject.org/constitution/Ecuador_2021?lang=en.
Freedom of Expression	History	Article 64 of the 1830 Ecuador Constitution guaranteed freedom of the press: "Every citizen can express their thoughts and publish them freely through the press with respect for decency and public morals, and always subject to the liability of the law." Article 102 of the 1869 Constitution of the Republic of Ecuador offered a more complete defense of freedom of expression: "The expression of ideas, whether verbal, written, or printed, is free, without previous censure, provided religion, morality, and decency are respected; but any one who. may abuse this right shall be punished according to the law, and by the ordinary judges, the jury of the press being abolished." Section III, Article 17, Part 8 of the 1878 Constitution of Ecuador guaranteed verbal expression of one's ideas as well as printed expression. References: 1830 Constitution of Ecuador: English translation of the original Constitution of 1830. 15 (2017) Part VIII: Civil Rights and Guarantees https://heinonline-org.proxygw.wrlc.org/HOL/Page?collection=cow&handle=hein.cow/zzec0081&id=15&men_tab=srchresults 1869 Constitution of Ecuador: English translation of the original Constitution of 1869 1244 (2010) Title XI: Of Guarantees https://heinonline-org.proxygw.wrlc.org/HOL/Page?collection=cow&handle=hein.cow/zzec0003&id=16&men_tab=srchresults 1878 Constitution of Ecuador: Spanish text of the constitution of 1878 414 (2017) Section III: Guarantees https://heinonline-org.proxygw.wrlc.org/HOL/Page?collection=cow&handle=hein.cow/zzec0056&id=1&men_tab=srchresults
Freedom of Religion	History	The first liberal constitution of Ecuador was adopted in 1897, establishing and protecting freedom of religion in the country for the first time. Article 13 under Section IV states that "The State respects the religious beliefs of the inhabitants of the Equator, and shall cause the exercise of the same to be respected. Religious belief shall be no obstacle to the exercise of political and civil rights." Under the 2008 Constitution, Articles 11.2, 19, 66.8, 66.11, and 66.28 grant religious freedom, equality, and prohibit religious discrimination., and Article 1 declares Ecuador a secular state. References: 1897 Constitution of Ecuador: English translation of the original Constitution of 1897 1098 (2010) Chapter IV: Of Guarantees https://heinonline-org.proxygw.wrlc.org/HOL/Page?collection=cow&handle=hein.cow/zzec0008&id=4&men_tab=srchresults 2021. “Ecuador 2008 (Rev. 2021) Constitution.” 2021. ConstitutionNet. https://www.constituteproject.org/constitution/Ecuador_2021?lang=en.
Freedom of the Press	History	Article 63 of Ecuador’s 1830 Constitution guaranteed that “Every citizen can freely express and publish their thoughts through the press, respecting public decency and morals, and always subjecting themselves to the responsibility of the law”. Today, Article 16 of the 2008 Ecuadorian Constitution protects press freedom: “ “All persons, individually or collectively, have the right to: 1. Free, intercultural, inclusive, diverse and participatory communication in all spheres of social interaction, by any means or form, in their own language and with their own symbols. 2. Universal access to information and communication technologies. 3. The creation of media and access, under equal conditions, to use of radio spectrum frequencies for the management of public, private and community radio and television stations and to free bands for the use of wireless networks 4. Access and use of all forms of visual, auditory, sensory and other communication that make it possible to include persons with disabilities. 5. Become part of participation spaces as provided for by the Constitution in the field of communication.” (Constitute Project, “Ecuador's Constitution of 2008” ) References: 1830 Constitution of Ecuador: English translation of the original Constitution of 1830. 15 (2017) Part VIII: Civil Rights and Guarantees https://heinonline-org.proxygw.wrlc.org/HOL/Page?collection=cow&handle=hein.cow/zzec0081&id=15&men_tab=srchresults 2021. “Ecuador 2008 (Rev. 2021) Constitution.” 2021. ConstitutionNet. https://www.constituteproject.org/constitution/Ecuador_2021?lang=en.
Privacy Rights	History	Article 65 of the 1830 Constitution protected the inviolability of the home: "The house of a citizen is inviolable -therefore cannot be broken into except in cases and requirements prevented by law." The 1869 Constitution defended the right of inviolability of the home in similar terms in Article 105, and asserted protection of the privacy of correspondence in Article 107: "Epistolary correspondence is inviolable. Papers or goods belonging to private persons cannot be opened, intercepted, or examined, excepting in the cases specified by the law." The 1897 Constitution offered a similar defense of privacy of correspondence, but applied the guarantee more broadly: "Epistolary and telegraphic correspondence is inviolable, and may not be made use of in trials for political offences. It is forbidden to intercept, open, or register papers or effects which are private property, except in the cases indicated by law." Article 11(3) of the 2008 Constitution enforces and protects the rights put forth by the constitution and international treaties: “The rights and guarantees set forth in the Constitution and in international human rights instruments shall be directly and immediately enforced by and before any civil, administrative or judicial servant, either by virtue of their office or at the request of the party”. In Chapter 6, Rights to Freedom, Article 66, Sections 11 and 19-22 set out more specific privacy regulations in terms of convictions, correspondence, the home, personal data, and privacy rights (Constitute Project, “Ecuador 2008 rev. 2021). References: 1830 Constitution of Ecuador: English translation of the original Constitution of 1830. 15 (2017) Part VIII: Civil Rights and Guarantees https://heinonline-org.proxygw.wrlc.org/HOL/Page?collection=cow&handle=hein.cow/zzec0081&id=15&men_tab=srchresults 1869 Constitution of Ecuador: English translation of the original Constitution of 1869 1244 (2010) Title XI: Of Guarantees https://heinonline-org.proxygw.wrlc.org/HOL/Page?collection=cow&handle=hein.cow/zzec0003&id=16&men_tab=srchresults 1878 Constitution of Ecuador: Spanish text of the constitution of 1878 414 (2017) Section III: Guarantees https://heinonline-org.proxygw.wrlc.org/HOL/Page?collection=cow&handle=hein.cow/zzec0056&id=1&men_tab=srchresults 2021. “Ecuador 2008 (Rev. 2021) Constitution.” 2021. ConstitutionNet. https://www.constituteproject.org/constitution/Ecuador_2021?lang=en.
Voting Rights and Suffrage	History	According to Article 35 of the 1897 Ecuador Constitution: "There shall be freedom of suffrage." Under Article 62 of the Constitution of Ecuador voting is mandatory for those over the age of 18. Voting is optional for those between the ages of 16-18 and elderly persons 65 years of age and older (Constitute Project, “Ecuador's Constitution of 2008” ). References: 1897 Constitution of Ecuador: English translation of the original Constitution of 1897 1098 (2010) Chapter IV: Of Guarantees https://heinonline-org.proxygw.wrlc.org/HOL/Page?collection=cow&handle=hein.cow/zzec0008&id=4&men_tab=srchresults 2021. “Ecuador 2008 (Rev. 2021) Constitution.” 2021. ConstitutionNet. https://www.constituteproject.org/constitution/Ecuador_2021?lang=en.