Declaration of the Rights and Freedoms of Man of the USSR
SUPREME SOVIET OF THE RSFSR RESOLUTION of November 22, 1991 No. 1920-1
On the Declaration of the Rights and Freedoms of Man and Citizen.
Having considered the draft Declaration of the Rights and Freedoms of Man and Citizen submitted by the President of the RSFSR, the Supreme Soviet of the RSFSR resolves:
1. To adopt the Declaration of the Rights and Freedoms of Man and Citizen.
2. The Committee of the Supreme Soviet of the RSFSR on Legislation, the Committee of the Supreme Soviet of the RSFSR on Human Rights, and the Committee of the Supreme Soviet of the RSFSR on Questions of Legality, Law and Order and Combating Crime shall prepare proposals for bringing the legislation of the RSFSR into conformity with the provisions of this Declaration and submit them for consideration by the Supreme Soviet of the RSFSR.
3. The Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the RSFSR shall: include the laws planned for drafting in the plan of legislative drafting work; instruct the relevant commissions of the chambers and committees of the Supreme Soviet of the RSFSR to prepare the said draft laws.
Chairman of the Supreme Soviet of the RSFSR R.I. KHASBULATOV.
Adopted by the Supreme Soviet of the RSFSR on November 22, 1991.
UNION OF SOVIET SOCIALIST REPUBLICS
LAW
DECLARATION OF THE RIGHTS AND FREEDOMS OF MAN
The highest value of our society is the freedom of man, his honor and dignity. Everyone is ensured the realization of his capacity for work and creative potential, and active participation in public and state life. No group, party or state interests may be placed above the interests of man.
Guided by the general principles of democracy, humanism, social justice and proceeding from the lessons of its own history, the Congress of People's Deputies of the USSR adopts this Declaration.
Article 1. Every person possesses natural, inalienable, inviolable rights and freedoms. They are enshrined in laws, which must conform to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the international covenants on human rights, other international norms and this Declaration.
All state bodies are obliged to ensure and protect the rights and freedoms of man as the highest social values.
The exercise of rights by a citizen must not contradict the rights of other people.
Every person bears constitutional duties, the fulfillment of which is necessary for the normal development of society.
Article 2. The provisions of the Declaration have direct effect and are binding for execution by all state bodies, officials, public organizations and citizens.
All rights and freedoms enshrined in the Declaration are subject to judicial protection.
Article 3. All citizens are equal before the law and have an equal right to the protection of the law regardless of national or social origin, language, sex, political and other convictions, religion, place of residence, property status or other circumstances.
No persons, social strata or groups of the population may enjoy advantages and privileges that contradict the law.
Article 4. Every person is ensured the right to use his native language, to be educated in his native language, and to preserve and develop national culture.
Direct or indirect restriction of rights or the establishment of advantages on racial and national grounds is not permitted.
Article 5. No one may be deprived of citizenship or of the right to change citizenship.
Every citizen who is outside his state is guaranteed legal protection.
Article 6. Every person has the right to freedom of speech, to the unhindered expression of opinions and convictions and their dissemination in oral or written form. The mass media are free. Censorship is not permitted.
Ideological, religious and cultural freedom is guaranteed. There must be no state ideology imposed as a duty on citizens. No one may be subjected to persecution for their convictions.
Article 7. Freedom of conscience and religion is guaranteed. In accordance with their convictions, everyone has the right freely to profess any religion or to profess none, to disseminate religious or atheistic views, and to engage in religious or atheistic upbringing and education of children. Freedom to perform religious rites is guaranteed.
Article 8. Citizens have the right to assemble peacefully and without weapons, and to pursue their public activity in the form of rallies, meetings, street processions and demonstrations in accordance with the legislation of the USSR and the sovereign states.
Article 9. Citizens have the right to unite in political parties, trade unions and other public organizations, and to participate in mass movements.
The rights, freedoms and dignity of persons constituting an opposition minority in political parties, public organizations, mass movements, and also in representative bodies of power are guaranteed by law.
Article 10. Every person, in accordance with their abilities and professional training, has the right of equal access to any positions in state bodies, institutions and organizations.
Article 11. Every citizen has the right freely to elect and to be elected to bodies of power on the basis of universal, equal suffrage by secret ballot, and to participate directly in deciding state affairs, including by means of a referendum.
Article 12. Every person has the right to receive complete and reliable information about the state of affairs in all spheres of state, economic, public and international life, and also on questions of rights, legitimate interests and duties.
The publication of laws and other normative acts is a mandatory condition for their application.
Article 13. The right to life is an inalienable right of every person. No one may be arbitrarily deprived of life.
The state protects against unlawful encroachments on life, health, personal freedom and security.
Article 14. Everyone has the right to the protection of their honor and reputation, and to protection from any arbitrary interference in the sphere of private life.
Article 15. The inviolability of the person is guaranteed.
No one may be subjected to arrest or unlawful detention otherwise than on the basis of a court decision or with the sanction of a prosecutor. In the event of arrest or detention, a citizen has the right to judicial review and to appeal against these actions.
Every person held accountable for an offense is presumed innocent until their guilt is established by a court within the framework of due legal procedure. The right to defense is guaranteed.
Article 16. Every person has the right to a fair and open hearing of their case by a competent, independent and impartial court.
Article 17. All persons deprived of liberty have the right to humane treatment and respect for their dignity.
No one should be subjected to torture, or to cruel, inhuman or degrading punishment.
Article 18. The inviolability of the home is guaranteed. No one has the right to enter a home and conduct a search or inspection against the will of the persons living in it otherwise than in the cases and in the manner provided for by law.
Article 19. The confidentiality of correspondence, telephone conversations, telegraph messages and the use of other means of communication is guaranteed.
Exceptions to this rule are permitted only in the cases and in the manner provided for by law.
Article 20. Marriage is based on the voluntary consent and equality of woman and man. The family, motherhood and childhood are under the protection of the state.
Article 21. Every person has the right to freedom of movement within the country, and to choose their place of residence and place of stay. Restrictions on this right may be established only by law.
Citizens have the right to leave their country and to return to it, and may not be exiled from the country.
Article 22. Everyone has the right to judicial appeal against the unlawful actions of officials, state bodies and public organizations, and also the right to compensation for moral and material damage.
Article 23. Every person has the right to work and to its results, including the opportunity to dispose of their abilities for productive and creative work, the right to free choice of work and to refuse work, to favorable working conditions, to a state-guaranteed minimum wage and to protection from unemployment. Everyone, without any discrimination, has the right to equal pay for equal work.
Working people have the right to protect their economic and social interests, to conduct collective bargaining, and also the right to strike.
Forced labor is prohibited by law.
Article 24. Every person has the right to property, that is, the right to own, use and dispose of property both individually and jointly with other persons. The right of inheritance is guaranteed by law. The inalienable right to be an owner is a guarantee of the realization of the interests and freedoms of the individual.
Article 25. Every person has the right to a sufficient and dignified standard of living, improvement of living conditions, and social protection. The right to rest, to social security in old age, in the event of illness and loss of ability to work, loss of a breadwinner, and at the birth of a child is guaranteed.
Article 26. Every person has the right to education. Primary education is compulsory. Vocational, secondary specialized and higher education must be accessible to all in accordance with each person's abilities. Instruction in state educational institutions is free of charge.
Article 27. Every person has the right to state support in obtaining and permanently using well-appointed housing in houses of the state or public housing stock, and in individual housing construction. No one may be arbitrarily deprived of housing otherwise than on the grounds established by law.
Article 28. Every person has the right to health protection, including free use of a broad network of state health care institutions.
Article 29. A person has the right to a favorable environment and to compensation for damage caused to their health or property by environmental violations.
Article 30. The exercise of rights and freedoms is incompatible with actions causing damage to state and public security, public order, the health and morality of the population, and the protection of the rights and freedoms of other persons.
Article 31. The right of peoples to self-determination must not come into conflict with the human rights and freedoms proclaimed by this Declaration.
CONGRESS OF PEOPLE'S DEPUTIES OF THE USSR
Moscow, the Kremlin,
September 5, 1991
N 2393-I
The text of the document was verified against:
"Vedomosti of the Congress of People's Deputies of the USSR and
the Supreme Soviet of the USSR",
N 37, 11.09.91