Basic human rights, freedoms and duties

The general concept of basic human rights, freedoms and duties was established by French Enlightenment of the 18th century and the ideas of French Revolution of 1789, whose motto was "Liberty, Equality & Fraternity". Influenced by the ideas of the French Revolution, liberal constitutions of the 19th century incorporated provisions of fundamental rights and freedoms for individual.

During the 19th century, the doctrine of individual rights antecedent and superior to the powers of the state was severely criticized, but the experience of Nazism and WWII revived it.

Human rights can be classified into universal ones and those provided for by specific national constitutions. Rights and freedoms can also be classified into inalienable rights and those that can be abridged by law.

The scope of guaranteed and confirmed rights and freedoms reflects the democratic essence of a society.

The Charter of the United Nations, signed in 1945, reaffirmed "faith in fundamental human rights", and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, adopted by the UN General Assembly in 1948, enumerated them. Two additional UN covenants, the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (1976) and the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (1976) further elaborated the concept of human rights.

The Declaration of Human Rights and Freedoms adopted by the Congress of the People's Deputies on September 5, 1991 states that each individual shall possess natural inviolable and inalienable rights and freedoms, which are in tune with the Universal Declaration, international pacts and laws.

The Declaration provides for equality of all citizens in terms of law and legal protection irrespective of national and social status, language, sex, political and other convictions, religion, domicile, property status and other circumstances.

No person, social strata and groups shall enjoy advantages and privileges contrary to law. Each person shall be guaranteed the right to use his native language, to be educated in his native language to preserve and develop national culture.

Each person shall have the right to express his opinion freely and to disseminate his convictions orally or in writing. Mass media shall be free. No censorship shall be allowed.

Citizens shall have the right to associate in political parties, trade unions and other public organizations and to participate in mass movements.

Each citizen shall have the right to elect freely and to be elected to governing bodies.

Article 13 of the Declaration states that the right to life shall be an inalienable right of every individual. The state shall protect its citizens against unlawful encroachments upon their life, health, personal freedom and security.

No person shall be arrested or detained except by the ruling of the court or under the prosecutor`s warrant.

Each person shall have the right to a just and public trial of his case by a competent, independent and impartial court.

No person shall be subjected to torture, cruel, inhuman and humiliating punishment.

Citizens shall have the right to be secure in their persons, houses, correspondence, telephone conversations and other communications.

Each person shall have the right to a favourable living environment. Family, maternity and childhood shall be protected by the state.

Each person shall be free to move within the country's limits, to choose his residence. Citizens shall have the right to leave their country and to return to it. No person can be exiled.

Each person shall have the right to work and to enjoy its results, including the right to protect his economic and social interests, as well as the right to stage a strike.

Each person shall have the right to property.

Each person shall have the right to a sufficient and decent living standard and to social protection.

Each person shall have the right to education. Elementary education is mandatory. Education at state-run institutions shall be free of charge.

Each person shall have the right to be supported by the state in obtaining and using housing.

Each person shall have the right to health protection, including free usage of a wide network of state-run medical facilities.

Human rights violations are regularly monitored by such international bodies as the Commission on Human Rights of the UN Economic and Social Council and the International Labor Organization (ILO), by independent human rights organizations like Amnesty International, and by the world media.