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United Nations — Treaty Series • Nations Unies — Recueil des Traités
1976
Article 18. 1. Everyone shall have the right to freedom of thought, con
science and religion. This right shall include freedom to have or to adopt a religion or
belief of his choice, and freedom, either individually or in community with others
and in public or private, to manifest his religion or belief in worship, observance,
practice and teaching.
2. No one shall be subject to coercion which would impair his freedom to have
or to adopt a religion or belief of his choice.
3. Freedom to manifest one's religion or beliefs may be subject only to such
limitations as are prescribed by law and are necessary to protect public safety, order,
health, or morals or the fundamental rights and freedoms of others.
4. The States Parties to the present Covenant undertake to have respect for the
liberty of parents and, when applicable, legal guardians to ensure the religious and
moral education of their children in conformity with their own convictions.
Article 19. 1. Everyone shall have the right to hold opinions without inter
ference.
2. Everyone shall have the right to freedom of expression; this right shall in
clude freedom to seek, receive and impart information and ideas of all kinds, regard
less of frontiers, either orally, in writing or in print, in the form of art, or through
any other media of his choice.
3. The exercise of the rights provided for in paragraph 2 of this article carries
with it special duties and responsibilities. It may therefore be subject to certain
restrictions, but these shall only be such as are provided by law and are necessary:
(a) For respect of the rights or reputations of others;
(b) For the protection of national security or of public order (ordre public), or of
public health or morals.
Article 20. 1. Any propaganda for war shall be prohibited by law.
2. Any advocacy of national, racial or religious hatred that con'stitutes incite
ment to discrimination, hostility or violence shall be prohibited by law.
Article 21. The right of peaceful assembly shall be recognized. No restrictions
may be placed on the exercise of this right other than those imposed in conformity
with the law and which are necessary in a democratic society in the interests of na
tional security or public safety, public order (ordrepublic), the protection of public
health or morals or the protection of the rights and freedoms of others.
Article 22. 1. Everyone shall have the right to freedom of association with
others, including the right to form and join trade unions for the protection of his in
terests.
2. No restrictions may be placed on the exercise of this right other than those
which are prescribed by law and which are necessary in a democratic society in the in
terests of national security or public safety, public order (ordrepublic), the protec
tion of public health or morals or the protection of the rights and freedoms of others.
This article shall not prevent the imposition of lawful restrictions on members of the
armed forces and of the police in their exercise of this right.
3. Nothing in this article shall authorize States Parties to the International La
bour Organisation Convention of 1948 concerning freedom of association and pro
tection of the right to organize1 to take legislative measures which would prejudice,
or to apply the law in such a manner as to prejudice, the guarantees provided for in
that Convention.
1 United Nations, Treaty Series, vol. 68, p. 17.
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