Article 21. Safeguarding the rights and freedoms of citizens of the Republic of Belarus shall be the supreme goal of the State.

Everyone has the right to a decent standard of living, including appropriate food, clothing, housing and a continuous improvement of conditions necessary to attain this.

The State shall guarantee the rights and freedoms of citizens of Belarus that are enshrined in the Constitution and laws, and specified by the State's international obligations.

Article 22. All shall be equal before the law and have the right to equal protection of their rights and legitimate interests without any discrimination.

Article 23. Restriction of personal rights and freedoms shall be permitted only in the instances specified by law, in the interests of national security, public order, protection of the morals and health of the population as well as rights and freedoms of other persons.

No one may enjoy advantages and privileges that are contrary to law.

Article 24. Everyone has the right to life.

The State shall protect life of the individual against any unlawful infringements.

Until its abolition, the death penalty may be applied in accordance with law as an exceptional measure of punishment for especially grave crimes and only in accordance with a court sentence.

Article 25. The State shall safeguard personal liberty, inviolability and dignity. The restriction or denial of personal liberty is possible in the instances and under the procedure specified by law.

A person who has been taken into custody shall have the right to a judicial review of the legality of his detention or arrest.

No one shall be subjected to torture or cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment, or be subjected to medical or other experiments without his consent.

Article 26. No one may be found guilty of crime unless his guilt is proven under the procedure specified by law and established by a court sentence that has come into legal force. Accused persons shall not be required to prove their innocence.

Article 27. No one shall be compelled to be a witness against oneself, members of his family or close relatives. Evidence obtained in violation of the law shall have no legal force.

Article 28. Everyone shall have the right to protection against unlawful interference with his private life, including encroachments on the privacy of his correspondence and telephone and other communications, and on his honour and dignity.

Article 29. Inviolability of home and other legitimate possessions of citizens shall be guaranteed. No one shall have the right without a lawful ground to enter home or other legitimate possession of a citizen against his will.

Article 30. The citizens of the Republic of Belarus shall have the right to move freely and choose their place of residence within the Republic of Belarus, to leave it and to return thereto without hindrance.

Article 31. Everyone shall have the right to determine independently his attitude towards religion, to manifest any religion alone or in community with others, or to manifest none at all, to express and spread beliefs connected with his attitude towards religion, and to participate in the performance of acts of worship and religious rituals and rites, which are not prohibited by law.

Article 32. Marriage, family, motherhood, fatherhood, and childhood shall be under the protection of the State.

On reaching the age of consent a woman and a man shall have the right to enter into marriage on a voluntary basis and found a family. Spouses shall have equal rights in family relationships.

Parents or persons acting as parents have the right and are obliged to raise their children and to take care of their health, development and education. No child shall be subjected to cruel treatment or humiliation or engaged in work that may be harmful to its physical, mental or moral development. Children shall take care of their parents or persons acting as parents and render them assistance.

Children may be separated from their family against the will of their parents or persons acting as parents only according to a court decision if the parents or persons acting as parents fail to perform their duties.

Women shall be guaranteed equal rights with men in their opportunities to receive education and vocational training, promotion in labour, social and political, cultural and other spheres of activity as well as in creating conditions safeguarding their occupational safety and health.

Young people shall be guaranteed the right to their spiritual, moral and physical development.

The State shall create all necessary conditions for free and effective participation of young people in political, social, economic and cultural development.

Article 33. Everyone is guaranteed freedom of thoughts and beliefs and their free expression.

No one may be forced to express his beliefs or to deny them.

No monopolisation of mass media by the State, public associations or individual citizens and no censorship shall be permitted.

Article 34. Citizens of the Republic of Belarus shall be guaranteed the right to receive, store and disseminate complete, reliable and timely information on the activities of state bodies and public associations, on political, economic, cultural and international life, and on the state of the environment.

State bodies, public associations and officials shall provide citizens of the Republic of Belarus with an opportunity to familiarise themselves with materials that affect their rights and legitimate interests.

The use of information may be restricted by the legislation with the purpose to safeguard honour, dignity, personal and family life of the citizens and the full exercise of their rights.

Article 35. The freedom to hold assemblies, meetings, street marches, demonstrations and pickets that do not disturb law and order or violate the rights of other citizens of the Republic of Belarus, shall be guaranteed by the State. The procedure for holding the above-mentioned events shall be determined by law.

Article 36. Everyone shall have the right to freedom of association.

Judges, employees of the Prosecutor's Office, the staff of bodies of internal affairs, the Committee of State Control and security bodies as well as servicemen may not be members of political parties or other public associations that pursue political goals.

Article 37. Citizens of the Republic of Belarus shall have the right to participate in settlement of state affairs, both directly and through freely elected representatives.

The direct participation of citizens in administration of affairs of the society and the State shall be safeguarded by holding referenda, discussion of draft laws and issues of republican and local significance, and by other means specified by law.

The citizens of the Republic of Belarus shall take part in discussion of issues of state and public life at republican and local meetings, under the procedure established by the legislation.

Article 38. Citizens of the Republic of Belarus shall have the right to vote freely and to be elected to state bodies on the basis of universal, equal, direct or indirect suffrage by secret ballot.

Article 39. Citizens of the Republic of Belarus, in accordance with their abilities and professional training, shall have the right to equal access to any office in state bodies.

Article 40. Everyone shall have the right to address personal or collective appeals to state bodies.

State bodies as well as the officials thereof shall consider any appeal and furnish a reply thereto within the period determined by law. Any refusal to consider an appeal that has been submitted shall be justified in writing.

Article 41. Citizens of the Republic of Belarus shall be guaranteed the right to work as the worthiest means of an individual's self-assertion, that is, the right to choose profession, type of occupation and work in accordance with his vocation, capabilities, education and professional training, and with regard to social needs, and the right to healthy and safe working conditions.

The State shall create conditions necessary for full employment of the population. If a person is unemployed for reasons which are beyond his control, he shall be guaranteed training in new specialisations and upgrading of his qualifications with regard to social needs, and to an unemployment benefit in accordance with the law.

Citizens shall have the right to protection of their economic and social interests, including the right to form trade unions and conclude collective contracts (agreements), and the right to strike.

Forced labour shall be prohibited, other than work or service specified by a court sentence or in accordance with the law on the state of emergency or martial law.

Article 42. Employees shall be guaranteed a just share of remuneration for the economic results of their labour in accordance with the quantity, quality and social significance of such work, but it shall not be less than the level which shall ensure an independent and dignified living for them and their families.

Women and men, adults and minors shall have the right to equal remuneration for work of equal value.

Article 43. Working people shall have the right to rest. For employees, this right shall be ensured by the establishment of a working week of no more than 40 hours, shorter working hours at night and the provision of an annual paid leave and weekly days off.

Article 44. The State shall guarantee everyone the right of property and shall contribute to its acquisition.

A proprietor shall have the right to possess, enjoy and dispose of property either individually or jointly with others. The inviolability of property and the right to inherit property shall be safeguarded by law.

Property acquired in accordance with the law shall be protected by the State.

The State shall encourage and protect the savings of citizens and guarantee conditions for return of deposits.

Compulsory alienation of property shall be permitted only by reason of public need, under the conditions and the procedure specified by law, with timely and full compensation for the value of the alienated property, and in accordance with a court ruling.

The exercise of the right of property shall not be contrary to social benefit and security, or be harmful to the environment or historical and cultural treasures, or infringe upon the rights and legally protected interests of others.

Article 45. Citizens of the Republic of Belarus shall be guaranteed the right to health care, including free treatment at state health care institutions.

The State shall make health care facilities accessible to all of its citizens.

The right of citizens of the Republic of Belarus to health care shall also be secured by development of physical training and sport, measures to improve the environment, the opportunity to use fitness institutions and improvements in occupational safety.

Article 46. Everyone shall have the right to a conducive environment and to a compensation for the loss or damage caused by violation of this right.

The State shall supervise the rational utilisation of natural resources to protect and improve living conditions, and to preserve and restore the environment.

Article 47. Citizens of the Republic of Belarus shall be guaranteed the right to social security in old age, in the event of illness, disability, incapability to work, loss of the bread-winner and in other instances specified by law. The State shall display particular care for veterans of war and labour as well as for those who undermined their health defending national and public interests.

Article 48. Citizens of the Republic of Belarus shall have the right to housing. This right shall be ensured by development of state and private residential housing and assistance to citizens in acquisition of housing.

The State and local self-government shall grant housing to citizens who are in need of social protection free of charge or at prices affordable to them in accordance with the legislation.

No one may be arbitrarily deprived of housing.

Article 49. Everyone shall have the right to education.

Accessible and free general, secondary and vocational and technical education shall be guaranteed.

Secondary specialised and higher education shall be accessible to all in accordance with the capabilities of each individual. Everyone may, on a competitive basis, get appropriate education at state educational institutions free of charge.

Article 50. Everyone shall have the right to preserve his ethnic identity, and equally, no one may be compelled to determine or indicate his ethnic identity.

Insults to ethnic dignity shall be prosecuted by law.

Everyone shall have the right to use his native language and to choose the language of communication. In accordance with the law, the State shall guarantee the freedom to choose the language of upbringing and instruction.

Article 51. Everyone shall have the right to take part in cultural life. This right shall be safeguarded by universal accessibility to the treasures of domestic and world culture that are kept in state and public collections and by development of a network of cultural and educational institutions.

Freedom of artistic, scientific and technical creativity and teaching shall be guaranteed.

Intellectual property shall be protected by law.

The State shall contribute to development of culture, scientific and technical research for the benefit of common interests.

Article 52. Everyone in the territory of the Republic of Belarus is obliged to observe its Constitution and laws and to respect national traditions.

Article 53. Everyone shall respect dignity, rights, freedoms and legitimate interests of others.

Article 54. Everyone shall preserve the historical, cultural and spiritual heritage and other national treasures.

Article 55. Protection of the environment shall be the duty of everyone.

Article 56. Citizens of the Republic of Belarus shall contribute to funding public expenditure by means of state taxes, duties and other payments.

Article 57. Defence of the Republic of Belarus shall be the responsibility and sacred duty of the citizen of the Republic of Belarus.

The procedure regulating military service, grounds and conditions for exemption from military service or its substitution by alternative service shall be determined by law.

Article 58. No one may be compelled to perform duties that are not specified in the Constitution of the Republic of Belarus and its laws or to renounce his rights.

Article 59. The State shall take all measures at its disposal to establish the domestic and international order necessary for the full exercise of the rights and freedoms of the citizens of the Republic of Belarus that are specified by the Constitution.

State bodies, officials and other persons who have been entrusted to exercise state functions shall, within their competence, take necessary measures to implement and protect personal rights and freedoms.

These bodies and persons shall bear responsibility for the actions violating the rights and freedoms of the individual.

Article 60. Everyone shall be guaranteed protection of his rights and freedoms by a competent, independent and impartial court within the time limits specified by law.

In order to protect their rights, freedoms, honour and dignity in accordance with law, citizens shall be entitled to claim, through courts, both property damage and financial compensation for moral injury.

Article 61. Everyone shall have the right in accordance with the international legal acts ratified by the Republic of Belarus to appeal to international organisations to defend his rights and freedoms, provided all available domestic legal remedies have been exhausted.

Article 62. Everyone shall have the right to legal assistance to exercise and protect his rights and freedoms, including the right to make use, at any time, of assistance of lawyers and his other representatives in court, other state bodies, bodies of local government, enterprises, institutions, organisations and public associations, and also in relations with officials and citizens. In the instances specified by law, legal assistance shall be rendered at the expense of state funding.

Obstruction to rendering legal assistance shall be prohibited in the Republic of Belarus.

Article 63. The exercise of the personal rights and freedoms specified by the present Constitution may be suspended only under a state of emergency or martial law under the procedure and within the limits specified by the Constitution and law.

In carrying out special measures during a state of emergency, the rights specified in Article 24, part three of Article 25 and Articles 26 and 31 of the Constitution may not be restricted.