Legirel

Législation concernant les activités religieuses et l’organisation des cultes

Accueil > Constitution of the Republic of Lithuania of 25 October 1992. Articles 25 (...)


Constitution of the Republic of Lithuania of 25 October 1992

(Last amended : 20 March 2003)

Extracts

Article 25

(...)
Freedom to express convictions or impart information shall be incompatible with criminal actions - the instigation of national, racial, religious, or social hatred, violence, or discrimination, the dissemination of slander, or misinformation.
(...)

Article 26

Freedom of thought, conscience, and religion shall not be restricted.
Every person shall have the right to freely choose any religion or faith and, either individually or with others, in public or in private, to manifest his or her religion or faith in worship, observance, practice or teaching.
No person may coerce another person or be subject to coercion to adopt or profess any religion or faith.
A person’s freedom to profess and propagate his or her religion or faith may be subject only to those limitations prescribed by law and only when such restrictions are necessary to protect the safety of society, public order, a person’s health or morals, or the fundamental rights and freedoms of others.
Parents and legal guardians shall have the liberty to ensure the religious and moral education of their children in conformity with their own convictions.

Article 27

A person’s convictions, professed religion or faith may justify neither the commission of a crime nor the violation of law.

Article 28

While exercising their rights and freedoms, persons must observe the Constitution and the laws of the Republic of Lithuania, and must not impair the rights and interests of other people.

Article 29

All people shall be equal before the law, the court, and other State institutions and officers.
A person may not have his rights restricted in any way, or be granted any privileges, on the basis of his or her sex, race, nationality, language, origin,social status, religion, convictions, or opinions.

Article 38

(...)
The State shall register marriages, births, and deaths. The State shall also recognise marriages registered in church.
(...)

Article 40

State and local government establishments of teaching and education shall be secular. At the request of parents, they shall offer classes in religious instruction.
Non-governmental teaching and educational institutions may be established according to the procedure established by law.
Institutions of higher learning shall be granted autonomy.
The State shall supervise the activities of establishments of teaching and education.

Article 43

The State shall recognise traditional Lithuanian churches and religious organisations, as well as other churches and religious organisations provided that they have a basis in society and their teaching and rituals do not contradict morality or the law. Churches and religious organisations recognised by the State shall have the rights of legal persons.
Churches and religious organisations shall freely proclaim the teaching of their faith, perform the rituals of their belief, and have houses of prayer, charity institutions, and educational institutions for the training of priests of their faith.
Churches and religious organisations shall function freely according to their canons and statutes. The status of churches and other religious organisations in the State shall be established by agreement or by law.
The teachings proclaimed by churches and other religious organisations, other religious activities, and houses of prayer may not be used for purposes which contradict the Constitution and the law.
There shall not be a State religion in Lithuania.

(Translation : Office of the Seimas of the Republic of Lithuania )