passed by the Slovak National Council on 1 September and signed
on 3 September 1992

PREAMBLE
We, the Slovak nation, mindful of the political and cultural heritage of our forebears, and of the centuries of experience from the struggle for national existence and our own    statehood, in the sense of the spiritual heritage of Cyril  and Methodius and the historical legacy of the Great Moravian  Empire, proceeding from the natural right of nations to    self-determination, together with members of national minorities and ethnic groups living on the territory of the  Slovak Republic, in the interest of lasting peaceful  cooperation with other democratic states, seeking the  application of the democratic form of government and the  guarantees of a free life and the development of spiritual  culture and economic prosperity, that is, we, citizens of the  Slovak Republic, adopt through our representatives the following Constitution:

CHAPTER TWO. BASIC RIGHTS AND FREEDOMS

Part One. General Provisions

Article 11.
International treaties on human rights and basic liberties that were ratified by the Slovak Republic and promulgated in  a manner determined by law take precedence over its own laws, provided that they secure a greater extent of constitutional  rights and liberties.

Article 12.
1. People are free and equal in dignity and their rights.
Basic rights and liberties are inviolable, inalienable, secured by law, and unchallengeable.
2. Basic rights and liberties on the territory of the Slovak  Republic are guaranteed to everyone regardless of sex, race,  color of skin, language, creed and religion, political or   other beliefs, national or social origin, affiliation to a  nation or ethnic group, property, descent, or another  status.  No one must be harmed, preferred, or discriminated  against on these grounds.
3. Everyone has the right to freely decide on his  nationality.  Any influence on this decision and any form of  pressure aimed at assimilation are forbidden.
4. No one must be restricted in his rights because he  upholds his basic rights and liberties.

Part Two. Basic Human Rights and Liberties

Article 16.
1. The inviolability of the person and its privacy is  guaranteed.  It can be limited only in cases defined by law.
2. No one must be tortured or subjected to cruel, inhuman,  or humiliating treatment or punishment.

Article 19.
1. Everyone has the right to the preservation of his human  dignity and personal honor, and the protection of his good  name.
2. Everyone has the right to protection against unwarranted  interference in his private and family life.
3. Everyone has the right to protection against the  unwarranted collection, publication, or other illicit use of  his personal data.

Article 21.
1. A person's home is inviolable.  It must not be entered  without the resident's consent.
2. A house search is admissible only in connection with  criminal proceedings and only on the basis of the judge's  written and substantiated order.  The method of carrying out
a house search will be set out in a law.
3. Other infringements upon the inviolability of one's home  can be permitted by law only if this is inevitable in a  democratic society in order to protect people's lives,  health, or property, to protect the rights and liberties of  others, or to ward off a serious threat to public order.  If  the home is used also for business or to perform some other  economic activity, such infringements can be permitted by law  also when this is unavoidable in meeting the tasks of public  administration.

Article 22.
1. The privacy of correspondence and secrecy of mailed  messages and other written documents and the protection of  personal data are guaranteed.
2. No one must violate the privacy of correspondence and the  secrecy of other written documents and records, whether they  are kept in privacy or sent by mail or in another way, with   the exception of cases to be set out in a law.  Equally  guaranteed is the secrecy of messages conveyed by telephone,  telegraph, or other similar means.