Proceedings

Fundamental rights

A violation of the following fundamental rights in particular can be asserted before the Constitutional Court. Behind each fundamental right there are links, where available, to the text of the fundamental right in the Constitution and in the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR), to a commentary in the book "Grundrechtspraxis in Liechtenstein" and to an online commentary on verfassung.li.

Basic fundamental rights

Human dignity (Constitution«Grundrechtspraxis in Liechtenstein» / verfassung.li);
Prohibition of torture and of inhuman or degrading treatment (ConstitutionEMRK«Grundrechtspraxis in Liechtenstein» / verfassung.li);
Right to life (ConstitutionECHR«Grundrechtspraxis in Liechtenstein» / verfassung.li);
Right to liberty (ConstitutionECHR«Grundrechtspraxis in Liechtenstein» / verfassung.li);

Overarching fundamental rights

Freedom of establishment (ConstitutionECHR«Grundrechtspraxis in Liechtenstein» / verfassung.li);
Equality (ConstitutionECHR«Grundrechtspraxis in Liechtenstein» / verfassung.li);
Prohibition of excessive formalism («Grundrechtspraxis in Liechtenstein»);
Prohibition of arbitrariness («Grundrechtspraxis in Liechtenstein»).

Intangible fundamental rights

Right to privacy and secrecy (ConstitutionECHR«Grundrechtspraxis in Liechtenstein» / verfassung.li);
Freedom of thought, conscience and religion (ConstitutionECHR«Grundrechtspraxis in Liechtenstein» / verfassung.li);
Freedom of expression (ConstitutionECHR«Grundrechtspraxis in Liechtenstein» / verfassung.li);
Freedom of assembly and association (ConstitutionECHR«Grundrechtspraxis in Liechtenstein» / verfassung.li);
Right to marry (ECHR);
Right to education (ECHR);

Economic fundamental rights

Guarantee of a tax-free subsistence minimum (Constitution«Grundrechtspraxis in Liechtenstein» / verfassung.li);
Protection of property (ConstitutionECHR«Grundrechtspraxis in Liechtenstein» / verfassung.li);
Freedom of trade and commerce (Constitution / «Grundrechtspraxis in Liechtenstein»);
Principle of legality in tax law («Grundrechtspraxis in Liechtenstein»);

Procedural fundamental rights

Right to be heard (Constitution (Art. 31 Abs. 1)Constitution (Art. 33 Abs. 3)ECHR«Grundrechtspraxis in Liechtenstein» / verfassung.li);
Prohibition of denial of justice (ConstitutionECHR«Grundrechtspraxis in Liechtenstein» / verfassung.li);
Prohibition of undue delay (ConstitutionECHR«Grundrechtspraxis in Liechtenstein» / verfassung.li);
Right to the ordinary court (ConstitutionECHR«Grundrechtspraxis in Liechtenstein» / verfassung.li);
Entitlement to reasoned decisions (ConstitutionECHR«Grundrechtspraxis in Liechtenstein» / verfassung.li);
Right of appeal (ConstitutionECHR«Grundrechtspraxis in Liechtenstein» / verfassung.li);

Fundamental rights in criminal proceedings

Principle of legality in criminal law (ConstitutionECHR«Grundrechtspraxis in Liechtenstein» / verfassung.li);
Right to an effective defence (ConstitutionECHR«Grundrechtspraxis in Liechtenstein» / verfassung.li);
Prohibition of double punishment (ECHR);
Presumption of innocence (ECHR / «Grundrechtspraxis in Liechtenstein»).

In principle, fundamental rights are only applicable between persons and the state. This means that a person has a claim against the state. The state should therefore either do something (e.g. treat everyone equally) or refrain from doing something (e.g. not to violate privacy). However, the term "third-party effect" raises the question of whether fundamental rights also apply between persons. Is, for example, a landlord allowed to refuse a tenant because he is a foreigner? Whether there is a third-party effect has been and continues to be controversial. A direct third-party effect from the constitution (see rent example) is currently rejected, as personal freedom is weighted higher. However, an indirect third-party effect applies to certain fundamental rights. This means that a law can order fundamental rights to apply between persons. Examples of this are the equal treatment of men and women in labour law and whistleblowers in companies.