San Marino - Overview

Overview

The Republic of San Marino has a parliamentary system of governance and is thought to be one of the oldest republics still in existence. The small, landlocked nation joined the United Nations in 1992. San Marino is a signatory to ten of the thirteen main United Nation’s treaties and conventions on human rights.

The state protects freedom of association, peaceful assembly and expression. Article 6 of the Declaration on Citizens Rights 1974, as amended in 2002, specifically protects the rights to freedom of peaceful assembly and of association, stating that these can only be limited when necessary for the “protection of public order and general welfare”. Citizens can form organisations and trade union membership is widespread. The media environment is robust, with citizens having access to several privately-owned newspapers as well as the wider Italian print and broadcast media. The government can legally sanction or fine journalists and media outlets that violate the nation’s media code of conduct. And the law does not allow for any appeal process after conviction. Other laws prohibit hate speech; however, there were no reported prosecutions in 2016.