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PART II Article 1 The protection of national minorities and of the rights and freedoms of persons belonging to those minorities forms an integral part of the international protection of human rights, and as such falls within the scope of international co-operation. PART II A. Article 1. 1. Cyprus has ratified the following international legal instruments: (a) The European Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms (Ratified by Law 39/62) and see also Law 52/89). (b) The International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination (Ratified by Law 12/67 as amended by Laws 11/92 and 6(III)/95). (c) The International Convention on Civil and Political Rights (Ratified by Law 14/69 - see also Law 17(III)/92). (d) The European Social Charter (Ratified by Law 64/67 and see also Laws 17(II)/92), 5/75, 3/88, 203/91 and 10 (III)/95) (e) Discrimination (Employment and Occupation) I.L.0. (Ratified by Law 3/68). (f) The International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (Ratified by Law 14/69). (g) The United Nations Convention for the Protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage (Ratified by Law 23/75). (h) Convention on the Protection and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide (Ratified by Law 59/80) (i) The European Charter for Regional and Minority Languages (Ratified by Law 39(III)/93). (j) The European Cultural Convention (Ratified by Law 48/68). (k) Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees and its Protocol (1967) (Ratified by Law 37/68). (l) The European Convention for the Prevention of Torture and Inhuman and Degrading Treatment or Punishment (Ratified by Law 24/89, and see also Law 235/90). (m) Convention against Torture and other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment. 2. The Fundamental Rights and Liberties of Part II of the Constitution (see under Para. F. 4 of Part I of this Report), are expressly guaranteed to "everyone" or, to "all persons' or, to "every person", without making any distinction or differentiation on grounds of community or religion or nationality, or on other grounds. This stand of the Constitution finds direct expression in Article 28.2 thereof, which specifically affords the right to every person to enjoy the said rights and liberties, without any direct or indirect discrimination on the ground of his "community, race, religion, language, sex, political or other conviction, national or social descent, birth, colour, wealth .social class, or any ground whatsoever, unless there is express provision to the contrary in the Constitution. The right of access to Court therefore, which is guaranteed by Article 30 of the Constitution, is afforded to everyone, including the Turkish Cypriote, Maronites, Armenians and Latins. No Law exists which deprives, or limits the right of access to Court on any of the above grounds, and even if such a Law had existed, its consitutionality could have been challenged not only as amounting to a breach of the said Articles 30 and 28.2, but also as a breach of Article 6, by virtue of which no Law shall discriminate against any of the two communities or any person as a person or by virtue of being a member of a Community.
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