The Constitution of the FR of Yugoslavia includes, in accordance with the international standards, a complete corpus of human rights clauses. Out of 144 articles of the Constitution, 50 are devoted to the liberties, rights and obligations of humans and citizens (Part II).

Article 1 is quite explicit: The Federal Republic of Yugoslavia is a soverign federal state, founded on the equality of citizens and the equality of its member republics. According to Article 8, power is vested in the citizens, directly and through freely elected representatives. Article 20 of the Constitution guarantees equality to all citizens, regardless of their nationality, race, sex, language, creed, political or other convictions, education, social background, property or other personal characteristics.

The Constitution of the FR of Yugoslavia mentions, inter alia, the following important rights: personal freedom (art. 23), equal protection of the rights guaranteed by the Constitution (art. 26), freedom of movement and residence (art. 30), inviolability of the personal dwelling (art. 31), secrecy of letters of and other means of communication (art. 32), the right to elect and to be elected into state bodies (art. 34), freedom of conviction, of conscience, thought and public expression of opinions (art. 35), freedom of speech and public appearance (art. 39), freedom of meetings and other peaceful gatherings simple inscription without approval (art. 40), right to medical protection (art. 60), right to education (art. 62).

The Constitution also guarantees economic rights, including the freedom of choice of profession and of employment (art. 54), the right to wages (art. 55),the right to limited working hours, daily and weekly rest and paid vacations (art. 56), the right to strike (art. 57), the right to social security (art. 58), the right to medical protection (art. 60).

Article 36 of the FRY Constitution guarantees the freedom of press and of other forms of public information. The publishing of newspapers and public information through other means is accessible to everybody. Corporations and citizens can establish media outlets by a simple inscription without approval in the register of the licensing authorities of each Federal Republic. Over the last few years an important shift in ownership of the media outlets took place, with private ownership becoming predominant. In Yugoslavia there are 2.800 newspapers (daily and periodicals), over 650 radio and TV stations.

Article 38 prohibits the censorship of the press and of other forms of public information.

The Constitution of the FRY guarantees the freedom of political, trade union, and other associations and activities, without approval, only with registration with the competent administrative body (art. 41). There are 165 political organizations registered in the FRY.

Apart from the Federation of the Independent Trade Unions of Yugoslavia, with the most numerous membership, there exist many independent and autonomous trade unions in the framework of different economic branches and enterprises

(Independent Trade Union of Yugoslav Workers, Independent Trade Union of Public Transport Workers, Trade Union of Yugoslav Railway Workers).

The activities of political, trade union and other organizations whose objective is to destroy the constitutional order by violence, to destroy the territorial integrity of the FRY, to violate the guaranteed rights of humans and citizens, or to provoke national, racial, religious and other intolerance or hatred, are prohibited (art. 42). The sanctions against such activities are in the competence of the Constitutional Court.

Article 43 guarantees the freedom of creed, of public or personal confession and the performance of religious rites. In Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, there are around 50 registered religious communities which are all equal before the Law and have the same rights and duties (Serbian Orthodox Church, Roman Catholic Church, Islamic Religious Community, Christian Adventist Church, Methodists, etc.). They are separated from the State, and it enjoys the freedom of organization of religious life, including the freedom to organize religious schools.

According to the Constitution of the FRY, the citizens are entitled to publicly criticize the activities of state and other bodies, of organizations and officials, to submit grievances, petitions and suggestions, and to get answers to such petitions if they so request. Citizens may not be taken responsible, or suffer any other consequences for the attitudes expressed in public criticism or in the petitions, grievances and/or suggestions, except if such actions constitute criminal acts (art. 44).

In 1996, the Commission for the Grievances and Suggestions of the Citizens, which is a body of the Assembly of the FRY, received 1400 petitions. Most of them, 528, were addressed to the President of the FRY, 379 to the Assembly of the FRY, and 21 to the FRY Government.