Book I: Individuals

The exercise of civil rights is independent of the exercise of political rights, which are acquired and retained in accordance with constitutional and electoral laws.

Every Frenchman shall enjoy civil rights.

Everyone has the right to respect for his or her private life. Judges may, without prejudice to compensation for damage suffered, prescribe any measures, such as sequestration, seizure and the like, suitable for preventing or stopping an invasion of privacy: such measures may, if urgent, be ordered in summary proceedings.

Everyone has the right to respect for the presumption of innocence. When a person is, prior to any conviction, publicly presented as being guilty of acts that are the subject of a judicial investigation or enquiry, the judge may, even in summary proceedings, without prejudice to compensation for the damage suffered, prescribe any measures, such as the insertion of a correction or the distribution of a press release, for the…

Everyone is obliged to assist justice with a view to ascertaining the truth. Anyone who, without legitimate cause, fails to fulfil this obligation when lawfully required to do so, may be compelled to do so, if necessary under penalty of a fine or civil penalty, without prejudice to damages.

A foreigner shall enjoy in France the same civil rights as those which are or shall be granted to French nationals by the treaties of the nation to which such foreigner belongs.

A foreigner, even one not resident in France, may be summoned before the French courts, for the performance of obligations contracted by him in France with a Frenchman; he may be brought before the courts of France, for obligations contracted by him in a foreign country towards Frenchmen.

A Frenchman may be brought before a court in France, for obligations contracted by him in a foreign country, even with a foreigner.