E/CN.4/1995/91/Add.1 page 102 public order or to good customs. Religious faiths shall be subject to the supreme inspection of the National Executive, in conformity with the law. No one may invoke religious beliefs or disciplines in order to avoid complying with the laws or to prevent another from exercising his rights. Chapter II of the Penal Code, entitled ’Offences against freedom of worship’, stipulates the following: Article 168: Whosoever, with a view to obstructing a religion that is lawfully established or about to be established in the Republic, prevents or disturbs the holding of religious functions or ceremonies, shall be liable to a prison term of 5 to 45 days. If the act is accompanied by threats, violence, insults or expressions of contempt, the length of imprisonment shall be 45 days to 15 months. Article 170: Whosoever, out of scorn for a religion established or about to be established in the Republic, destroys, ill-treats or defiles in any way whatsoever, in a public place, objects used by that religion, and any individual who ill-treats or insults any member of that religion’s clergy, shall be liable to a prison term of 45 days to 15 months. If the offence has been committed against any clergyman in the exercise of or because of his functions, the sentence laid down for this offence shall be increased by one sixth. Article 171: Whosoever, in a place of worship or a cemetery, damages or defiles monuments, paintings, stones, steles, inscriptions or tumuli, shall be liable to a prison term of one to six months or a fine of 150 to 1,500 bolivars. Freedom of thought This freedom does not even need to be legally guaranteed, for, as long as thought is not externalized, it cannot be controlled and, when it is externalized, it enters the domain of freedom of expression and opinion. In this connection, article 66 of the Constitution stipulates: ’Everyone has the right to express his thoughts by the spoken word or in writing and to make use of any means of dissemination, without prior censorship; but statements which constitute offences are subject to punishment, according to law’. Anonymity is not permitted. Likewise, propaganda for war, that which offends public morals, and that for the purpose of inciting disobedience of the laws shall not be permitted, but this shall not repress analysis or criticism of legal principles.