Learn more about some of the most important civil and political rights:

Life

The right to life means that you should be able to live in circumstances where your life is not arbitrarily endangered. It also means that state authorities must not arbitrarily take your life. 

example The police, when trying to arrest you, must not shoot to kill when they can capture you instead.

It also means that state authorities must protect you from other individuals who might take your life, and investigate and punish anyone who attempts to do that.

Torture

The prohibition of torture means that you must never be treated in a cruel, severely humiliating and degrading way exposing you to physical or psychological pain and suffering. In the same way as with the right to life, state authorities must do both – refrain from committing torture themselves and investigate any claims that you make and protect you from those who might torture you.

Liberty

The right to physical liberty means that your physical freedom must not be restricted without a reason. The situations and procedures for when and how this can be done must be clearly explained in law.

example If you commit a crime you might be sentenced to imprisonment because that is what the law states.

Fair trial

The right to fair trial means that when you go to court you have rights to fair and objective consideration of your case. Such fair consideration guarantees a procedure where you are treated equally to the other party, you have the right to explain your side and arguments, and you have the right to invite a lawyer and so on.

Property

The right to property means peaceful enjoyment of your possessions. It means that you have the right to use, develop, sell, destroy or deal with your property the way you want. Public authorities should not interfere with your use of property or possessions, except in special circumstances explained by law.

Private & Family life

The right to private and family life is very broad. It covers your right to decide how to build and lead your family life, what friends and people you spend time with, it protects the inviolability of your home and correspondence, it guarantees the autonomy for you to make choices for yourself etc. This right, however, can be restricted by law in order to protect other vital interests like public order or state security. In doing so the interests of both sides have to be weighed and balanced.

Expression

The freedom of expression means the right to seek, receive and share information and ideas without fear or interference. It is very important for personal development and dignity. Freedom of expression is a key vehicle to realize yourself as an individuality and to manifest all possible dimensions of your identity as a unique human being. This right is closely related to the right to hold and express one’s opinion. Freedom of expression is a precondition of any public, political, scientific or artistic activity, it is also a precondition of any kind of sensible human communication, including press, electronic or social media. This right, the same as the right to private and family life, can also be restricted by law.

Last updated 24/04/2021