| UK Human Rights Act: What the articles say
Article 2: Right to Life
(1) Everyone's right to life shall be protected by law. No one
shall be deprived of his life intentionally save in the execution
of a sentence of a court following his conviction of a crime
for which the penalty is provided by law.
(2) Deprivation of life shall not be regarded as inflicted in
contravention of this Article when it results from the use of force
which is no more than absolutely necessary- (a) in defence of any
person from unlawful violence;
(b) in order to effect a lawful arrest or to prevent the escape
of a person lawfully detained;
(c) in action lawfully taken for the purpose of quelling a riot
or insurrection.
Article 3: Inhuman treatment
No one shall be subjected to torture or to inhuman or degrading
treatment or punishment.
Article 4: Slavery
(1) No one shall be held in slavery or servitude.
(2) No one shall be required to perform forced or compulsory labour.
(3) For the purpose of this Article the term "forced or compulsory
labour" shall not include:
(a) any work required to be done in the ordinary course of detention
imposed in accordance to the provisions of Article 5 of this Convention
or during conditional release from such detention;
(b) any service of a military character or, in the case of conscientious
objectors in countries where they are recognised, service exacted
instead of compulsory military service;
(c) any service exacted in case of an emergency or calamity threatening
the life or well-being of the community;
(d) any work or service which forms part of normal civic obligations.
Article 5: Right to Liberty
(1) Everyone has the right to liberty and security of person. No
one shall be deprived of his liberty save in the following cases
and in accordance with a procedure prescribed by law:
(a) the lawful detention of a person after conviction by a competent
court;
(b) the lawful arrest or detention of a person for non-compliance
with the lawful order of a court or in order to secure the fulfilment
of any obligation prescribed by law;
(c) the lawful arrest or detention of a person effected for the
purpose of bringing him before the competent legal authority on
reasonable suspicion of having committed an offence or when it
is reasonably considered necessary to prevent his committing an
offence or fleeing after having done so;
(d) the detention of a minor by lawful order for the purpose of
educational supervision or his lawful detention for the purpose
of bringing him before the competent legal authority;
(e) the lawful detention of persons for the prevention of the
spreading of infectious diseases, of persons of unsound mind, alcoholics
and drug addicts or vagrants;
(f) the lawful arrest or detention of a person to prevent his
effecting an unauthorised entry into the country or of a person
against whom action is being taken with a view to deportation or
extradition.
(2) Everyone who is arrested shall be informed promptly, in a
language which he understands, of the reason for his arrest and
of any charge against him.
(3) Everyone arrested or detained in accordance with the provisions
of paragraph 1(c) of this Article shall be brought promptly before
a judge or other officer authorised by law to exercise judicial
power and shall be entitled to trial within a reasonable time or
to release pending trial. Release may be conditioned by guarantees
to appear for trial.
(4) Everyone who is deprived of his liberty by arrest or detention
shall be entitled to take proceedings by which the lawfulness of
his detention shall be decided speedily by a court and his release
ordered if the detention is not lawful.
(5) Everyone who has been the victim of arrest or detention in
contravention of the provisions of this Article shall have an enforceable
right to compensation.
Article 6: Right to a fair trial
(1) In the determination of his civil rights and obligations or
of any criminal charge against him, everyone is entitled to a
fair and public hearing within a reasonable time by an independent
and impartial tribunal established by law. Judgment shall be
pronounced publicly but the press and public may be excluded
from all or part of the trial in the interests of morals, public
order or national security in a democratic society, where the
interests of juveniles or the protection of the private life
of the parties so require, or to the extent strictly necessary
in the opinion of the court in special circumstances where publicity
would prejudice the interests of justice.
(2) Everyone charged with a criminal offence shall be presumed
innocent until proved guilty according to law.
(3) Everyone charged with a criminal offence has the following
minimum rights -
(a) to be informed promptly, in a language which he understands
and in detail, of the nature and cause of the accusation against
him;
(b) to have adequate time and facilities for the preparation of
his defence;
(c) to defend himself in person or through legal assistance of
his own choosing or, if he has not sufficient means to pay for
legal assistance, to be given it free when the interests of justice
so require;
(d) to examine or have examined witnesses against him and to obtain
the attendance and examination of witnesses on his behalf under
the same conditions as witnesses against him;
(e) to have the free assistance of an interpreter if he cannot
understand or speak the language used in court.
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Article 7: Retrospective crimes
(1) No one shall be held guilty of any criminal offence on account
of any act or omission which did not constitute a criminal offence
under national or international law at the time when it was committed.
Nor shall a heavier penalty be imposed than the one that was
applicable at the time the criminal offence was committed.
(2) This Article shall not prejudice the trial and punishment of
any person for any act or omission which, at the time it was committed,
was criminal according to the general law recognised by civilised
nations.
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Article 8: Right to privacy
(1) Everyone has the right for his private and family life, his
home and his correspondence.
(2) There shall be no interference by a public authority with the
exercise of this right except such as is in accordance with the
law and is necessary in a democratic society in the interests of
national security, public safety or the economic well-being of
the country, for the prevention of disorder or crime, for the protection
of health or morals, or for the protection of the rights and freedoms
of others.
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Article 9: Freedom of conscience
(1) Everyone has the right to freedom of thought, conscience and
religion; this right includes freedom to change his religion
or belief and freedom, either alone or in community with others
and in public or private, to manifest his religion or belief,
in worship, teaching, practice and observance.
(2) Freedom to manifest one's religion or beliefs shall be subject
only to such limitations as are prescribed by law and are necessary
in a democratic society in the interests of public safety, for
the protection of public order, health or morals, or for the protection
of the rights and freedoms of others.
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Article 10: Freedom of Expression
(1) Everyone has the right of freedom of expression. This right
shall include freedom to hold opinions and to receive and impart
information and ideas without inference by public authority and
regardless of frontiers. This Article shall not prevent States
from requiring the licensing of broadcasting, television or cinema
enterprises.
(2) The exercise of these freedoms, since it carries with it duties
and responsibilities, may be subject to such formalities, conditions,
restrictions or penalties as are prescribed by law and are necessary
in a democratic society, in the interests of national security,
territorial integrity or public safety, for the prevention of disorder
or crime, for the protection of health or morals, for the protection
of the reputation or rights of others, for preventing the disclosure
of information received in confidence, or for maintaining the authority
and impartiality of the judiciary.
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Article 11: Freedom of Assembly
(1) Everyone has the right to freedom of peaceful assembly and
to freedom of association with others, including the right to
form and to join trade unions for the protection of his interests.
(2) No restrictions shall be placed on the exercise of these rights
other than such as are prescribed by law and are necessary in a
democratic society in the interests of national security or public
safety, for the prevention of disorder or crime, for the protection
of health or morals or for the protection of the rights and freedoms
of others.
This Article shall not prevent the imposition of lawful restrictions
on the exercise of these rights by members of the armed forces,
of the police or of the administration of the state.
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Article 12: Marriage and the family
Men and women of marriageable age shall have the right to marry
and to found a family, according to national laws governing the
exercise of this right.
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Article 14: Discrimination
The enjoyment of the rights and freedoms set forth in this convention
shall be secured without discrimination on any ground such as
sex, race, colour, language, religion, political or other opinion,
national or social origin, association with a national minority,
property, birth or other status.
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Protocol No 1
Article 1
Every natural or legal person is entitled to the peaceful enjoyment
of his possessions. No one shall be deprived of his possessions
except in the public interest and subject to the conditions provided
for by law and by the general principles of international law.
The preceding provisions shall not, however, in any way impair
the right of the State to enforce such laws as it deems necessary
to control the use of property in accordance with the general interest
or to secure payment of taxes or other contributions or penalties.
Article 2
No person shall be denied a right to an education. In the exercise
of any functions which it assumes in relation to education and
to teaching, the State shall respect the right of parents to
ensure such education and teaching in conformity with their own
religious and philosophical convictions.
Article 3
The High Contracting Parties undertake to hold free elections at
reasonable intervals by secret ballot, under conditions which
will ensure the free expression of the opinion of the people
in the choice of the legislature. |