European Convention on Human Rights
The European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR) sets out important rights and protections for individuals that the UK, as well as 46 other states, has agreed to uphold.
The ECHR protects the right to:
- life, freedom and security
- respect for private and family life
- freedom of expression
- freedom of thought, conscience and religion
- vote in and stand for election
- a fair trial in civil and criminal matters
- property and peaceful enjoyment of possessions.
The ECHR prohibits:
- the death penalty
- torture or inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment
- slavery and forced labour
- arbitrary and unlawful detention
- discrimination in the enjoyment of the rights and freedom secured by the Convention
- deportation of a state’s own nationals or denying them entry and the collective deportation of foreigners.