📘 Simple Explanation Notes

What are Civil & Political Rights?

  • Definition: Civil & Political Rights protect individuals from abuses by governments and private entities and ensure their participation in civil and political life.
  • Source: Enshrined in Articles 3–21 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR), adopted by the UN General Assembly on 10 December 1948.
  • Nature: These are negative rights — they require the State to refrain from certain actions (e.g., not torture, not arbitrarily arrest).
  • Universality: Apply to every human being regardless of race, sex, language, religion, nationality, or any other status (Art. 2).
  • Legal force: Though the UDHR is not a binding treaty, it has attained customary international law status and forms the basis of subsequent binding covenants (ICCPR).

Why Study These Articles?

  • Forms the constitutional backbone of fundamental rights chapters in most national constitutions.
  • Frequently cited in Supreme Court and High Court judgments across the world.
  • Essential for LL.B. papers on Human Rights Law, Constitutional Law, and International Law.
  • Provides the philosophical foundation for understanding rule of law, due process, and personal liberty.

📖 Articles 3–21 — Detailed Tabs

Click any article tab below to explore its explanation and real-world example.

📊 Summary Table — Quick Reference

Article Right / Freedom Key Provision Real-World Example
Art. 3Life, Liberty & SecurityEveryone has the right to life, liberty and securityState cannot impose death penalty arbitrarily
Art. 4Freedom from SlaverySlavery and slave trade prohibited in all formsHuman trafficking is a violation of Art. 4
Art. 5Freedom from TortureNo cruel, inhuman or degrading treatmentPolice brutality during interrogation
Art. 6Legal PersonalityRight to be recognised as a person before lawStateless persons denied identity documents
Art. 7Equality before LawEqual protection without discriminationDalits denied equal access to courts
Art. 8Right to RemedyEffective remedy by competent tribunalsWrit petitions (Habeas Corpus) in India
Art. 9No Arbitrary ArrestNo arbitrary arrest, detention or exilePreventive detention without charge
Art. 10Fair & Public TrialIndependent, impartial tribunal for allSecret military tribunals violate Art. 10
Art. 11Presumption of InnocenceInnocent until proved guilty; no retroactive penaltyEx-post-facto criminal laws barred
Art. 12Right to PrivacyNo arbitrary interference with privacy or homeIllegal phone tapping by government
Art. 13Freedom of MovementFree to move within & leave any countryTravel bans imposed without legal basis
Art. 14Right to AsylumSeek asylum in other countries from persecutionSyrian refugees seeking asylum in Europe
Art. 15Right to NationalityCannot be arbitrarily deprived of nationalityRohingya statelessness in Myanmar
Art. 16Right to MarryFree and full consent; equal rights in marriageForced child marriages violate Art. 16
Art. 17Right to PropertyOwn property; no arbitrary deprivationIllegal land acquisition without compensation
Art. 18Freedom of ReligionChange religion; manifest belief publicly or privatelyAnti-conversion laws as Art. 18 violations
Art. 19Freedom of ExpressionHold opinions; seek & impart information freelyPress censorship, internet shutdowns
Art. 20Freedom of AssemblyPeaceful assembly & association; no compelled membershipBanning peaceful protest marches
Art. 21Political ParticipationRight to vote & govern; elections by universal suffrageGerrymandering diluting minority votes

🔀 Flowchart — Structure of Civil & Political Rights (Art. 3–21)

UDHR 1948 Universal Declaration of Human Rights Civil & Political Rights Articles 3 – 21 A. Personal Security Art. 3, 4, 5 B. Legal Protections Art. 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11 C. Privacy & Movement Art. 12, 13, 14, 15 Art.3 – Life & Liberty Art.4 – No Slavery | Art.5 – No Torture Art.6 – Legal Person Art.7 – Equality | Art.8 – Remedy Art.9 – No Arrest | Art.10–11 – Fair Trial Art.12 – Privacy Art.13 – Movement | Art.14 – Asylum Art.15 – Nationality D. Family & Property Rights Art. 16 (Marriage), Art. 17 (Property) E. Freedoms of Mind & Voice Art. 18 (Religion), Art. 19 (Expression), Art. 20 (Assembly) F. Political Rights Art. 21 – Government Participation & Voting Goal: Human Dignity & Rule of Law for All

🧠 Mind Map — UDHR Civil & Political Rights

UDHR Art. 3–21 Personal Security Art.3 Life & Liberty Art.4 No Slavery | Art.5 No Torture Legal Protections Art.6 Legal Person | Art.7 Equality Art.8 Remedy | Art.9 No Arrest Art.10 Fair Trial | Art.11 Innocence Privacy & Movement Art.12 Privacy Art.13 Movement | Art.14 Asylum Art.15 Nationality Family & Property Art.16 Marriage Art.17 Property Freedoms Art.18 Religion / Conscience Art.19 Expression / Opinion Art.20 Assembly / Association Political Rights Art.21 Vote & Governance Underlying Principle Human Dignity · Rule of Law · Equality

🗺 Roadmap — Study & Revision Plan

Stage 1

Basics

  • Understand what the UDHR is and when it was adopted (1948).
  • Distinguish civil & political rights from economic/social rights.
  • Read the Preamble to understand why these rights exist.
  • Memorise the principle of universality (Art. 2).
Stage 2

Core Provisions

  • Read Articles 3–21 one by one from the original UDHR text.
  • Group them: Personal Security (3–5), Legal (6–11), Privacy/Movement (12–15), Family/Property (16–17), Freedoms (18–20), Political (21).
  • Write a one-line meaning for each article.
  • Prepare the Summary Table from memory.
Stage 3

Applications & Examples

  • Link each article to a real-world event or news story.
  • Understand constitutional equivalents in your jurisdiction (e.g., Art. 21 Indian Constitution → Art. 3 UDHR).
  • Practice distinguishing absolute rights (Art. 4, 5) from qualified rights (Art. 19, 20).
  • Write short answer problems applying UDHR articles to fact scenarios.
Stage 4

Case-Law Linkage

  • Not found in uploaded document — the UDHR text does not cite case law.
  • Supplement from your course materials: ICCPR jurisprudence, UNHRC Communications, and domestic constitutional cases referencing UDHR.
Stage 5

Exam Revision Checklist

  • ✅ Can I define each article in one sentence?
  • ✅ Can I give a real-world example for each?
  • ✅ Do I know which rights are absolute and which are qualified?
  • ✅ Can I draw the mind map & flowchart from memory?
  • ✅ Have I reviewed the Summary Table?
  • ✅ Can I connect UDHR rights to domestic constitutional provisions?
Stage Goal Output / Deliverable
Stage 1 – BasicsUnderstand the UDHR context & universality1-page summary of what UDHR is
Stage 2 – Core ProvisionsMemorise all 19 articles (Art. 3–21)Completed Summary Table from memory
Stage 3 – ApplicationsApply articles to real scenarios10 practice Q&A scenarios
Stage 4 – Case LawLink to ICCPR & domestic judgmentsNot found in uploaded doc – supplement externally
Stage 5 – RevisionExam-ready checklist completionSelf-tested checklist + mind map & flowchart