The least controversial group of human rights are civil and political rights. These rights are familiar from historical bills of rights, such as the French Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen (1789) and the US Bill of Rights (1791 and subsequent amendments). Modern sources include the first 21 articles of the Universal Declaration and treaties such as the European Convention, the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, the American Convention on Human Rights and the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights. Below are some typical formulations:
Everyone has the right to freedom of opinion and expression. This right shall include freedom to seek, receive and impart information and ideas of all kinds, regardless of frontiers, either orally, in writing or in print, in the form of art, or through any other media of his choice. (American Convention on Human Rights, Article 13.1)
Everyone has the right to freedom of peaceful assembly and to freedom of association with others, including the right to form and join trade unions for the protection of his interests (European Convention, Article 11).
Everyone has the right to take part freely in the government of his country, directly or through freely chosen representatives, in accordance with the provisions of the law. 2. Every citizen has the right of equal access to the public service of his country. 3. Everyone has the right of access to public property and services in strict equality before the law (African Charter, Article 13).
Most civil and political rights are not absolute – in some cases they may be overridden by other considerations. For example, the right to freedom of movement may be limited by public and private property rights, restrictive orders related to domestic violence and legal penalties. Furthermore, following a natural disaster such as a hurricane or earthquake, free movement is often suspended as a matter of course to keep out the curious, allow access for emergency vehicles and equipment and prevent looting. The International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights allows for the suspension of rights during “public emergencies which threaten the life of the nation” (Article 4). But it excludes some rights from suspension, including the right to life, prohibition of torture, prohibition of slavery, prohibition of ex post facto criminal laws,