Fundamental Concepts in Human Rights and Political Law
Core Definitions in Law and Society
Human Dignity Defined
The human person is central to universal declarations of human rights, which recognize and attempt to protect and implement the respect it deserves throughout the world. The legal framework should organize this recognition.
Understanding Discrimination
Discrimination is an act that violates equality. It refers to the violation of a person's equality regarding social questions, race, religion, or other characteristics.
Racism
Racism is a form of discrimination based on reasons related to a person's skin color, facial features, or other physical characteristics.
Xenophobia
Xenophobia is characterized by suspicion, rejection, and prejudice against foreigners.
Socio-Economic Segregation
This refers to the political separation and isolation of specific groups, such as racial groups, women, homosexuals, or religious communities.
Human Rights: Concepts and Classification
Human rights are legal agreements that encompass diverse liberties and powers that influence every person, ensuring a decent life simply by the fact of being human.
Human Rights Violations
Human rights violations occur throughout the world, including violence against minors, violence against women, restrictions on freedom, suppression of freedom of expression, and genocide.
Defining International Law
International Law is the collection of international legal principles governing state laws and other subjects of international law. These principles are often interpreted and applied by supreme courts or international tribunals.
What is an International Treaty?
An International Treaty is a written agreement between subjects of international law. It is governed by international legal principles and may consist of one or more related legal instruments, regardless of its specific name (e.g., convention, pact, protocol).
Coup d'État
A coup d'état involves seizing political power suddenly and violently by a group, violating the established institutional legitimacy of a state (i.e., disregarding the legal rules of succession to existing power).
De Facto Government vs. De Jure Government
The term de facto government is used to designate those governments, as opposed to de jure governments, which lack an explicit constitutional foundation. These governments arise as a consequence of a breach of the constitutional order, such as a coup, revolution, or any other event outside the established legal system.
The State of Siege
The State of Siege is a concept equivalent to a state of war. Consequently, armed forces are granted overriding powers for acts of repression during this period.
Censorship and Ideological Control
Censorship is the objective suppression of ideas and concepts that human beings require for mutual understanding. This suppression is often related to the degree of power (political) and knowledge (sophistry) held in social and historical relations, and is implemented in accordance with an ideologically coded normative system.