European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR)
An international law that protects human rights.
The European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR) guarantees a range of rights and freedoms of the individual.1 They include:
Article 2 – the right to life
Article 3 – prohibition of torture
Article 4 – prohibition of slavery and forced labour
Article 5 – the right to liberty and security
Article 6 – the right to a fair trial
Article 7 – no punishment without law
Article 8 – the right to respect for private and family life
Article 9 – freedom of thought, conscience and religion
Article 10 – freedom of expression
Article 14 – prohibition from discrimination
These human rights are protected in England and Wales by the Human Rights Act 1998. A person can take their human rights case to the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) once they have exhausted all domestic remedies (this means they have takem their case to court in England or Wales).