10 February 2024
On December 10 last year, we began a series on Human Rights. While everyone talks about them, few of us really know what they are and what they stand for.
Articles 6 to 12 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights focus on the question of putting into practice the fundamental rights described in articles 3 to 5. In other words, every individual on earth has rights which must be guaranteed by law, and which must enable him or her to take legal action to defend him or her. In other words, the law and justice must be the same for everyone, in addition to guaranteeing the possibility for everyone to assert their rights before judges.
Everyone has the right to recognition everywhere as a person before the law.
All are equal before the law and are entitled without any discrimination to equal protection of the law. All are entitled to equal protection against any discrimination in violation of this Declaration and against any incitement to such discrimination.
Everyone has the right to an effective remedy by the competent national tribunals for acts violating the fundamental rights granted him by the constitution or by law.
No one shall be subjected to arbitrary arrest, detention or exile.
Everyone is entitled in full equality to a fair and public hearing by an independent and impartial tribunal, in the determination of his rights and obligations and of any criminal charge against him.
Everyone charged with a penal offence has the right to be presumed innocent until proven guilty according to law in a public trial at which they have had all the guarantees necessary for their defense.
No one shall be held guilty of any penal offence on account of any act or omission which did not constitute a penal offence, under national or international law, at the time when it was committed. Nor shall a heavier penalty be imposed than the one that was applicable at the time the penal offence was committed.
No one shall be subjected to arbitrary interference with his privacy, family, home or correspondence, nor to attacks upon his honour and reputation. Everyone has the right to the protection of the law against such interference or attacks.
The Red Cross is naturally committed to defending Human Rights. This commitment was reinforced in 2022 with the signing of the national “Business and Human Rights” Pact. The Universal Declaration of Human Rights is one of the reference documents of the Code of Conduct and Ethics of the Luxembourg Red Cross.