human rights

Definitions

The set of basic rights and freedoms that all humans should be guaranteed, including the right to life and liberty, freedom of thought and expression, and equality before the law.

plural, plural-only

Equivalents

Examples

“This trampler upon human rights is — Fashion. Strange that mankind should love⟳ a despotism, And while they kick⟳ against one kind of rule⟳, Should uncomplainingly endure another,[…]”

“We should not facilely judge⟳ China by the American standard of democracy, but its current human rights violations are beyond the pale. At the same time, we should not suspend our relationship because of the human rights issue⟳. If we had always refused to deal⟳ with leaders who violated human rights, there would have⟳ been no opening to China in 1972.”

“Another issue⟳ important to my district is human rights, specifically what is happening in China. My district includes San Francisco's famous Chinatown, and many of my constituents were deeply concerned—as was I—when the Chinese government began to crack down on protesters who were demonstrating peacefully in Beijing and throughout China. Huge demonstrations led to the Tiananmen Square massacre, where more than two thousand people who had dared to speak⟳ out against the government were killed and many more injured. The massacre was followed by even more suppression and imprisonment of protesters.”

“A United Nations report⟳ said Friday that disconnecting people from the internet is a human rights violation and against international law.”

CEFR level