Human Rights are basic freedoms and rights which all humans are entitled to. There are loads of different laws which protect your human rights, from international treaties to domestic laws.

The most relevant law for people living in the UK is the Human Rights Act 1998, which requires public authorities (bodies with functions of a public nature, such as local authorities, government departments and the police) to comply with the rights set out in the European Convention on Human Rights.

The Human Rights Act contains 16 basic Human Rights, which are all taken from the European Convention on Human Rights. These include the right to life, the right to a fair trial, the right to freedom of expression and the right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion. For more information on all the rights set out in the Human Rights Act, visit the Equality and Human Rights Commission website. 

Also, the Citizenship Foundation has produced a really good leaflet about the impact of the Human Rights Act. You can view or download the Citizenship Foundation - Human Rights ImpAct leaflet (pdf). To download Adobe reader so you can view pdfs go to the Adobe website.

As a result of the Human Rights Act, people living in the UK can take a case relating to breaches of human rights to a UK Court, instead of having to go directly to the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg.

Some rights, such as the prohibition of torture are absolute rights which means they can never be taken away by the state. Others, such as the right to liberty can be limited under very specific circumstances set out in the ECHR. An example of this is when you are sentenced to time in prison.

Finally, some rights such as the right to private and family life can be qualified, which means they require a balance between the rights of individuals and the wider community; however, there is a strict criteria which needs to be applied to allow for these rights to be interfered with.

This is as follows:

• There must be a clear legal basis for the interference

• It must have a legitimate aim

• The interference must be necessary in a democratic society, and the means used to achieve the aim must be proportionate

If you think your human rights have been breached by a public authority (see definition above), the best thing to do is visit the Equality and Human Rights Commission website where they detail steps to take.

Alternatively, you can get advice for free from your local Citizens Advice Bureau (you can find your nearest office from the Citizens Advice Scotland website) or speak to a solicitor - a list is available on The Law Society of Scotland website.

There are time limits in place for legal action, so it is important that you act quickly.