Constitutional Restriction on Human Rights and Freedoms in the Development of Liberal Democracy in Europe
Summary: 1. Introduction. – 2. Derogations of Human Rights under the British Constitutional Model. – 3. Restrictions of Human Rights in Continental Europe. – 4. Legal Scope of Restrictions in Eastern Europe. – 5. Peculiarities of Human Rights Restrictions in Balkan Countries. – 6. Restrictions of Human Rights in Baltic States. – 7. The Scandinavian Model of Exceptions to Ensure Constitutional Human Rights. – 8. Conclusion
Abstract
This article is dedicated to the constitutional restrictions on human rights and freedoms within the genesis and development of liberal democracy.
The article argues that European countries implement the provisions of the ECHR in
various ways regarding the application of restrictions of rights and freedoms in their own national legal systems in order to support: 1) the state and public security or economic well-being of the country; 2) the prevention of riots or crimes; 3) health or morals or for the purpose of protecting the rights and freedoms of others; 4) the protection of national security or territorial integrity; 5) protecting the reputation of others; 6) the prevention of disclosure of confidential information; 7) maintaining the authority and impartiality of judicial authorities.
The research defines a common feature of all constitutional restrictions of human rights and freedoms within the European countries’ application, taking into account the objective circumstances necessary in a democratic society. The authors underline that under no circumstances should the restrictions distort the essence of human rights and freedoms that fall under such derogations.
The article underlines that the restrictions on human rights and freedoms are a necessary component of the legal system of any state and modern society. Such restrictions should be of a legal nature and should be imposed only in accordance with the general interest – national security, law and order, the protection of moral norms, and the protection of the rights and freedoms of other persons when the right of another person in a legitimate balance prevails. The emergence of challenges to human rights does not negate their effectiveness, and they continue to operate, which testifies to their effectiveness and guarantees the inviolability of the rule of law principle when resolving specific cases on human rights restrictions
About Authors
PhD (Law), Associate Professor, Head of State Sciences and Law Department
of the National Academy of Public Administration under the President of Ukraine nat_pl@ua.fm
https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8442-1149
Koruts Uliana
PhD (Law), Associate Professor,
Head of International Office of West Ukrainian National University
u.koruts@wunu.edu.ua
https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6999-8532
Doroshenko Elmira
Postgraduate Student of the National Academy on Public Administration under the President of Ukraine
elmira.doroshenkoo@gmail.com
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
The authors would like to express their gratitude to the reviewers and editors of the Journal for their help and to the English editor, Sarah White.
CONFLICTS OF INTEREST
The authors declare no conflict of interest of relevance to this topic.
CONTRIBUTORSHIP
The authors are equally contributed to the intellectual discussion underlying this paper, writing, and accept responsibility for the content and interpretation.
References
- Albi A, Bardutzky S, ‘Revisiting the Role and Future of National Constitutions in European and Global Governance: Introduction to the Research Project’ in A Albi, S Bardutzky (eds), National Constitutions in European and Global Governance: Democracy, Rights, the Rule of Law (TMC Asser Press 2019) <https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-6265-273-6_1> accessed 24 June 2021.
- Arnold R, ‘Anthropocentric Constitutionalism in the European Union: Some Reflections’ in The European Union – What Is Next? (Wolters Kluwer 2018) 112-13.
- Basic Law for the Federal Republic of Germany of 23 May 1949 <https://www.btg- bestellservice.de/pdf/80201000.pdf.> accessed 20 May 2021.
- Biernat S, Kawczyńska M, ‘The Role of the Polish Constitution (Pre-2016): Development of a Liberal Democracy in the European and International Context’ in A Albi, S Bardutzky (eds), National Constitutions in European and Global Governance: Democracy, Rights, the Rule of Law (TMC Asser Press 2019) <https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-6265-273-6_16> accessed 24 June 2021.
- Coliver S, ‘Spycatcher - The Legal and Broader Significance of the European Court’s Judgment’ (1992) 142 Tolley’s J Media L & Prac <https://heinonline.org/HOL/LandingPage?handle=hein. journals/tojmedlp13&div=8&id=&page> accessed 20 May 2021.
- Constitution of Finland, 11 June 1999 <https://oikeusministerio.fi/en/constitution-of- finland> accessed 20 May 2021.
- Constitution of Montenegro, 25 October 2007 <https://www.wipo.int/edocs/lexdocs/laws/ en/me/me004en.pdf> accessed 20 May 2021.
- Constitution of Spain, 27 December 1978 <https://www.constituteproject.org/constitution/ Spain_2011.pdf?lang=en> accessed 24 June 2021.
- Constitution of the Czech Republic of 16 December 1992. <https://www.psp.cz/en/docs/ laws/1993/1.html > accessed 20 May 2021.
- Constitution of the Republic of Croatia of 22 December 1990 <https://www.usud.hr/sites/ default/files/dokumenti/The_consolidated_text_of_the_Constitution_of_the_Republic_ of_Croatia_as_of_15_January_2014.pdf> accessed 20 May 2021.
- Constitution of the Republic of Estonia, 28 June 1992 <https://www.constituteproject.org/ constitution/Estonia_2015.pdf?lang=en> accessed 20 May 2021.
- Constitution of the Republic of Lithuania, 25 October 1992 <https://e-seimas.lrs.lt/portal/ legalAct/lt/TAD/TAIS.21892?jfwid=-wd7z8ivg5> accessed 20 May 2021.
- Constitution of the Republic of Poland of 2 April 1997 <https://www.sejm.gov.pl/prawo/ konst/angielski/kon1.htm> accessed 20 May 2021.
- Council of Europe, Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms [1950] <https://www.echr.coe.int/documents/convention_eng.pdf> accessed 20 May 2021.
- Ernits M et al, ‘The Constitution of Estonia: The Unexpected Challenges of Unlimited Primacy of EU Law’ in A Albi, S Bardutzky (eds), National Constitutions in European and Global Governance: Democracy, Rights, the Rule of Law (TMC Asser Press 2019) <https:// doi.org/10.1007/978-94-6265-273-6_19> accessed 24 June 2021.
- Franeta D, ‘Human Dignity in Montenegro’ in P Becchi, K Mathis (eds), Handbook of Human Dignity in Europe (Springer 2019) <https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-28082- 0_29> accessed 24 June 2021.
- Goldner Lang I, Đurđević Z, Mataija M, ‘The Constitution of Croatia in the Perspective of European and Global Governance’ in A Albi, S Bardutzky (eds), National Constitutions in European and Global Governance: Democracy, Rights, the Rule of Law (TMC Asser Press 2019) <https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-6265-273-6_24> accessed 24 June 2021.
- Human Rights Act [1998] <www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1998/42> accessed 20 May 2021.
- International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights [1966] <https://www.ohchr.org/en/ professionalinterest/pages/ccpr.aspx> accessed 20 May 2021.
- Izarova I, Kravtsov S, ‘About the Special Issue on the Occasion of the 70th Anniversary of the European Convention on Human Rights’ 2021 1(9) Access to Justice in Eastern Europe 5-7.
- Jarukaitis I, Švedas G, ‘The Constitutional Experience of Lithuania in the Context of European and Global Governance Challenges’ in A Albi, S Bardutzky (eds), National Constitutions in European and Global Governance: Democracy, Rights, the Rule of Law ( TMC Asser Press 2019) <https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-6265-273-6_21> accessed 24 June 2021.
- Klamberg M, ‘International Human Rights Law and States of Emergency’ in D Rogers (ed), Human Rights in War. International Human Rights (Springer 2021) <https://doi. org/10.1007/978-981-15-5202-1_6-1> accessed 24 June 2021.
- Kostadinov B, ‘Human Dignity in Croatia’ in P Becchi, K Mathis (eds), Handbook of Human Dignity in Europe (Springer 2018) <https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-27830-8_7-1> accessed 24 June 2021.
- Lachmayer K, ‘The Constitution of Austria in International Constitutional Networks: Pluralism, Dialogues and Diversity’ in A Albi, S Bardutzky (eds), National Constitutions in European and Global Governance: Democracy, Rights, the Rule of Law (TMC Asser Press 2019) <https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-6265-273-6_27> accessed 24 June 2021.
- Mohammad N, Hasan SM, ‘Human Rights’ in D Crowther, S Seifi (eds), The Palgrave Handbook of Corporate Social Responsibility (Palgrave Macmillan 2020) <https://doi. org/10.1007/978-3-030-22438-7_22-1> accessed 24 June 2021.
- Muraviov V, Mushak N, ‘Legal Issues of the Implementation of the Convention for the protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms 1950 in Ukraine’ (2021) 1 (9) Access to Justice in Eastern Europe 11-22.
- Muraviov М, Mushak N, ‘Judicial Control of Public Power as Legal Instrument for Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms in Ukraine’ in Rule of Law, Human Rights and Judicial Control of Power (Springer 2017).
- Mussig U, ‘A New Order of the Ages. Normativity and Precedence’ in U Mussig (ed),
Reconsidering Constitutional Formation II Decisive Constitutional Normativity. Studies in the History of Law and Justice, vol 12 (Springer 2018) <https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3- 319-73037-0_1> accessed 24 June 2021. - Ojanen T, Salminen J, ‘Finland: European Integration and International Human Rights Treaties as Sources of Domestic Constitutional Change and Dynamism’ in A Albi, S Bardutzky (eds), National Constitutions in European and Global Governance: Democracy, Rights, the Rule of Law (TMC Asser Press 2019) <https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-6265- 273-6_9> accessed 24 June 2021.
- Savchyn M, ‘Basic Constitutional Criteria for Limitation of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms’ (2008) 2 (16) Elections and democracy 21-28.
- Savchyn M, Current Trends in Constitutionalism in the Context of Globalization and Legal Pluralism: Monograph (RICK-U 2018) 123-124.
- Siskova N, ‘European Union’s Legal Instruments to Strengthen the Rule of Law? Their Actual Reflections and Future Prospects’ in N Šišková (ed), The European Union – What Is Next? A Legal Analysis and the Political Visions on the Future of the Union (Wolters Kluwer 2018) 157-162.
- Solanes Mullor J, Torres Pérez A, ‘The Constitution of Spain: The Challenges for the Constitutional Order Under European and Global Governance’ in A Albi, S Bardutzky (eds) National Constitutions in European and Global Governance: Democracy, Rights, the Rule of Law (TMC Asser Press 2019) <https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-6265-273-6_12> accessed 24 June 2021.
- Sydorets B, ‘Restrictions on Human Rights (in the context of the ratio of the Constitution of Ukraine and the Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms)’ (2012) 1 Elections and Democracy 63-69.
- Universal Declaration of Human Rights [1948] <https://www.un.org/en/about-us/universal- declaration-of-human-rights> accessed 20 May 2021.
- Young AL, Birkinshaw P, Mitsilegas V, Christou TA, ‘Europe’s Gift to the United Kingdom’s Unwritten Constitution – Juridification’ in A Albi, S Bardutzky (eds) National Constitutions in European and Global Governance: Democracy, Rights, the Rule of Law (TMC. Asser Press 2019) <https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-6265-273-6_3> accessed 24 June 2021.
Reviews for article
Add a Review
Keywords
- rule of law, constitutional restrictions, constitutional control, human rights, fundamental freedoms, access to justice, European Court of Human Rights, national legislation, legal scope, judicial system
How to cite it?
-
N Plakhotniuk, U Koruts and E Doroshenko, ‘Constitutional Restriction on Human Rights and Freedoms in the Development of Liberal Democracy in Europe’ 2021 3(11) Access to Justice in Eastern Europe 129–143. DOI: https://doi.org/10.33327/AJEE-18-4.3-n000075
