Access Denied: Does Withholding the Law Violate Human Rights?

Abstract

Human rights law encourages due process and enforcement of laws. The presupposition, however, is that the law is accessible. In many justice sectors, particularly in the developing world, the law is not publicized or available, leading to compounding human rights abuses. This article suggests that access to law itself should be a basic human right and that accessibility must be prioritized on the global stage.

Keywords: publicity, publication, law, reporting, human rights, access, enforcement