Today reminds us to remember those who rot in jails without a fair trial, due process, being tortured, maltreated and malnourished. For what?

Expressing a thought, an opinion, a belief.

How we treat each other is a reflection of the world around us, a manifestation of a sickness that expresses itself in the near constant drama of war and crisis.

That’s why human rights abuses are the thin end of a very big wedge. It’s a good time to read through the UN Declaration and spend a few minutes thinking about what it means to us as individuals.

And then please sign up as a member of Amnesty International wherever you live.

December 10th is the 60th Anniversary of the UN Declaration of Human Rights.

Click on the badge above and see where it takes you.

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.

In many countries it’s hard to fund an impartial tribunal never mind actually get a hearing. Nowhere is this more difficult than the abusive regime in Burma which jailed at least 11dissidents, involved in the recent monk led uprising, to 65 years in jail.

No defense. Closed session.

Nice to see Obama looking to close Guantanamo Bay. The need for due process has never been more pressing.

No one shall be subjected to arbitrary arrest, detention or exile.

The focus so far has been on freedom, equality and the application of the rule of law. But no article better enshrines the fear many people live with, namely that someone will come to your house and take you away.

Arbitrary arrest and detention are weapons of fear. They walk closely in hand with torture, which can be liberally applied in some dark, dank cell where no one is watching.

This is a weapon for crushing democracy and freedom. Countries like Burma continue to use it today to make sure their population is suppressed and bathed in fear.

When you go to bed tonight spare a thought for those who sleep lightly whilst waiting for the knock at the door.

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.

The rule of law and a framework for implementing it is the basis of any functioning society. As I am fond of telling passionate eco-warriors, without security there can be no protection of the ecosystem.

How can one establish rights if there is no forum to demonstrate them as valid.

As in article 7, the issues of competency and actual law come to bear here. if the legal structure is weak then it is likely that violations of rights will or could be ignored or overruled.

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.

This seems to parellel Article 6. Surely all are equal before the law?

Well as we know that is not the case. Or to paraphrase Orwell, “all humans are equal, but some are more equal than others”.

Men and women for example are treated unequally in many jurisdictions. Sometimes it makes me wonder how they drafted this thing with a straight face. Did they actually believe it? Answers on a postcard please.