Right to Freedom Article 20

Article 20 deals with the protection of citizens against convictions for crimes. The individual is protected against the state in three ways.

Retrospective criminal legislation:

It is also referred to as ex-post-facto criminal legislation. It means that a person should not be convicted for what he did before it became illegal.

This simply implies that the laws in question should not be retroactive. However, it is not allowed to provide preventive detention, and he has no immunity before the trial. A second provision of this law dictates that an individual will not suffer any penalty more severe than the one specified in law for the offense undergone.

• Retrospective effect cannot be given to any criminal legislation.
• This immunity is not covered under the provision of preventive detention. It also does not cover any trials.
• As per the law, a person is not subjected to any punishment that is higher than that prescribed by law for the offenses committed.

Double Jeopardy:

This means that one cannot be charged with the same offense twice.

Prohibition against self-incrimination:

This means that none of those accused should be forced to incriminate himself or herself through a state authority.

Right to Freedom: Indians can enjoy a fundamental right to freedom as provided under their constitution. This right enables every Indian resident to be engaged in any work all over the territory of India. It also provides security for the person’s rights from unjust actions.

The Right to Freedom means that people can live and work without the government’s interference. This right is important because it makes sure that everyone is treated fairly and has equal rights. It also keeps people safe from being unfairly kept in custody or jailed without a good reason. Read below this comprehensive article to explore the right to freedom in depth.