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A list of adopted human rights is sometimes called...
Something's happened on that little island again! A gang has robbed the bank, and the police have arrested one of them. It's Johnny, from the neighbouring: Volcano Island. Bob has an idea, how to catch the rest of the gang. He suggests they should torture Johnny.
No, we don't torture people here. Why not, he's from Volcano island - they're beasts and savages, all of them! Ah, he still has some rights doesn't he? Why would he have rights? On our island, we get rights from our law.
He is from Volcano island. They aren't protected by our laws. Yes, they are! Some rights have to be for all humans, regardless of where they're from. The discussion continues: between Alice and Bob, in parliament, and among the population.
Which basic human rights are to apply to all people? Pretty soon all agree on a few things: All humans are created free, equal in dignity, and with the same rights. And no rights can be taken from anyone based on their: race, colour, sex, language, religion, political opinions, or whether they are rich or poor. So far, everyone still seems to agree. But when it come to torture, there are some who disagree: """Now, when the police have caught one of the robbers," wouldn't it be good if they could force him to tell on his accomplices too?" No! says another. """What if the person being tortured is innocent?" He would say anything, just to get the torture to stop.
What is being said under torture, is not very credible -- torture is simply not very effective. It might as well be banned." "Yes, but, what if there's someone who knows" the plans for a major terrorist attack? ... where thousands will die -- are we not going to do whatever it takes to get that person to speak, then?" Alice argues that "torture takes away a person's basic dignity ... and we agreed to protect that!" """Furthermore, maybe everyone on the island agrees that" torture is needed only this time -- but allowing it once makes it so much easier to do it again." So, the islanders decide to let the ban on torture be included among the Human Rights. And they can also agree that everyone is equal before the law.
That is, that all laws apply equally, for all people, and that the police and the courts must treat everyone according to the same principles. It's also reasonably easy to agree that "every person has the right to their own opinion" ... and that anyone is allowed to say whatever they want: On this island, there's freedom of speech. But, perhaps one isn't free to say everything... right?
You can't threaten someone? Spread lies about people, nor encourage people to commit crimes or spread hate? Hmmmm. There may have to be some exceptions to the freedom of speech. The discussion goes on, and eventually they agree on a bill of rights, that they make part of the island's constitution.
By including the bill of rights in the constitution, parliament can't change it too easily. Meanwhile, the police have caught the gang of bank robbers, and released Johnny, who apparently wasn't part of the gang! But, the fruit seller, refuses to sell apples to Johnny, and says that people like him are "dirty barbarians who_x000D_ should be put in jail." Johnny claims that the fruit seller is "discriminating against him, spreading lies and hatred -- and that the bill of rights gives him the right to be free from that." The fruit seller on the other hand, claims that "precisely that bill of rights give her the right to express her opinion." Can be difficult, these rights. Sometimes they come into conflict with each other. Lucky the island has a good court, and that "all are equal before the law".