75th anniversary of the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR)

Week after week, politicians use the ECHR as a scapegoat. But now, almost 300 organisations, from Liberty and Amnesty, to Shelter, Mind and many more, have come together to say enough is enough. 

The ECHR is fundamental to our democracy. Born from the horrors of World War II, it was built to protect everyone’s dignity and to hold those in power to account. The UK helped to write it, and for 75 years, it’s helped people across the country live freely and safely. 

These aren’t abstract ideals. The ECHR and our Human Rights Act have: 

• Protected victims of sexual violence. 

• Helped families seek justice after Hillsborough and Windrush. 

• Upheld dignity for LGBT+ people, journalists and mental health patients. 

• Supported peace in Northern Ireland through the Good Friday Agreement. 

And yet, these hard-won protections are under attack. There are people in powerful positions who want us to believe we’d be better off without the ECHR – don’t believe them. For decades our human rights laws have underpinned all of our daily lives by giving us the ability to speak freely, love who we want, and live in peace. These rights were hard-won – and we must not allow governments now or in the future to take them away. 

This next chapter will take all of us. Liberty will keep challenging those who scapegoat our rights for political gain, and we’ll keep reminding everyone that our human rights framework is a safety net for us all. 

The ECHR protects us. Now it’s our turn to protect it. 

If you can, please consider setting up a regular gift to Liberty today. Your ongoing support powers the steady fight to defend everyone’s rights.