Civil liberties are rights and freedoms that protect individuals from actions by the state. They are most often understood as negative rights, that is, preventing the state from acting (such as freedom of speech or freedom of assembly), although there are some that are considered positive rights, that is, obliging the state to act (such as the right to counsel). While civil liberties are not a defining feature of democratic regimes, they are at the heart of liberal democracies. The most common civil liberties can be classified as one of two types: the first being freedoms of thought and expression (including freedom of speech, freedom of the press, and freedom of religion), and the second being protections for those accused of crimes (including habeas corpus, due process of law, trial by jury, and protection against cruel and unusual punishment).
Gallagher, M.E. (2014). Civil Liberties. In The Encyclopedia of Political Thought, M.T. Gibbons (Ed.). https://doi.org/10.1002/9781118474396.wbept0150
