civil liberties

Cultural  

1. In general, the rights to freedom of thought, expression, and action, and the protection of these rights from government interference or restriction. Civil liberties are the hallmark of liberal, democratic “free” societies. In the United States, the Bill of Rights guarantees a variety of civil liberties, most notably freedom of assembly, freedom of the press, freedom of religion, and freedom of speech, expressed in the First Amendment (see also First Amendment). (See civil rights.)

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civil liberties

In 2005, the California government formally apologized for these forced removals, recognizing they were “fundamental violations of … basic civil liberties and constitutional rights” during a period “of illegal deportation and coerced emigration.”

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 24, 2026

An agency spokesperson said that ICE’s investigative methods abide by the Constitution and respects civil liberties and privacy interests.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 4, 2026

Opponents, including civil liberties organizations and some religious leaders, counter that the curriculum risks moving beyond the academic study of religion and into religious instruction.

From Salon ● Jun. 27, 2026

But it is the mandatory religious texts that have drawn fiercest opposition from education and civil liberties groups.

From BBC ● Jun. 26, 2026

You don’t agree that the question of human rights, of civil liberties, is a matter of vital importance to the African people?

From "Long Walk to Freedom" by Nelson Mandela

Related Words

• freedom
• freedom of religion
• freedom of speech
• human rights