THE RIGHT TO LIFE

The right to life is nowadays universally acknowledged as a basic or fundamental human
right. It is basic or fundamental because "the enjoyment of the right to life is a necessary
condition of the enjoyment of all other human rights. As indicated by the Inter-American
Court of Human Rights in its Advisory Opinion on Restrictions to the Death Penalty
(1983), the human right to life encompasses a "substantive principle" whereby every human
being has an inalienable right to have his life respected, and a "procedural principle"
whereby no human being shall be arbitrarily deprived of his life.The right to life  means that nobody, including the Government, can try to end your life. It also means the Government should take appropriate measures to safeguard life by making laws to protect you and, in some circumstances, by taking steps to protect you if your life is at risk.
Public authorities should also consider your right to life when making decisions that might put you in danger or that affect your life expectancy. If a member of your family dies in circumstances that involve the state, you may have the right to an investigation. The state is also required to investigate suspicious deaths and deaths in custody. The courts have decided that the right to life does not include a right to die.