Fundamental Rights of Primary European Union Legislations - Dissertation Example

Fundamental rights had been traced to several ancient documents which date signify that even in those ancient eras fundamental rights had already been practiced and recognized and that the concept was alive and respect for such rights existed thousands of years ago. The Cyrus Cylinder which can be found in the British Museum in London shows that during 539 BC, Cyrus the Great of Persia believed in the fundamental human rights of his own citizens as well as captive citizens of Babylonia which he conquered in 539 BC.

The Cyrus Cylinder was actually Cyrus’ declaration of reforms and described how Cyrus repatriated displaced peoples such as the Jews who were deported and exiled by the Babylonian king Nebuchadnezzar in 6th century BC. It also showed Cyrus’ respect for religions when he purportedly restored temples and cult sanctuaries. It detailed how Cyrus tried to ameliorate the lives of his Babylonian captives as well as his own Persian subjects.The Edicts of Ashoka which were inscribed in boulders and cave walls in Northern India showed that even in 272-231 BC, human rights were practiced and recognized by Emperor Asoka of the Indian dynasty of Maurya.

Etched were social and moral precepts that included respect for man’s dignity, religion, justice, tolerance, truthfulness, kindness, right to prisoners to be heard and to make an appeal for their cases, amnesty, respect for animal life, the establishment of ‘officers of the faith’ to ensure that citizens are free from harassment and free to exercise their freedom of religion.Fundamental rights then emerged from the Roman concept of Libertas which established civil law with liberties and gave it political status.

During the 14th century emerged the concept of central sovereign courts of justice where Roman sovereign courts guarantee civil law. Lessius then came up with the theory that God invested men with civil rights at birth.In England, fundamental rights were recognized in the English Magna Carta of 1215 during the reign of King John of England.  The Magna Carta enforced certain rights such as the rule of law, the right of prisons to appeal and to be heard and the writ of habeas corpus.  This was soon revised in 1297 and remains enforced up to the present in England and Wales.

Its provisions included the right to due process, the right to religion, the right to life and liberty, the right to a fair trial by a court of justice.