Democracy and Human Rights on World Human Rights Day

Cyprus International University (CIU) Faculty of Law Dean Prof. Dr. Hasan Tunç, speaking within the scope of 10th December, World Human Rights Day, said, “The Universal Declaration of Human Rights was adopted at the United Nations General Assembly on 10th December 1948.

It played an important role in the acceptance of human rights as both an ethical and legal phenomenon in the world”.

Stressing that there is an undeniable relationship between human rights and democracy as a product of the modern era, Prof. Dr. Tunç said, "In this respect, there is no point in talking about the existence of human rights in a country where democracy does not exist."

Noting that it is not possible for the mechanisms that protect human rights to be established and institutionalized in countries where there is democratic society, Tunç stated, "For this reason, democracy is an indispensable premise for human rights."

Elaborating that the concept of democracy is a system in which citizens freely and equally participate in the administration, making political decisions in accordance with the majority rule principle, the basic logic of democracy includes the fact that the administration of society changes at particular and regular intervals, or in more technical terms, the administration changes hands peacefully.

Reminding that the democracy regime is formulated so minority rights are not abolished by the majority, Tunç went on to say, “democracy, which is based on the principle of majority rule, is then forced to take on the form where majority can transform into minority and minority into majority, and is an administrative regime where it must transform”. 

Underlining that human rights cannot exist in a society without democracy, Tunç stated, “In authoritarian regimes, people can have some basic needs met or obtain some legal securities. The fact they can reach these needs is necessary for the protection of human rights, but it’s insufficient.

Using the expression that the protection of rights is only possible if people can manifest and realize themselves freely in a democratic society, Tunç said, “For this reason, a regime without democracy is an order that does not prioritize human dignity, even if it has the capacity to meet the physical needs of people.