What right does the Habeas Corpus Act uphold?

The Habeas Corpus Act, a cornerstone of legal rights in the UK, is all about preventing unlawful imprisonment. Think of it as a safeguard against being held by the authorities without a proper reason. The name itself, which is Latin, literally translates to "you shall have the body." This refers to the requirement that a person being detained must be brought before a court. The Act, which was originally passed in 1679, ensures that anyone detained has the right to challenge the legality of their detention. The authorities must then justify the detention before a judge. So, the core principle is that you can't just be locked up indefinitely; you have the right to a court hearing to determine if your imprisonment is lawful. While free education and freedom of belief are important rights, and the abolition of slavery is a significant historical event, they aren't directly related to the Habeas Corpus Act, which is specifically focused on protecting individual liberty from unlawful detention through access to the courts.