Human Rights as Doctrine and as Reality

In this article, the author attempts to present the concept of human rights from both doctrinal and law-enforcement perspectives, and to outline key human rights issues within the context of legal theory, the scope of law-enforcement practice, and the actual state of affairs in Russia and abroad. In the author’s view, the development of any doctrine—and the human rights doctrine in particular—depends not only on the views of its originators but also on the stance, understanding, and support of its rank-and-file adherents, as well as on their legal consciousness and their activities in law enforcement and lawmaking.