The Treaty of Lisbon and the Charter of Fundamental Rights
At midnight 1 December 2009, the United Kingdom became beholden to the Treaty of Lisbon as part of its membership in the European Union. The Treaty of Lisbon includes a Charter of Fundamental Rights. Among these rights are…
Human dignity is inviolable. It must be respected and protected. Everyone has the right to respect for his or her physical and mental integrity. Everyone has the right to liberty and security of person. Everyone has the right to the protection of personal data concerning him or her. Everyone has the right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion. This right includes freedom to change religion or belief and freedom, either alone or in community with others and in public or in private, to manifest religion or belief, in worship, teaching, practice and observance. Everyone has the right to freedom of expression. This right shall include freedom to hold opinions and to receive and impart information and ideas without interference by public authority and regardless of frontiers. The freedom and pluralism of the media shall be respected. The arts and scientific research shall be free of constraint. Academic freedom shall be respected. The right to asylum shall be guaranteed with due respect for the rules of the Geneva Convention of 28 July 1951 and the Protocol of 31 January 1967 relating to the status of refugees and in accordance with the Treaty establishing the European Community. Everyone is equal before the law. Any discrimination based on any ground such as sex, race, colour, ethnic or social origin, genetic features, language, religion or belief, political or any other opinion, membership of a national minority, property, birth, disability, age or sexual orientation shall be prohibited. The Union shall respect cultural, religious and linguistic diversity. No one shall be liable to be tried or punished again in criminal proceedings for an offence for which he or she has already been finally acquitted or convicted within the Union in accordance with the law.
Do any of these rights apply to the cause of the Heretical Two? Or are such rights and freedoms for polite company only?