Inviolability

Inviolability is the state or condition of being protected from violation, profanation, or destruction. The term, from Latin inviolabilis, denotes something that cannot be broken or desecrated. In law and political theory, inviolability refers to rights or sanctities that are not to be breached by others, including states, authorities, or institutions.

Personal inviolability encompasses bodily integrity and personal security; it guards individuals against torture, cruel or degrading treatment, and arbitrary arrest or detention, in accordance with due process and human rights standards.

House or domicile inviolability protects the privacy and sanctity of a private home; entry, search, or seizure typically requires lawful authority, such as a warrant, and respect for privacy and property rights.

Privacy and correspondence inviolability protects private communications and postal or electronic correspondence from unlawful interception or monitoring, subject to applicable laws and safeguards.

Diplomatic inviolability is a customary and treaty-based standard in international law, most fully articulated in the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations (1961). It protects diplomats and their official premises from arrest or detention, prohibits intrusion into their residences, and shields correspondence and official acts from local interference.

At the level of state sovereignty, many legal systems recognize the inviolability of borders and the territorial integrity of states, limiting interference in a country’s internal affairs.

Limits or exceptions may apply where law provides for proportional, necessary, and legally authorized actions, such as arrests with warrants, searches with judicial authorization, or emergency measures, always subject to oversight and due process.