LIBERTY AS A MEANS-RIGHT AND AS AN END-RIGHT: STANDARDS OF INTERPRETATION

Abstract

This research aims to examine the right to freedom as an essential dimension of human rights and a structural foundation of the contemporary democratic order. Through a historical approach, the study reconstructs the evolution of freedom from its classical roots — exemplified by Sophocles’ Antigone — to its modern constitutional recognition and incorporation into international protection systems. Within this framework, the research analyzes the consolidation of interpretative standards developed by the jurisprudence of national and international courts, such as the pro homine principle, the preferred position doctrine of freedom of expression, and the void for vagueness theory. The study concludes that the effectiveness of freedom depends on an interpretation grounded in its historical evolution and structured around consistent protection standards.