Article 20 - The Universal Declaration of Human Rights (English version)

This piece is part of a collection of 30 xylographs, produced by the multimedia artist Otávio Roth (1952-1993), that graphically express the content of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (1948). The series took two years to reach completion, with each piece printed on handmade paper created by the artist himself. Driven by the desire to democratize access to the Charter, Otávio Roth synthesized its message in graphic pieces that facilitate the understanding and memorization of the Charter’s content.

Roth was the first living artist invited to exhibit at the United Nations. His prints have been on permanent display at UN headquarters in New York, Geneva and Vienna since 1981. In addition to the English series, the artist produced other series in Japanese, French, Spanish, Portuguese, Norwegian and Danish, using techniques as diverse as crayon, watercolor and pulp painting.

About Article 20
From the student occupations of universities in Paris in 1968 to the Arab Spring in 2011, popular demonstrations have been the way for people to demand social change. Article 20, combined with Article 19, which proclaims freedom of expression, guarantees the right to come together publicly or privately to collectively express, promote, seek and defend common interests. The freedom of “peaceful assembly” also encompasses vigils, group discussions and theatrical performances. States not only have an obligation to protect peaceful gatherings, but must also adopt measures to facilitate them. In the context of protests and demonstrations, the United Nations Basic Principles on the Use of Force and Firearms by Law Enforcement Authorities contain strict guidelines on the use of force, including that “intentional lethal use of firearms may only be made when strictly unavoidable in order to protect life”.