expression, noun
personal freedom; freedom of the person; personal liberty
Legal term referring to the right to be free from physical restraint or coercion. Often used in constitutional or human rights contexts.
See also: 身体の自由
憲法は人身の自由を保障している。
The constitution guarantees personal freedom.
不当な逮捕は人身の自由の侵害にあたる。
Unjust arrest constitutes a violation of personal liberty.
身体の自由 is a related legal term often used interchangeably, but 人身の自由 is broader, encompassing not only physical restraint but also psychological coercion.
Compound of 人身 (person, human body) + の (possessive particle) + 自由 (freedom). The exact historical derivation is uncertain; the term is a modern legal expression.