Human Rights Cartoon (50): Separation of Powers

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If citizens violate human rights, then the victims can call on the state to act. If the state violates human rights, either in its actions or laws, then the citizens can use one part of the state against another. However, what if both the legislature and the judiciary are disfunctional or outright irresponsible? What if the law is a bad law and the judges fail to invalidate it, because of incompetence, underfunding or perhaps even connivance with the legislature?

Or what if the law is OK but is not enforced by the courts? International law and law enforcement can perhaps help, but states still have means to repel international intrusion. Civil disobedience or, in structural cases, revolution then seem to be the only options left.

More on the separation of powers here and here.