The state of emergency is a situation where a country has the power to put through policies that would otherwise be against the law for the safety and security of its citizens. A state of emergency can be declared during or after a natural disaster, civil unrest, armed conflict, or medical pandemic or epidemic. During such a situation, the government can make regulations that infringe on some civil liberties including freedom of speech and movement. However, these encroachments can only be done to the extent that they are “reasonably justifiable for the purpose of dealing with the situation that exists during that period.”

Some countries have specific laws on state of emergencies such as New Zealand which has the Civil Defence Emergency Management Act 2002. The government or a local body council have the ability to issue a state of emergency, either for the whole country or within a particular region. This can suspend the operation of daily work or essential services. States of emergency in New Zealand expire on the seventh day following a declaration or can be extended by the minister of civil defence or a local mayor.

Other countries also have laws on state of emergencies like the Constitution of Hungary which allows for a declaration of state of emergency by the National Assembly. A state of emergency can infringe on some civil liberties such as freedom of movement and secrecy of correspondence but only to the extent that they are deemed reasonably justifiable for the purpose of dealing the with the situation that exists during that period.