A writ of habeas corpus protects people from

unlawful or arbitrary detention. It is a legal mechanism through which a person can challenge the legality or propriety of their detention or imprisonment. The writ of habeas corpus ensures that the government or any other authority must provide justifiable reasons for holding someone in custody and that the person detained has the right to appear before a court to challenge their detention. It is a fundamental safeguard for individual liberty and due process.