(1) Everyone who is arrested or who is detained under any enactment—
(a) shall be informed at the time of the arrest or detention of the reason for it; and
(b) shall have the right to consult and instruct a lawyer without delay and to be informed of that right; and
(c) shall have the right to have the validity of the arrest or detention determined without delay by way of habeas corpus and to be released if the arrest or detention is not lawful.
(2) Everyone who is arrested for an offence has the right to be charged promptly or to be released.
(3) Everyone who is arrested for an offence and is not released shall be brought as soon as possible before a court or competent tribunal.
(4) Everyone who is—
(a) arrested; or
(b) detained under any enactment— for any offence or suspected offence shall have the right to refrain from making any statement and to be informed of that right.
(5) Everyone deprived of liberty shall be treated with humanity and with respect for the inherent dignity of the person
These rights protect people who have been arrested or held in custody.
This provision says anyone arrested or detained must be treated with humanity and dignity. You have the right to know the reason for your arrest or questioning, and to be given the chance to talk to a lawyer.
These rights are to ensure that detention doesn’t become an abuse of power.
If you are arrested in New Zealand, the standard advice is to stay calm, and use your right to silence to not answer questions beyond giving basic information such as your name, address and date of birth. You should ask to speak to a lawyer privately. The Police Detention Legal Assistance (PDLA) scheme also provides free legal advice, even over the phone.