Final answer:
The constitutional protection against unlawful imprisonment is known as habeas corpus. It ensures that a person's detention is reviewed by a court, a principle enshrined in the U.S. Constitution that protects civil liberties.
Step-by-step explanation:
The constitutional protection against unlawful imprisonment is known as habeas corpus. This legal principle requires that the government present a person in custody to a court in order to determine if their detention is legal. Article I, Sections 9 and 10, of the U.S. Constitution specifically guarantee that the government cannot suspend the writ of habeas corpus, except in extraordinary cases such as rebellion or invasion where the public safety may require it.
These protections are part of a broader set of rights that safeguard civil liberties, such as the prohibition of cruel and unusual punishment under the Eighth Amendment, the guarantee of equal protection under the law, and the due process clauses found in the Fifth and Fourteenth Amendments. Essentially, these clauses ensure that a citizen's life, liberty, or property cannot be taken away without fair legal procedures and protections.