{{short description|Principle of justice holding that decisions should be based on objective criteria}}
{{Redirect-distinguish|Partiality|Patriality}}
{{More citations needed|date=April 2023}}
'''Impartiality''' (also called '''evenhandedness''' or '''fair-mindedness''') is a principle of [[justice]] holding that decisions should be based on [[objectivity (philosophy)|objective criteria]], rather than on the basis of [[bias]], [[prejudice]], or preferring the benefit to one person over another for improper reasons.

==Legal concept==
The [[BBC]] (guided by [[Reithianism]] as its foundation) has, as its principles, impartiality, in respect of media bias in broadcasting.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Waterson |first1=Jim |title=What does impartiality mean? BBC no-bias policy being pushed to limits |url=https://www.theguardian.com/media/2021/nov/12/what-does-impartiality-mean-bbc-no-bias-policy-being-pushed-to-limits |work=The Guardian |date=12 November 2021}}</ref>

[[European Union law]] refers in the [[Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union]] to:
* A right to good administration:
:"Every person has the right to have his or her affairs handled '''impartially''', fairly and within a [[reasonable time]] by the institutions, bodies, offices and agencies of the [[European Union|Union]]."<ref>{{cite book| chapter= Article 41| publisher= Council and Commission, European Parliament| url= http://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/PDF/?uri=CELEX:12012P/TXT&from=EN |title= Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union| via= europa.eu| date= 26 October 2012| language= en| access-date= }}</ref> 
* A [[right to an effective remedy]] and to a [[fair trial]]:
:"Everyone is entitled to a fair and public hearing within a reasonable time by an independent and '''impartial''' tribunal previously established by law."<ref>{{cite book| chapter= Article 47| publisher= Council and Commission, European Parliament| url= http://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/PDF/?uri=CELEX:12012P/TXT&from=EN |title= Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union| via= europa.eu| date= 26 October 2012| language= en| access-date= }}</ref>

== See also ==
* {{annotated link|[[Fairness (machine learning)]]}}
* {{annotated link|[[Justice]]}}
* {{annotated link|[[Neutrality (philosophy)]]}}
* {{annotated link|[[Objectivity (philosophy)]]}}
* {{annotated link|[[Procedural justice]]}}
* {{anl|Sentencing disparity}}

==References==
{{reflist}}

== Further reading ==
* {{cite journal|last=Gert|first=Bernard|year=1995|title=Moral Impartiality|journal=Midwest Studies in Philosophy|volume=XX|pages=102–127|doi=10.5840/msp1995207 }}
* {{cite book|last=Dworkin|first=Ronald|year=1977|title=Taking Rights Seriously|publisher=[[Harvard University Press]]}}
* {{cite book|last=Occhiogrosso|first=Peter|chapter=Buddhism|title=The Joy of Sects: a spirited guide to the world's religious traditions|year=1991|page=84}}

==External links==
{{wikiquote}}
{{Wiktionary}}
* {{cite web|first=Troy|last=Jollimore|url=https://plato.stanford.edu/entries/impartiality/ |title=Impartiality|website=Stanford Online Encyclopedia of Philosophy|date=2002-03-25}}
* {{cite web|url=https://www.openbible.info/topics/impartiality|title=38 Bible Verses about Impartiality|website=OpenBible.info}}
* {{cite web|url=https://quranicteachings.org/equality-law/|title=Equality Before the Law|website=The Quranic Teachings|date=2013-12-08|first=Tanveer|last=Hussain}}

{{Virtues}}

[[Category:Legal ethics]]
[[Category:Criminal justice]]
[[Category:Concepts in political philosophy]]
[[Category:Political concepts]]
[[Category:Politics]]