Impeachment means the complete revocation and withdrawal of the authority that a person has. This term is often used in political, legal, or religious contexts. For example, a head of state, a judge or a clergyman can be impeached. The impeachment process varies by country, institution, or faith. In general, there must be a specific reason for impeachment, the person to be impeached must be given the right to defend, and there must be an authority to approve the impeachment. Impeachment emerged as a result of the principle of separation of powers in democratic systems. Impeachment functions as a mechanism to hold accountable those who abuse their authority or neglect their duty.