15/01/2013

BA Employee Wins Discrimination Ruling

The European Court of Human Rights has ruled that British Airways discriminated against and employee of their Christian beliefs.

Nadia Eweida took her case to the European Court of Human Rights after BA made her stop wearing a cross visibly.

Judges ruled her rights had been violated under Article 9 of the European Convention on Human Rights.

Judges also ruled that the rights of three other Christians had not been violated by their employers.

They brought cases against the government for not protecting their rights but ministers, who contested the claims, argued that the rights of the employees were only protected in private.

The other cases involved nurse Shirley Chaplin, 57, whose employer also stopped her wearing necklaces with a cross, Gary McFarlane, 51 - a marriage counsellor fired after saying he might object to giving sex therapy advice to gay couples - and registrar Lillian Ladele, who was disciplined after she refused to conduct same-sex civil partnership ceremonies.

All four lost separate employment tribunals relating to their beliefs and made individual applications to the court, but their cases are being heard together.

(H)


Related UK National News Stories
Click here for the latest headlines.

24 March 2005
Ethiopian army branded ‘murderers and rapists’
The Ethiopian military has committed widespread murder, rape and torture against the Anuak population since December 2003, Human Rights Watch (HRW) said in a report released today.
14 March 2013
Political Campaigner Wins Appeal Over Extremism Database
An 88-year-old political campaigner has been successful in a legal bid to have his details removed from a police extremism database. Peace protestor John Catt, from Brighton, took his case to the Court of Appeal claiming the retention of data was unlawful.
16 December 2004
Foreign detainees win human rights appeal in Lords
The UK's highest court, the Law Lords, have ruled that detaining foreign nationals without trial is in contravention of European human rights laws. In an eight to one majority ruling, the Law Lords decision is a severe blow to the Government's Anti-terrorisn, Crime and Security Act.
09 July 2013
ECHR Ruling Whole-Life Tariff In Breach Of Human Rights
The European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) has ruled that whole-life sentences, without any prospect of release, are a breach of human rights. The court was ruling on a challenge brought by Jeremy Bamber, Peter Moore and Douglas Vinter. The three claimed that the denial of any prospect of release was in violation of Article 3 of the ECHR.
04 December 2008
Landmark DNA Database Ruling Made
A landmark legal ruling could soon force ministers to remove DNA samples of innocent people from the British database. The European Court of Human Rights (pictured) ruled that two British men should not have had their DNA and fingerprints retained by police. The case was brought by the two men from Sheffield, who were arrested, but never convicted.