Quantcast
Published On: Fri, May 1st, 2015

New ADF case heats up ‘right to life’ debate in Europe, Russia

ADF International filed a brief with the European Court of Human Rights Thursday that makes legal arguments in defense of unborn children. The court granted ADF International permission to intervene in the case of Lia Shioshvili, a Georgian national who gave birth to a stillborn child after Russian authorities mistreated her.

“Every innocent life deserves to be protected, and as our brief makes clear, a wealth of international law affirms that,” said ADF International Legal Counsel Robert Clarke. “Human life has value before birth as well as after birth. The ECHR now has the opportunity to affirm this, in line with so much international law that recognizes the life of the unborn.”

Shioshvili moved to Russia with her four children in April 2003. In November 2006, when she was eight months pregnant with her fifth child, Russian authorities decided to expel her from the country.

photo Peter anemoneprojects via Flickr

photo Peter anemoneprojects via Flick

Over a period of several weeks, Shioshvili attempted to travel back to Georgia with her children. She experienced numerous problems at the hands of migration officers, who left her in the cold for prolonged periods of time, failed to offer her food and water, and refused to let her take a seat as she waited for hours to have her documents checked. As a result, Shioshvili’s health worsened. She suffered cold, fever, depression, and repeated asthma attacks. Days later she experienced severe abdominal pain and gave birth to a stillborn child.

In its brief in Shioshvili v. Russia, ADF International submitted that protections afforded to the unborn child both at the national level in member states and in international treaties demonstrates that the ECHR should recognize and protect unborn human life.

In support of its argument, the brief cites international law, including the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (1966), the Geneva Convention (1949), and the Convention on the Rights of the Child (1989).

“Given the clear references within international and regional human rights treaties, there is good reason to suggest that the international legal framework can, and should, be understood as protecting unborn life,” explained Deputy Director of ADF International Roger Kiska. “We hope that the ECHR will agree for the benefit of Lia, her lost child, and all women and children like them throughout Europe.”

On the DISPATCH: Headlines  Local  Opinion

Subscribe to Weekly Newsletter

* indicates required
/ ( mm / dd ) [ALL INFO CONFIDENTIAL]

About the Author

- The generic Dispatch designation, used primarily for press releases or syndicated content, but may be used for guest author requesting a generic nomenclature

Leave a comment

XHTML: You can use these html tags: <a href="" title=""> <abbr title=""> <acronym title=""> <b> <blockquote cite=""> <cite> <code> <del datetime=""> <em> <i> <q cite=""> <s> <strike> <strong>

like_us_on_facebook

 

The Global Dispatch Facebook page- click here

Movie News Facebook page - click here

Television News Facebook page - click here

Weird News Facebook page - click here 

DISPATCH RADIO

dispatch_radio

THE BRANDON JONES SHOW

brandon_jones_show-logo

Archives