European court backs Czech Republic’s requirement to vaccinate children
The European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) accepts the Czech Republic’s position on mandatory vaccinations for children, it said in a landmark ruling on Thursday that rebuffed parents’ complaints that the government violated their rights.
The decision concerns complaints filed before the COVID-19 pandemic, but could come into play again if the issue of vaccinating children against that disease becomes a matter for debate.
The case was lodged by Czech families who had children refused admission to pre-school or had been fined for refusing to vaccinate their children, in some instances dating back to 2003.
The ECHR said it found no violation of the European Convention on Human Rights.
“The Court found that the measures complained of by the applicants, when assessed in the national context, had struck a fair balance with the aims pursued by the Czech State, i.e. protection against diseases representing a serious risk for one’s health,” the ECHR said.