Sąžinės laisvė sveikatos priežiūros srityje ir ES pagrindinės laisvės: kai kurie probleminiai aspektai

Abstract

Straipsnyje nagrinėjamas svarbaus sąžinės laisvės aspekto – teisės nesielgti prieš savo sąžinę – statusas tarptautinėje teisėje bei Europos Sąjungos pagrindinių teisių sistemoje. Ypatingas dėmesys yra atkreipiamas į šios teisės taikymą sveikatos priežiūros srityje bei jos ribojimo galimybes ES pagrindinių teisių požiūriu.

The right to conscientious objection is an exceptional form of legally permitted disagreement of an individual with legal obligations or prohibitions. Traditionally, conscientious objection is linked to freedom of conscience, religion and thought. These freedoms are among the fundamental individual liberties which are protected at the constitutional and international level. However conscientious objection is an issue that receives limited protection under various human rights instruments and the law of the EU. The right to conscientious objection is not provided for in European Convention on Human Rights, nor explicitly deducted from the art. 9 of the said Convention by European Court of Human Rights. The right to conscientious objection is provided for in the Charter of fundamental rights of the EU (art.10). The rights guaranteed by art. 10 of the Charter do not give rise directly to legislation at European Union level. The recognition of the right to conscientious objection within EU fundamental rights framework reflects constitutional traditions and national legislation, and by referring to national law, allows the different ways in which this right is exercised to be taken into account. [...]