School crucifixes ‘do not breach human rights’

Displaying crucifixes in schools in Italy does not breach the rights of non-Catholic families, the European Court of Human Rights has ruled in a judgement announced on the 18 March 2011.

The European Court of Human Rights ruled that crucifixes are acceptable in public school classrooms, dismissing claims that they violate the rights of non-Christian and atheist students.

The ruling overturned a ECHR 2009 ruling.

• Primary Source

Deutsche Welle, 18.3.11: Top European court rules crucifixes acceptable in classrooms http://www.dw-world.de/dw/article/0,,14923515,00.html

France24, 18.3.11: Classroom crucifixes 'not in breach' of human rights http://www.france24.com/en/20110318-classroom-crucifixes-not-breach-human-rights-italy-european-court

ECHR: Press Release, 18.3.11 (No,231, 2011): Crucifixes in Italian State-school classrooms: the Court finds http://www.echr.coe.int/echr/resources/hudoc/Lautsi_PR_ENG.pdf

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