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Writer's pictureBarbora Karetová

Children's Rights in Psychiatric Care

Updated: Oct 13

On March 26, 2024, the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) ruled in the case of V. I. v. Moldova (No. 38963/18) that the involuntary hospitalization of a 15-year-old boy with mild intellectual disability violated the European Convention on Human Rights. The boy was placed in a psychiatric hospital based on the consent of his public guardian but against his own wishes, and he was given treatment without medical necessity.


The European Court found violations of several articles of the Convention, including the prohibition of inhuman or degrading treatment (Article 3) and the prohibition of discrimination (Article 14). It emphasized that states have a duty to involve children in decisions about their healthcare and to consider their opinions. This ruling highlights the need to reassess laws and practices to protect the rights of children with intellectual disabilities, especially concerning involuntary hospitalization and treatment.

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