Court says Britain failed to protect stewardess' right to wear cross
(Jan. 16, 2013) The European Court of Human Rights in Manchester, has ruled that
the British government violated the rights of an airline flight attendant by failing
to protect her right to conscience and religion. It found that Nadia Eweida, a 60-year-old
Coptic Christian, suffered discrimination when she was told by British Airways, her
employer, to stop wearing a cross on her uniform. Her case was one of four claims
of religious discrimination against English Christians heard by the court, but the
only one to succeed. A Jan. 15 ruling dismissed the cases brought by Gary McFarlane,
a relationships counselor fired after he said he had a moral objection to offering
therapy to same-sex couples; Lillian Ladele, a registrar who objected to presiding
over civil partnership ceremonies for same-sex couples; and Shirley Chaplin, 57, a
nurse who said she was forced from her job for wearing a cross in breach of uniform
policy. McFarlane and Chaplin said they would appeal the judgment at the court's Grand
Chamber. The court decided Eweida’ case had been a violation of Articles 9 and
14 of the European Convention on Human Rights, which protect freedom of thought, conscience
and religion and prohibit unjust discrimination. It awarded her $2,670 in compensation
and a further $40,000 in costs.