HEY MOM, WE JUST FOUND A NEW HUMAN RIGHT

EU frowns on Turkey's adultery ban (Washington Times, September, 7th, 2004)

Turkey's plan to outlaw adultery has raised concern in the European Union over whether the move breaks its human rights policy, The Independent said Tuesday.

EU officials confirm the matter was raised with Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul by Gunter Verheugen, the EU commissioner for enlargement.

Some EU officials say outlawing adultery could breach article eight of the European Convention on Human Rights, creating a new legal obstacle to beginning membership negotiations.

Granted there may be good reason to hold the applause when a country that still has honour killings enacts a criminal provision like this, although it could be part of a genuine effort to prevent them. But aren’t you just dying to know what the European Convention on Human Rights has to say on the matter? Here:

ARTICLE 8
. Everyone has the right to respect for his private and family life, his home and his correspondence.
. There shall be no interference by a public authority with the exercise of this right except such as is in accordance with the law and is necessary in a democratic society in the interests of national security, public safety or the economic well-being of the country, for the prevention of disorder or crime, for the protection of health or morals, or for the protection of the rights and freedoms of others.

There we go. Can there be any doubt that Article Eight protects the basic right of every European to get it on with whomever without let or hindrance? Just like Article One, Article Two, Article Three...