Human rights judges have rejected a complaint from a Spanish priest who claims his teaching contract was not renewed due to his support of optional celibacy.
In today’s Chamber judgment in the case of Fernández Martínez v. Spain (application no. 56030/07), which is not final, the European Court of Human Rights held, by a majority, that there had been:
no violation of Article 8 of the European Convention on Human Rights.
The case concerned the decision not to renew of the contract of a priest, who was married with five children, to teach Catholic religion and morals, following the publication of an article disclosing his membership of the ‘Movement for Optional Celibacy.’
