Strasbourg to hear religious-discrimination cases

The European Court of Human Rights, in Strasbourg, will next week hear the cases of four British people who claim that they lost their jobs as a result of discrimination against their Christian beliefs.

Two of the cases concern the right to manifest religious belief, and whether this extends to wearing a cross or crucifix in the workplace. The other two concern the “clash of rights” that occurs when legislation and rules designed to ensure equality for gay men and lesbians is said to conflict with other people’s rights to manifest their religious belief that homosexual practice is sinful.