Acceso usuarios
Lara Redondo Saceda
El presente trabajo tiene el objetivo de analizar la protección de las personas fallecidas al amparo de los derechos a la vida privada y a la vida familiar, en el marco del artículo 8 del Convenio Europeo de Derechos Humanos. Partiendo de la premisa de que los conflictos derivados de la protección de los derechos fundamentales no se agotan con la muerte del afectado y también impactan en los derechos de sus familiares, se presenta un análisis de la jurisprudencia del Tribunal Europeo de Derechos Humanos que ha permitido perfilar esta protección. Una jurisprudencia que se caracteriza por su carácter dinámico y evolutivo y que se ha construido a partir de complejas situaciones: la disposición de los restos mortales de los fallecidos respetando los deseos de estos y de sus familiares, la extracción y utilización de órganos, tejidos y gametos, la exhumación de cadáveres, el derecho a ser informado sobre el fallecimiento de un familiar, publicación de informaciones sobre personas fallecidas, cuestiones hereditarias y el deber de los Estados de investigar los fallecimientos. Un desarrollo jurisprudencial que pone de manifiesto la importancia en las relaciones privadas y familiares de un trato adecuado y digno en relación con los fallecidos y su memoria.
The purpose of this article is to analyse the protection of the deceased under the right to private and family life in the context of Article 8 of the European Convention on Human Rights. On the premise that conflicts arising from the protection of fundamental rights do not end with the death of the person concerned, but also have an impact on the rights of his or her relatives, an analysis is presented of the case-law of the European Court of Human Rights which has made possible an outline of this protection. This case-law is characterised by its dynamic and evolving nature and has been developed on the basis of complex situations: the disposition of the remains of the deceased in accordance with the wishes of the deceased and their relatives, the removal and use of organs, tissues and gametes, the exhumation of corpses, the right to be informed of the death of a relative, the publication of information on deceased persons, inheritance issues and the duty of States to investigate deaths. This jurisprudential development highlights the importance of the correct and dignified treatment of the deceased and their memory in private and family relations.
Summary 1. Introduction. 2. The protection of deceased persons under Article 8 ECHR. 2.1. General concepts of Article 8 ECHR. 2.2. The protection of the deceased under the right to respect for private and family life. 3. 3. The case law of the European Court of Human Rights on deceased persons. 3.1. Disposal of the ashes of the deceased. 3.2. Transfer of the body and remains of the deceased to the next of kin. 3.3. The deceased and inheritance. 3.4. Transfer of the mortal remains of the deceased. 3.5. Treatment of the remains of stillborn children. 3.6. Carrying out autopsies without the consent of the family. 3.7. Removal of organs and tissues from deceased persons. 3.8. Use of reproductive cells of deceased persons. 3.9. Exhumation of a corpse without the consent of the family. 3.10. The right to be informed of the death of a family member. 3.11. Publication of information about a deceased person. 3.12. The duty of States to investigate deaths. 4. Conclusions.
