Whelan v Ireland decision factsheet

In June 2017, the United Nations Human Rights Committee ruled for the second time that by prohibiting and criminalizing abortion, Ireland violated a woman’s fundamental human rights. In the case of Whelan v. Ireland, the Committee held that by prohibiting Ms. Whelan from accessing abortion services in Ireland, the state subjected her to severe mental anguish and suffering. As a result, Ireland violated her rights to freedom from cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment, to privacy, and to equality before the law. This factsheet  highlights the key aspects of this decision.