Citation:
Case No. ԼԴ/0023/02/12
Court:
Court of Cassation of Armenia
Date:
05 April 2013
CRC Provisions:
Article 7 (Name and nationality)
Other International Provisions:
Universal Declaration of Human Rights, Article 25 (Right to food and shelter)
Domestic Provisions:
Family Code of the Republic of Armenia, Article 37 (Judicial determination of paternity)
Case Summary:
Background:
The complainant asked the Court to determine the paternity of her children from her deceased partner, with whom she had been cohabiting without marriage. Armenian legislation allows judicial determination of paternity if the deceased partner has recognised himself as father of the children before passing away. The demand had been rejected by the Court of Appeal based on the fact that no evidence presented by the complainant could unambiguously prove that her partner recognised himself as father of the children.
Issue and resolution:
Paternity tests, right to identity, standard of proof for establishing that a deceased parent had recognised himself as the father of the child. The Court held that it was in the best interests of the children that any form of evidence permissible in civil proceedings should be accepted to show that their mother’s partner saw himself as their father.
Court reasoning:
Evidence presented by the complainant included the fact of their cohabitation, the family photographs and testimonies of their family friends, all of which are permissible forms of evidence under the Code of Civil Procedure of Armenia. The Court concluded that the Court of Appeals had neglected the best interests of the children when it rejected examination of the indirect evidence presented by the complainant as inadmissible and non-relevant.
Excerpts citing CRC and other relevant human rights instruments:
Մարդու իրավունքների համընդհանուր հռչակագրի 25-րդ հոդվածի 2-րդ կետի համաձայն` մայրությունն ու մանկությունը հատուկ հոգածության և օժանդակության իրավունք ունեն: Ամուսնության մեջ կամ դրանից դուրս ծնված բոլոր երեխաներն օգտվում են սոցիալական միևնույն պաշտպանությունից: «Երեխայի իրավունքների մասին» կոնվենցիայի 7-րդ հոդվածի համաձայն` երեխան գրանցվում է ծնվելուց անմիջապես հետո և ծննդյան պահից ձեռք է բերում անվան և քաղաքացիության իրավունք, ինչպես նաև, որքան դա հնարավոր է, իր ծնողներին ճանաչելու և նրանց խնամքի իրավունք: Մասնակից պետություններն այդ իրավունքների իրականացումն ապահովում են իրենց ներպետական օրենսդրության և այս բնագավառում համապատասխան միջազգային փաստաթղթերով ստանձնած իրենց պարտավորությունների համաձայն, մասնավորապես այն դեպքում, եթե այլ կերպ երեխան քաղաքացիություն չունենա:
According to Article 25 paragraph 2 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, motherhood and childhood are entitled to special care and assistance. All children, whether born in or out of wedlock, shall enjoy the same social protection. According to Article 7 of the Convention on the Rights of the Child, the child shall be registered immediately after birth and shall have the right from birth to a name, the right to acquire a nationality and, as far as possible, the right to know and be cared for by his or her parents. States Parties shall ensure the implementation of these rights in accordance with their national law and their obligations under the relevant international instruments in this field, in particular where the child would otherwise be stateless.
CRIN Comments:
CRIN believes this decision is consistent with the CRC. The best interests of the child should be the primary consideration in all decisions concerning them. This includes the decision of a court on whether to determine paternity, the determination of which is itself fundamental to the child’s rights to name and identity, as outlined in Articles 7 and 8 of the Convention.
Link to Full Judgment:
http://www.datalex.am/?app=AppCaseSearch&case_id=30962247438192096
This case summary is provided by the Child Rights International Network for educational and informational purposes only and should not be construed as legal advice.