Avenue de l'Europe
Iglesias Gil and A.U.I. v. Spain 
| 2003
...Article 8 includes a right for parents to measures that will enable them to be reunited with their children and an obligation on the national authorities to take such measures...
Judgment of the European Court of Human Rights, July 2003
María Iglesias Gil gave birth to a baby boy. The father was her former husband. María was given custody of the child, whilst the father was granted access. However, the father abducted the boy and took him to the United States.
María asked the courts to issue an international search and arrest warrant for the father, so that she could regain custody of her son. However, the courts refused to do so and closed the case.
Under international law, the United States authorities would have been obliged to help with the return of the child had they been asked. However, the Spanish authorities had failed to make the request. This breached María's right to family life and the return of her child.
Spanish law was changed after the European court agreed to review the case. Child abduction was classified as a more serious crime, so that courts can now issue international arrest warrants for people who take children away from their lawful parents.
The father in this case brought the child back to Spain from the USA for a visit. With police help, María managed to get her son back.
When she was four years old, Tabitha Mitunga was held by the Belgian authorities for almost two months – without family, friends, or anybody to look after her. She suffered psychological damage and the European court ruled that her rights had been violated. Her case highlighted the need for better protections for unaccompanied children in Belgium and led to substantial reforms.
In February 1992, 25,671 people in Slovenia were automatically stripped of their right to live there. Many people – including Ana Mezga - had their papers taken away, were evicted from their homes, could not work, lost personal possessions or had their families broken apart. The law was changed and a compensation scheme set up after a ruling from the European Court of Human Rights.
Tiborné Daróczy was 71 years old when the government made her change her name - even though she she had used it for fifty years. Tiborné saw her name as a strong link to her late husband. She did not want to be forced to change it. The European court ruled in her favour and the Hungarian authorities then allowed Tiborné to keep her old name.
Spain
Belgium
Slovenia
Hungary