Abstract

The category of human dignity constitutes a central and supreme value/principle in the international law of human rights. The inherent dignity of a human person is the source of human rights, and altogether, „is the foundation of freedom, justice and peace in the world”. The European Bioethical Convention is a human rights treaty and is embraced by above general ascertainment. The Convention itself inscribes dignity into its title, confirms the importance of dignity in its preamble, and especially, in its Article 1 lays on its States-parties the duty to respect inherent dignity and identity of all human beings (also in a prenatal stage). In all the Convention system, together with the additional protocols, dignity constitutes a fundamental and supreme value, associated with the values of identity, integrity, equality and non-discrimination. Substantially it may, and should be joined with the distinctive quality of humanity, with all stages of human existence – from the very initiation of life, to its end. Any offenses and infringements against human life, both in its beginnings or in its end, constitute violations of human dignity which cannot stand in opposition to human person and its life.