Statement on Mr Lee's European Court of Human Rights application
06/01/2022
Equality Commission statement
The Equality Commission provides support and assistance to people who feel they may have been discriminated against contrary to our equality laws, including providing assistance to take a legal case to court or tribunal. This is in accordance with our statutory remit, as an independent public body with an important role in ensuring effective application of Northern Ireland’s equality laws.
Whilst the Commission did not support Mr Lee in his application to the European Court of Human Rights, we had supported Mr Lee’s discrimination case in the domestic courts, in line with our remit. The Belfast County Court and the Northern Ireland Court of Appeal found that Mr Lee had been discriminated against on grounds of sexual orientation, political opinion and religious belief. The Supreme Court overturned these findings in 2018.