[JURIST] The European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) [official website] Tuesday ruled [DOC text; press release] that France violated the rights of a lesbian woman by refusing her application to adopt a child because of her sexual preference. The French officials rejected the woman's application on the grounds that she and her partner were not able to present a male "referent," even though French law permits single adults over the age of 28 to adopt children. The ECHR ruled that France violated the petitioner's rights under Article 8 of the European Convention on Human Rights [PDF text], which guarantees respect for private and family life, and under Article 14, which prohibits discrimination based on sexual orientation.

The ECHR ordered the French government to pay €24,528 in non-pecuniary damages, costs and expenses. AP has more.