Commission writes to Cabinet Secretaries reiterating need for human rights analysis of “vaccine passports”

The Scottish Human Rights Commission has written to the Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Care and the Cabinet Secretary for Covid Recovery, reiterating its call for the Scottish Government to set out a full and transparent assessment of the human rights issues engaged by COVID-19 vaccine certification.

In its letter, the Commission expresses its concern that the Scottish Government has mandated COVID-19 vaccination certification for entry to certain venues and events without adequately addressing the points set out in our April briefing, COVID-19 Status Certificates: Human Rights Considerations. 

The Commission urges the Scottish Government to demonstrate that the vaccine certification scheme complies with human rights requirements. In particular, the Scottish Government should set out evidence to demonstrate that any scheme introduced meets the key human rights tests of necessity and proportionality.

Read the Commission’s full letter.

Today, Judith Robertson, Chair of the Scottish Human Rights Commission, will be giving evidence on these concerns to the Scottish Parliament’s COVID-19 Recovery Committee.  Commenting, she said:

“The Scottish Government has a duty to take reasonable steps to minimise the risk to life and protect health. However, the measures taken to do so must also comply with the UK’s, and in turn Scotland’s, human rights obligations. 

“The Commission is urging the Scottish Government to demonstrate compliance with human rights requirements, aligning its practice with its stated commitment to embed human rights across all areas of the Government’s work.”

ENDS

For media enquiries, please contact emma.hutton@scottishhumanrights.com or call 07833 402289.

Notes to Editors