Planting Rights and Feeding Freedom: Navigating the Right to a Vegan Diet in Hospitals and Prisons

The legal recognition of veganism highlights the evolving landscape of dietary choices and their status under human rights law. This paper examines the legal status of vegan diets under the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR), focusing on public institutions such as prisons and hospitals. By analyzing the first relevant cases before the European Court of Human Rights, it explores the protection of vegan diets under Articles 9 (freedom of thought, conscience, and religion) and 14 (prohibition of discrimination) of the ECHR. The paper also considers whether access to a vegan diet relates to identity, autonomy, and health through Article 8 (respect for private life) and discusses the connection between veganism, environmental sustainability, and the emerging right to a healthy environment. It offers a critical analysis of States' legal obligations regarding the provision of vegan diets in public settings.