Convicted rapist loses European court case over right to vote in UK election

23/9/2025 19:06

A convicted British rapist on Tuesday lost his challenge at Europe's human rights court over a ban that prevents prisoners from voting in UK elections.



Michael Hora, who was given an indeterminate jail sentence in 2007 for two counts of rape and sexual assault and has previous convictions for rape, argued that the refusal to allow him to vote in the 2019 national election breached his rights.



Judges on the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) unanimously rejected his claim.



The issue of the rights of prisoners to vote in elections has in the past put Britain at odds with the ECHR and led to criticism from some lawmakers about the court interfering in British domestic affairs.



The blanket ban was ruled incompatible with the European Convention on Human Rights in cases from 2005, 2010, 2014 and 2015.