The aim of the article is to study somatic human rights through the prism of property rights to the human body. The article deals with somatic human rights in the light of human ownership of one’s body. It is noted that modern cultural tendencies lead to a significant change in the social value system. Everything that destroys society has no right to be introduced in law. After all, the traditional family and the social institution of the family are the first foundation of any society, including civil society. In addition, the legislative fixation of some “somatic rights” may lead to the destruction of the institution of the family, traditional family relations, or even to their degradation. In the context of the demographic problem, this threatens the destruction of society as a whole, the state itself. If we recognize that life is invaluable, it cannot be applied to the human body. The legislative acts confirm that society has set a price for the body and its organs long before. Unfortunately, this practice lasts today; courts and insurance companies demand compensation for the loss of an arm, a leg, and an eye. However, this price is not the price of the body or its organ. It is a payment or compensation, which allows victims to live, to be treated, and to punish the offender partially. Modern criminal law protects the bodily inviolability of the person by punishing those who cause harm. Family law protects the value of physical security and well-being by providing those who care for children with everything they need. Labor law protects a person’s autonomy and well-being by the establishment of admissible working hours, as well as safety and health rules.

In matters of ownership of the body and its parts, it is reasonable to refer to values that are not limited to market interests. Values have a wide range: from the sanctity of the human body to respect for our ancestors, as well as the desire to serve society. Ownership and control of human biological materials contain many incomparable values within our understanding. Human dignity is one of such unique values.

It is concluded that the body is not a static state; it should be considered a constantly changing complex organism. The connection of our body with other bodies and the world around us is a natural and necessary feature of our life. In the light of these considerations, somatic human rights related to the ability to dispose of the body – to carry out its “modernization”; “restoration”; “fundamental reconstruction” to change the functional capabilities of the body, sex change, and organ transplantation – could be seen as a reflection of ordinary exchange and interdependence of our bodies with other bodies and the world around us. Thus, the ability to dispose of one’s body is a measure of possible human behavior, which consists of the possibility of self-determination and selfrealization. However, these actions with the body should be carried out only within the law, the task of which is to protect somatic human rights. That is, the very fact of disposing of one’s body must be legitimate in the context of human behavior.

Bibliography

Authored books

1. Bainham A, Sclater Sh D, Richards M, Body Lore and Laws (2011) (in English).

2. Kormych A, Istoriia vchen pro derzhavu i pravo (4-te vyd, Alerta 2015) (in Ukrainian).

3. Starovojtova O, Telo i zakon (GUAP 2006) (in Russian).

4. Stecenko S, Medicinskoe pravo (Juridicheskij centr Press 2004) (in Russian).

5. Stecenko S, Pravo i medicina: problemy sootnoshenija (Mezhdunarodnyj universitet 2002) (in Russian).

Journal articles

6. Gerike P A, ‘Human Biologiсal Material: A Proprietery interest of Part of Monistic Being’ (1991) 17 OHIO NUL Rev 805 (in English).

7. Leder D, ‘Whose Body? What Body?’ (1990) II, III Persons and Their Bodies 43 (in English).

8. Richardson E, Turner B, ‘Bodies as Property: From Slavery to DNA Maps’ (2011) Body Lore and Laws 39 (in English).

9. Sprem B W, ‘Spleens and others valuables: The need recognize property rights in human body parts’ (1995) 23 Hofstra Law Review 3 (in English).

10. Abashidze A, Solncev A, ‘Novoe pokolenie prav cheloveka: somaticheskie prava’ (2009) 1 Moskovskij zhurnal mezhdunarodnogo prava 70 (in Russian).

11. Buletsa S, Mendzhul M, Panina Yu, ‘Pravova pryroda ta zmist prav liudyny chetvertoho pokolinnia u sferi okhorony zdorov’ia’ (2019) 55 1 Naukovyi visnyk Uzhhorodskoho natsionalnoho universytetu Ser “Pravo” 111 (in Ukrainian).

12. Dashkovska O, ‘Pokolinnia prav liudyny yak sotsialna forma oposeredkuvannia svobody’ (2016) Naukovyi visnyk Mizhnarodnoho humanitarnoho universytetu Ser “Iurysprudentsiia” 22 (in Ukrainian).

13. Kruss V, ‘Lichnostnye (“somaticheskie”) prava cheloveka v konstitucionnom i filosofskopravovom izmerenii: k postanovke problemy’ (2000) 10 Gosudarstvo i pravo 43 (in Russian).

14. Lavrik M, ‘K teorii somaticheskih prav cheloveka’ (2005) 3 Sibirskij juridicheskij vestnik 24 (in Russian).

15. Majfat A, Lisachenko A, ‘Telo cheloveka, ego otdel’nye chasti kak ob’ekty pravovogo vozdejstvija: nekotorye predlozhenija dlja obsuzhdenija’ (2002) 2 Juridicheskij mir (in Russian).

16. Nesterova E, ‘Ponjatie i juridiko-social’naja sushhnost’ somaticheskih prav cheloveka’ (2011) 7 Social’no-jekonomicheskie javlenija i processy 224 (in Russian).

17. Rozghon O, ‘Porushennia simeinykh prav transhendernoi osoby u konteksti doktryny prav liudyny’ (2016) 5 Eurasian Academic Research Journal (in Ukrainian).

18. Sal’nikov V, Stecenko S, ‘Obshhie principy pravovogo regulirovanija transplantacii organov i tkanej cheloveka’ (2000) 6 Jurist (in Russian).

19. Sal’nikov V, Stecenko S, ‘Pravo i medicina: doktrina informacionnogo soglasija’ (2002) 1 Novaja pravovaja mysl’ 39 (in Russian).

20. Shyshka O, ‘Somatychni prava ta perspektyvy rozvytku yikh v Ukraini’ (2011) 59 Aktualni problemy derzhavy i prava (in Ukrainian).

21. Stecenko S, ‘Pravovaja reglamentacija peresadok organov i tkanej v Rossii XVI–XIX vv.’ (1999) 7 Jurist 21–22 (in Russian).

22. Stetsenko S, ‘Bioiurysprudentsiia: poniattia, pryntsypy, znachennia’ (2016) 31 Naukovyi chasopys NPU im M P Drahomanova Ser Ekonomika i pravo 70 (in Ukrainian).

23. Turianskyi Yu, ‘Somatychni prava yak novitnia yurydychna katehoriia’ (2020) 1 Pravo i suspilstvo 114 (in Ukrainian).

Theses

24. Turianskyi Yu, ‘Somatychni prava liudyny v suchasnii doktryni konstytutsionalizmu: teoretyko-pravove doslidzhennia’ (avtoref dys d-ra yuryd nauk, 2020) (in Ukrainian).

Conference papers

25. Podorozhna T, Yevkhutych I, ‘Iurydychni aspekty transplantatsii orhaniv i tkanyn liudskoho orhanizmu: okremi aspekty kryminalnoi vidpovidalnosti’ v Zabezpechennia prav liudyny chetvertoho pokolinnia u systemi okhorony zdorov’ia: mater Mizhnar naukprakt konf, Uzhhorod, 12 kvitnia 2019 r. (Buletsy S B, Lazura Ya V, Mendzhul M V red, 2019) (in Ukrainian).

Websites

26. Kotiuk I, Musiienko A, ‘Prava liudyny potrebuiut zakhystu i pislia yii smerti’ (LexInform, 2020) <https://lexinform.com.ua/dumka-eksperta/prava-lyudyny-potrebuyut-zahystuipislya-yiyi-smerti> (accessed: 23.12.2021) (in Ukrainian).