Czechia - June 2025

On 12 June 2025, the European Court of Human Rights ruled in T.H. v. Czech Republic that requiring individuals seeking a legal gender change to first undergo irreversible sterilisation surgery violates the right to private life (Article 9) and urged ‘quick, transparent, accessible procedures for changing the registered sex/gender marker of transgender people.’ This reinforced a parallel ruling, in which the Czech Constitutional Court had already annulled the sterilization precondition in 2024, giving Parliament until 1 July 2025 to pass a new law, but no law was passed. As a result of this, from 1 July sterilisation is no longer required, but the situation remains provisional and uncertain until legislation is passed. In the meantime, Health Ministry guidelines issued on 26 June confirm that surgery or hormone treatment is not required—only a diagnosis of transsexualism by a certified sexologist and informed consent.  

Sources: European Court of Human Rights, ILGA-Europe, Jurist, Prague morning, Expats CZ