Personal profile
Biography
János Fiala-Butora is a Lecturer in International Disability Law at the Centre for Disability Law and Policy. He received his law degree from Comenius University (Slovakia), and also holds a degree in International Relations from the University of Economics (Slovakia), an LLM in International Human Rights Law (2004) from Central European University (CEU, Budapest) and an SJD from Harvard Law School (2016), where his doctoral research focused on international human rights standards relating to legal capacity of persons with disabilities.
János is a human rights attorney with extensive experience in representing persons with disabilities, ethnic minorities and persons deprived of their liberty before the European Court of Human Rights, the UN Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and other international bodies, including some high profile judgements in the area of freedom from torture, legal capacity and access to education. He also actively consults with governments on their human rights laws and policies, and has advised a number of Council of Europe and UN bodies.
From 2005 to 2008, he was the first legal officer of the Mental Disability Advocacy Center (MDAC), developing the organisation's litigation and advocacy work in Central and Eastern Europe. He later served as the Legal Director of the Disability Rights Center (DRC), Executive Director of Minority Rights Group Europe (MRGE), Director of the Central Europe Program of the Harvard Law School Project on Disability (HPOD), and Executive Director of Validity (former MDAC).
His research focuses on international human rights mechanisms, rights of persons with disabilities, and ethnic and minority rights.
Research Interests
International human rights law
International human rights mechanism
Rights of persons with disabilities
Minority rights
Education/Academic qualification
SJD, LLM, MGR, ING
Accepting PhD Students
- Accepting PhD Students
Expertise related to UN Sustainable Development Goals
In 2015, UN member states agreed to 17 global Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to end poverty, protect the planet and ensure prosperity for all. This person’s work contributes towards the following SDG(s):
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SDG 1 No Poverty
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SDG 4 Quality Education
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SDG 10 Reduced Inequalities
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SDG 16 Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions
Fingerprint
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Collaborations and top research areas from the last five years
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Improving Minority Rights Standards at the Council of Europe
Fiala-Butora, J., Mar 2026, 2 p. University of Galway.Research output: Other contribution (Published) › Policy Contribution
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Property confiscations based on the principle of collective guilt
Fiala-Butora, J., Mar 2026, 2 p. University of Galway.Research output: Other contribution (Published) › Policy Contribution
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Disability human rights standards before the European Court of Human Rights —false convergence and methodologically-driven divergence?
Fiala-Butora, J., Stein, M. A. & Smith, M. S., 21 Aug 2025, In: Human Rights Law Review. 25, p. 1-25 25 p.Research output: Contribution to a Journal (Peer & Non Peer) › Article › peer-review
File1 Citation (Scopus)92 Downloads (Pure) -
Implementing the Right to Decide under the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities: Supporting the Legal Capacity of All Persons with Disabilities
Fiala-Butora, J., 29 Aug 2025, Oxford: Hart Publishing. 167 p.Research output: Book/Report › Book › peer-review
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Allies or foes? Does the inclusion of new minorities undermine or strengthen the European system of minority protection?
Fiala-Butora, J., 2024, In: Hungarian Journal of Legal Studies. 65, 4, p. 468-484 17 p.Research output: Contribution to a Journal (Peer & Non Peer) › Article › peer-review
2 Citations (Scopus)
Activities
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Nayia Christodoulou
Fiala-Butora, J. (Primary Supervisor)
2022Activity: Other › Current Postgraduates (Research) Supervised
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Eilis Ni Chaoimh
Fiala-Butora, J. (Primary Supervisor)
2021Activity: Other › Current Postgraduates (Research) Supervised
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Berkeley Centre on Comparative Equality and Anti-discrimination Law (External organisation)
Fiala-Butora, J. (Member)
2021Activity: Membership › Membership of network
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OSCE ODIHR Advisory Panel on the Political Participation of Persons with Disabilities (External organisation)
Fiala-Butora, J. (Member)
2021Activity: Membership › Membership of committee
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American Society for International Law (ASIL) (External organisation)
Fiala-Butora, J. (Member)
2019Activity: Membership › Membership of board
Press/Media
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Mental health debate in Ireland is reinforcing old clichés to allow forced treatment
9/07/25
1 Media contribution
Press/Media
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Trouble in paradise? Slovakia risks beef with Hungary over new language bill
12/11/24
1 Media contribution
Press/Media
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Pakt Forró-Pellegrini nemusí pomôcť. Časť maďarských voličov nepríde voliť
27/03/24
1 Media contribution
Press/Media
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Magyarellenes-e Ivan Korčok, avagy kire szavazzon a szlovákiai magyar?
29/02/24
1 Media contribution
Press/Media