The individual in international law — Human rights and freedoms — Prohibition of inhuman and degrading treatment — Judicial infliction of corporal punishment upon juvenile — Punishment not inhuman but sufficiently humiliating to amount to “degrading punishment” — No less degrading because of deterrent effect — Standard of degrading punishment — European Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms, Article 3

Application of European Convention to territories for whose international relations a Member State is responsible — Isle of Man — Application of Convention subject to “local requirements” — Whether any local requirements justifying birching — European Convention, Article 63(3)

Procedure of European Court of Human Rights — Applicant wishing to withdraw application — Whether amounting to discontinuance of proceedings — Whether affecting application of Article 50 — Whether necessary to hold investigation in Isle of Man

Treaties — Interpretation of the European Convention — Convention a living instrument to be interpreted in the light of present day standards