Personhood?

"As judges in Austria face a decision over whether a chimpanzee named Hiasl deserves a legal guardian and should be granted human rights as an ape, Animal Defenders international (ADI) supports experts in the case who argue for him being given ‘personhood’. . . . ADI’s ‘My Mate’s A Primate’ report was the first campaign of its kind to highlight how close chimpanzees are to humans with personalities and the ability to express emotions such as happiness, compassion, sadness, affection and anger. . . . Expert statements from primatologists and professors of law in the case argue that chimps can biologically be considered as humans, that they fulfil the necessary conditions for personhood and therefore in the eyes of the law should be considered a person. There is evidence of growing support for apes to be granted rights with the Balearic Parliament having already endorsed the idea and Spain promoting a similar parliamentary initiative to grant rights to great apes on the basis of their intelligence and emotional closeness to humans. New Zealand granted rights to apes in 1999."

Read more at
http://www.politics.co.uk/press-releases/domestic-policy/animal-welfare/adi-comments-on-
austrian-case-grant-chimp-personhood-$470314.htm