In Star Trek: Voyager Season 2 Episode 24, "Tuvix", there was an accident that following an away mission to collect some orchid samples. Only one molecular pattern rematerialized, and formed a healthy organism combining everything regarding Tuvok and Neelix, including organs, enzymes, and memories. According to The Doctor, Tuvix also possessed: "...Tuvok's sense of intellectual superiority, and Neelix's annoying ebullience." Despite repairs having just been made to the transporter, no fault could be found in the logs at the time of the accident. The Doctor told Tuvix that it might be many years before he could find a way to separate them – in the meantime, Tuvix was invited to become a member of the crew, and given the rank of Lieutenant.
A month later The doctor figured out a way to reverse the accident.
Tuvix announced that he didn't want to die, feeling that he had just as much right to exist as any other being. He explained to Janeway that while he did care about Tuvok and Neelix (regarding them as his 'parents'), this also gave him the will to live of two men, and he didn't want to die. He pleaded with Kes, among others, to speak to the captain on his behalf.
Captain Janeway pretty much forced him to undergo the procedure to separate the two and essentially killed Tuvix. However, The Doctor refused to perform the procedure; as a physician, he had sworn an oath to do no harm, and he refused to take Tuvix's life, especially against his will. Janeway herself, therefore, performed the process.
Isn't this a violation of Federation Laws? or at the very least a violation of human rights (or alien life rights if you prefer)? its simple people based off what we KNOW of Federation Values and laws and Todays EARTH Laws is this a Violation of Any of the federations values or Earths laws as of today? Could Janeways be held accountable by a court for these actions?
Answer
There's an episode in TNG (The Measure of a Man, 2x09) where it's debated if Data is a sentient lifeform with basic human (humanoid?) rights; or a machine that can be disassembled to see how "it" was created. They actually go on to have a hearing about it, with advocates arguing both points.
Compared to that, it would seem that Tuvix's treatment is not up to the same standards that were held up in TNG, seven years earlier. There's no hearing, there's no advocate for Tuvix, etc. It's just the captain using the authority of their station unilaterally.
That, already, seems a violation of Tuvix's rights, unless we assume the Federation doesn't hold itself to such a high standard anymore. Or that those standards don't apply in the Delta Quadrant, but I didn't see them invoke even that argument in the episode.
Had they actually given Tuvix a chance to defend themselves, I think the only conclusion would have been to find that he actually was a sentient humanoid, and should be awarded rights just like all the other members of the crew. He held a rank on the ship, had relationships with other crew members, was obviously aware of himself, etc. How he was created has nothing to do with it, as it didn't matter with Data either.
(In the case of Data, even the opposing party is forced to admit that Data is self-aware and intelligent. The judge then finds that Data should be given the freedom of choice regarding the dangerous operation in question.)
Of course, combining Tuvok and Neelix on purpose would have been a violation of their rights. But the decision to separate them is a different question, and two wrongs don't make a right.
So yes, as far as I can tell, Janeway committed a premeditated murder of a sentient creature, with all the senior officers being accomplices. (Perhaps, even including the Doctor, as he didn't do anything to actively stop Janeway, either.)
Out of universe, it's of course obvious from the start that the reset button has to be pressed. However, I would have expected the episode to end with a peaceful solution, i.e. Tuvix agreeing to the separation, with possibly an assurance from the Doctor that he wouldn't "die", but would continue his existence as part of Tuvok and Neelix. (That's how it seems to usually go, in the end there is some magic technological solution that makes everything right again.)
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