National Legal Services Authority v. Union of India and others
Country: IndiaYear: 2014
Court: Supreme Court
Citation: [(2014) 5 SCC 438]
Health Topics: Health care and health services, HIV/AIDS, Sexual and reproductive health, Violence
Human Rights: Freedom from discrimination, Freedom of expression, Right to life, Right to privacy
Members of transgender community sought a legal declaration of their gender identity, instead of the male or female identity assigned to them at the time of their birth, claiming that that non-recognition of their gender identity violated Articles 14 and 21 of the Constitution of India (the “Constitution”). Hijras and eunuchs, who were also members …Read more
Tapela, et al. v. Attorney General, et al.
Country: BotswanaYear: 2014
Court: High Court
Citation: (MAHGB-000057-14), BWHC 1 (2014)
Health Topics: Health care and health services, Health systems and financing, HIV/AIDS, Infectious diseases, Medicines, Prisons
Human Rights: Freedom from discrimination, Freedom from torture and cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment, Right to health, Right to life
The applicants, two prisoners with HIV and an interested non-governmental organization, complain that the policy of denying Highly Active Antiretroviral Therapy (“HAART”) to non-citizen inmates is a violation of the rights of such non-citizen prisoners under the Constitution of Botswana. HAART is a drug treatment that helps control HIV mutation and reduces the likelihood of …Read more
Agency for International Development v. Alliance for Open Society International, Inc.
Country: United StatesYear: 2013
Court: Supreme Court
Citation: 570 U.S. ___ (2013)
Health Topics: Health systems and financing, HIV/AIDS, Sexual and reproductive health
Human Rights: Freedom of expression
The United States Leadership against HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis, and Malaria Act of 2003 (Leadership Act), 22 U.S.C. §7601 set forth a strategy to globally combat the spread of HIV/AIDS. Congress authorized the appropriation of billions of dollars to fund efforts by nongovernmental organizations working in this area. The Leadership Act’s conditions stated that: (1) No funds …Read more
Salakhov and Islyamova v. Ukraine
Country: UkraineYear: 2013
Court: European Court of Human Rights
Citation: Application No. 28005/08
Health Topics: Health care and health services, Health information, HIV/AIDS, Hospitals, Medical malpractice, Prisons
Human Rights: Freedom from torture and cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment, Right to life
The first applicant is Mr. Linar Irekovich Salakhov, who alleged that he had not received prompt and adequate medical care while in detention. Following his death, his mother Ms. Aliya Fazylovna Islyamova pursued the application on his behalf and joined her own complaints to the case. In 2005, Salakhov first tested positive for HIV, though …Read more
Suresh Kumar Koushal and another v. Naz Foundation and others
Country: IndiaYear: 2013
Court: Supreme Court
Citation: Civil Appeal No. 10972 of 2013
Health Topics: HIV/AIDS, Sexual and reproductive health
Human Rights: Freedom from discrimination, Right to bodily integrity, Right to life, Right to privacy
Section 377 of the Indian Penal Code, 1860 (the Section) penalized voluntary “carnal intercourse against the order of nature with any man, woman or animal” and described them as “unnatural offences.” An offence under this Section was non-bailable and carried a maximum punishment of life imprisonment. Naz Foundation, the Petitioner, was an NGO working in …Read more
Georgina Ahamefule v. Imperial Medical Centre
Country: NigeriaYear: 2012
Court: High Court of Lagos State
Citation: Suit No. ID/16272000
Health Topics: Health care and health services, HIV/AIDS, Infectious diseases, Informed consent, Medical malpractice, Sexual and reproductive health
Human Rights: Freedom from discrimination, Right to health
The Plaintiff was a nurse at a medical centre. Defendants were the medical centre and a doctor at the centre. While employed at the medical centre, the Plaintiff became pregnant and developed a skin disorder. She sought medical attention and the Defendant doctor performed several diagnostic tests. Neither the nature nor the outcome of the tests …Read more
Joyce Nawila Chiti v. Zambia
Country: ZambiaYear: 2012
Court: United Nations Human Rights Committee
Citation: Communication no. 1303/2004
Health Topics: Chronic and noncommunicable diseases, Diet and nutrition, Health care and health services, HIV/AIDS, Medicines, Prisons
Human Rights: Freedom from discrimination, Freedom from torture and cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment, Freedom of movement and residence, Right to due process/fair trial, Right to education, Right to family life, Right to health, Right to liberty and security of person, Right to life, Right to privacy
On 28 October 1997, JC (a military officer) was arrested by Zambian police for an attempted coup d’état. He was severely tortured and charged with treason. While being tortured, he was forced to sign false confessions and to implicate other military officials. Because of the torture, he was hospitalized at various times. On 31 October …Read more
Koryak v. Russia
Country: RussiaYear: 2012
Court: The European Court of Human Rights
Citation: Application number 24677/10
Health Topics: Health care and health services, HIV/AIDS, Infectious diseases, Medicines, Prisons
Human Rights: Freedom from torture and cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment, Right to due process/fair trial, Right to liberty and security of person
The applicant was arrested and convicted of murder. The applicant alleged that he had not received proper medical attention while in detention and his detention and refusal to release despite his serious medical condition amounted to cruel treatment. He was sentenced to ten years of imprisonment in 2004. The applicant had been suffering from Tuberculosis …Read more
Ochieng v. Attorney General
Country: KenyaYear: 2012
Court: High Court of Kenya (Nairobi)
Citation: Petition No. 409 of 2009
Health Topics: HIV/AIDS, Medicines
Human Rights: Right to health, Right to life, Right to privacy
The petitioners were Kenyan citizens living with HIV/AIDS. They petitioned seeking a declaration that the fundamental rights of life, human dignity and health as protected and envisaged by the Constitution, encompassed access to affordable and essential drugs and medicines, including generic HIV/AIDS drugs. The petitioners also sought a declaration that the Anti-Counterfeit Act, 2008 and …Read more
Patricia Asero Ochieng, et al. v. Attorney General, et al.
Country: KenyaYear: 2012
Court: High Court at Nairobi
Citation: Petition 409 of 2009
Health Topics: Child and adolescent health, HIV/AIDS, Medicines, Poverty
Human Rights: Right to health, Right to life
The Petitioners were citizens of Kenya living with HIV. They claimed that provisions of the Anti-Counterfeiting Act, 2008 (the Act) severely restricted access to affordable, essential medicines, including generic medicines for HIV-related diseases, in violation of their fundamental rights to life, dignity and health protected under articles 26(1), 28 and 43 of the Constitution of …Read more