Nelson v. Livermore
Country: CanadaYear: 2017
Court: Ontario Court of Appeal
Citation: 2017 ONCA 712
Health Topics: Health care and health services, Informed consent, Mental health, Prisons, Public safety, Violence
Human Rights: Freedom from torture and cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment, Right to liberty and security of person
Rodney Nelson sought judicial review of his involuntary admission to a psychiatric hospital under Ontario’s Mental Health Act (“MHA”) and an order for his immediate release due to rights infringements. Nelson had a lengthy history of crimes with many violent offences, including sexual offences against women and children. A psychiatrist completed an application for psychiatric …Read more
Caleb Orozco v. Attorney General of Belize
Country: BelizeYear: 2016
Court: Supreme Court of Belize
Citation: Claim 668 of 2010
Health Topics: Health care and health services, Health information, HIV/AIDS, Infectious diseases, Mental health, Sexual and reproductive health, Violence
Human Rights: Freedom from discrimination, Freedom of expression, Right to health, Right to privacy
The Claimant, Caleb Orozco, a citizen of Belize was a homosexual male and a health educator. In the Supreme Court of Belize, he challenged the constitutional validity of Section 53 of the Belize Criminal Code to the extent that it criminalized anal sex between two consenting male adults. Section 53 of the Criminal Code stated …Read more
Equality Now and Ethiopian Women Lawyers Association (EWLA) v. Federal Republic of Ethiopia
Country:Year: 2015
Court: African Commission on Human and Peoples' Rights
Citation: Communication 341/2007
Health Topics: Child and adolescent health, Violence
Human Rights: Freedom from torture and cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment, Right to bodily integrity, Right to due process/fair trial
A 13-year-old girl was abducted and raped by Aberew Jemma Negussie (accused) and his accomplices. The medical report proved non-consensual sexual intercourse. The accused was released on bail and he abducted the girl again and forced her to sign a marriage contract. The girl managed to escape. The accused was sentenced to 10 years of …Read more
Kanthasamy v Canada (Citizenship and Immigration)
Country: CanadaYear: 2015
Court: The Supreme Court of Canada
Citation: 2015 SCC 61
Health Topics: Child and adolescent health, Disasters and emergencies, Health care and health services, Mental health, Prisons, Violence
Human Rights: Freedom of movement and residence, Right to liberty and security of person
The appellant was a 17 year old boy who applied for permanent residence from within Canada, having previously landed as a refugee claimant. He travelled to Canada to escape threatened violence from the army and police in Sri Lanka, his native country after he was detained and questioned by the Sri Lankan police and army. …Read more
Monim Elgak, Osman Hummeida and Amir Suliman v Sudan
Country: SudanYear: 2015
Court: African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights
Citation: Communication 379/09
Health Topics: Chronic and noncommunicable diseases, Health care and health services, Prisons, Violence
Human Rights: Freedom from torture and cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment, Right to health, Right to liberty and security of person
The complainants were human rights activists who were arrested, tortured and ill-treated by the Intelligence Services of Sudan. They were also compelled to leave Sudan. Mr. Suliman’s human rights organization was further shut down by the Sudanese Authorities. During the interrogation, the authorities threatened to kill and rape Mr. Hummeida. He was further denied medical …Read more
X and Y v. Georgia
Country: GeorgiaYear: 2015
Court: Committee on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women
Citation: Communication No. 24/2009; U.N. Doc. CEDAW/C/61/D/24/2009
Health Topics: Violence
Human Rights: Freedom from discrimination
X and her daughter Y claimed a long history of physical and sexual assault at the hands of X’s husband, who was Y’s father. X was raped by him in 1987 and later married him, believing that Georgian social and cultural norms defining virginity as essential to female virtue compelled her to marry him or …Read more
Canada (Attorney General) v. Bedford
Country: CanadaYear: 2013
Court: Supreme Court
Citation: 2013 SCC 72
Health Topics: Occupational health, Poverty, Violence
Human Rights: Right to favorable working conditions, Right to liberty and security of person, Right to work
Three applicants, who were all current or former prostitutes, challenged the constitutionality of three provisions of the Criminal Code, R.S.C. 1985. The three provisions outlawed “bawdy-houses” (also referred to as brothels), “living on the avails” (living off of a prostitutes profits), and public communication with prostitutes. Prostitution was legal in Canada, however, Parliament was allowed …Read more
Maloney v. The Queen
Country: AustraliaYear: 2013
Court: High Court
Citation: [2013] HCA 28
Health Topics: Controlled substances
Human Rights: Freedom from discrimination, Right to liberty and security of person, Right to property
The appellant was an Indigenous resident of Palm Island in Queensland who was charged with possession of more than a prescribed quantity of liquor in a restricted area on Palm Island contrary to section 168B of the Liquor Act 1992 (Q) (“Liquor Act”). Palm Island was a “community government area” within the meaning of the …Read more
R. v. Felix
Country: CanadaYear: 2013
Court: Ontario Court of Appeal
Citation: 2013 ONCA 415
Health Topics: Health information, HIV/AIDS, Infectious diseases, Informed consent, Sexual and reproductive health, Violence
Human Rights: Right to bodily integrity, Right to liberty and security of person
As a result of his alleged non-disclosure of his HIV-positive status to 3 complainants prior to engaging in sexual relations, the appellant (defendant), Lester Felix, was convicted of five counts of aggravated sexual assault and one count of sexual assault. Felix appealed all convictions. There was no evidence of the appellant’s level of risk of …Read more
F., A. L. s/ Medida Autosatisfactiva
Country: ArgentinaYear: 2012
Court: Supreme Court of Justice [Corte Suprema de Justicia de la Nación Argentina]
Citation: Expte. Nº 21.912-F-2010
Health Topics: Child and adolescent health, Hospitals, Sexual and reproductive health, Violence
Human Rights: Right to bodily integrity, Right to family life, Right to health
A fifteen-year old teenager became pregnant as a result of being sexually abused by her stepfather. In the eight week of pregnancy, through her legal representative, she asked the judiciary to order doctors of a public hospital to perform her abortion. She based her claim on article 86. 2 of the National Criminal Code (the “Criminal …Read more