E.S. v. Austria
Country: AustriaYear: 2018
Court: European Court of Human Rights
Citation: Application no. 38450/12
Health Topics: Public safety
Human Rights: Freedom of expression, Freedom of religion
In Austria, a woman was convicted after leading several seminars entitled “Basic Information on Islam” at the right-wing Freedom Party Education Institute, beginning in January 2008. These seminars were publicly advertised on the Freedom Party’s website, and the leaders of the Freedom Party distributed leaflets specifically aimed to encourage young voters to attend. An undercover …Read more
Pellett (Re)
Country: CanadaYear: 2017
Court: Ontario Court of Appeal
Citation: 2017 ONCA 753
Health Topics: Controlled substances, Health care and health services, Informed consent, Medicines, Mental health
Human Rights: Freedom of movement and residence, Right to liberty and security of person
The appellant was a 62 year old female diagnosed with schizophrenia. She had a long-standing history of hospitalization, treatment, release, de-compensation, relapse, and re-admission. When psychotic, the appellant had a history of troubling behaviour, including attempts to divert traffic, throwing objects out of a window, crashing her car and smashing other cars with brooms. The …Read more
Thompson v Ontario (Attorney General)
Country: CanadaYear: 2016
Court: Ontario Court of Appeal
Citation: 2016 ONCA 676
The applicants appealed a decision affirming the constitutionality of Brian’s Law (Mental Health Legislative Reform), 2000, S.O. 2000, c. 9. (“Brian’s Law”), which was enacted by the Ontario legislature in 2000. Brian’s Law amended the Mental Health Act (“MHA”), adding provisions that expanded criteria for involuntary committal in a psychiatric hospital and introduced community treatment …Read more
Thompson, et al. v. Ontario
Country: CanadaYear: 2013
Court: Ontario Superior Court of Justice
Citation: 2013 ONSC 5392
Health Topics: Health care and health services, Health systems and financing, Mental health, Public safety
Human Rights: Freedom from discrimination, Right to life
The Court examined the constitutionality of Brian’s Law, which was passed in 2000 after a man named Brian Smith was fatally shot by an untreated schizophrenic. The law included expanded committal criteria and allowed for involuntary admission for individuals who had experienced “substantial mental deterioration,”even if they were not necessarily a danger to others. In …Read more
M.S. v. The United Kingdom
Country: United KingdomYear: 2012
Court: European Court of Human Rights
Citation: Application no. 24527/08
Health Topics: Health systems and financing, Hospitals, Mental health
Human Rights: Freedom from torture and cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment
After sounding a car horn repeatedly and behaving in a highly agitated manner, the applicant was arrested by police in Birmingham, United Kingdom. It was determined that before his arrest, the man had inflicted serious injury upon his aunt at his residence. He was detained under section 136 of the Mental Health Act, which allows …Read more
Antunovic v. Dawson and Anr.
Country: AustraliaYear: 2010
Court: Supreme Court of Victoria
Citation: (2010) 30 VR 355; [2010] VSC 377
Health Topics: Informed consent, Mental health
Human Rights: Freedom of movement and residence, Right to liberty and security of person
Zeljka Antunovic, 35 years of age, suffered from a mental illness for which she was treated involuntarily under a community treatment order issued pursuant to the Mental Health Act of 1986. She lived at the Northfolk Terrace Community Center Unit for some time before deciding she wished to return home to live with her mother. …Read more
Case 53-O09-81
Country: RussiaYear: 2009
Court: Supreme Court
Health Topics: Informed consent, Mental health, Public safety
Human Rights: Right of access to information, Right to due process/fair trial, Right to liberty and security of person
O. was released from criminal responsibility for violating Article 105 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation (relating to a contract killing) because the Supreme Court of the Republic of Bashkortostan determined that O. had committed the act in a state of insanity. O. was sentenced to compulsory outpatient observance and treatment by a …Read more
Kracke v. Mental Health Review Board & Anor (No. 2) (General)
Country: AustraliaYear: 2009
Court: Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal
Citation: [2009] VCAT 1548
Health Topics: Informed consent, Mental health
Human Rights: Freedom from torture and cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment, Freedom of movement and residence, Right to bodily integrity, Right to due process/fair trial, Right to liberty and security of person, Right to privacy
The petitioner, Kracke, was mentally ill and was being subjected to medical treatment without his consent. He was required to take drugs with adverse side effects and had been trying unsuccessfully to convince the medical authorities to let him stop taking them. The drugs were being administered under treatment orders issued pursuant to the Mental …Read more
VM v. RIDCA Central (Regional Intellectual Disability Care Agency)
Country: New ZealandYear: 2009
Court: High Court
Citation: [2009] NZHC 545
Health Topics: Mental health, Public safety
Human Rights: Freedom from discrimination, Right to due process/fair trial, Right to liberty and security of person
The appellant, VM, challenged a renewal of her detention under a compulsory care order governed by the Intellectual Disability (Compulsory Care and Rehabilitation) Act 2003 (the “Act”). In 2005, the appellant was charged with possession of a knife in a public place when she became fixated on one of her care workers and showed up …Read more
Huitema v. PGK
Country: New ZealandYear: 2005
Court: Family Court
Citation: FAM-2005-009-003589
Health Topics: Mental health, Violence
Human Rights: Right to liberty and security of person
PGK, age 56, was convicted for a sexual violation and placed in a compulsory care facility pursuant to the Intellectual Disability (Compulsory Care and Rehabilitation) Act 2003 for a period of three years. PGK has been in the care facility for the past 18 months. PGK has a history of sexual offenses and felonious behavior and …Read more