Naba & Ors v. The State
Country: FijiYear: 2001
Court: High Court
Citation: No. HAC0012 of 2000L (unreported)
Health Topics: Prisons
Human Rights: Freedom from torture and cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment, Right to due process/fair trial
N and four others were remanded in Natabua prison on 15th December 1999 on a charge of murder contrary to ss 199 and 200 of the Penal Code. In October 2000 the High Court refused the applicants’ request for bail whilst saying that if they were not released expeditiously it would have to reconsider the …Read more
Spence v. The Queen; Hughes v. The Queen
Country: Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the GrenadinesYear: 2001
Court: Court of Appeals of the Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court
Citation: Criminal Appeal No. 20 of 1998 (Saint Vincent and the Grenadines); Criminal Appeal No. 14 of 1997 (Saint Lucia)
Human Rights: Freedom from torture and cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment, Right to life
NS and PH were convicted of murder in St Vincent and St Lucia respectively. In both jurisdictions, the offence is subject to a mandatory sentence of the death penalty. On raising constitutional arguments against the mandatory death sentence before the Privy Council, which had not previously been raised in the Eastern Caribbean Court of Appeal (the Court), the …Read more
Akkoc v. Turkey
Country: TurkeyYear: 2000
Court: European Court of Human Rights
Citation: Akkoc v. Turk., App. No. 22947/93, 34 Eur. H.R. Rep. 51 (2002).
Health Topics: Mental health, Prisons, Violence
Human Rights: Freedom from torture and cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment, Right to due process/fair trial, Right to life
The applicant, a former teacher and former head of the Diyarbakır branch of the Education and Science Workers Union, made comments to a local newspaper about the mistreatment of teachers by government authorities. She was disciplined according to domestic law—an administrative court ultimately overturned this penalty six years later. Following this incident, the applicant received …Read more
Huri-Laws v. Nigeria
Country: NigeriaYear: 2000
Court: African Commission on Human and Peoples' Rights
Citation: Comm. No. 225/98 (2000).
Health Topics: Health care and health services, Mental health, Prisons
Human Rights: Freedom from torture and cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment, Freedom of association, Right of access to information, Right to due process/fair trial, Right to liberty and security of person, Right to property
Huri-Laws, a non-governmental organization registered in Nigeria, filed on behalf of the Civil Liberties Organisation (CLO), another Nigerian organization based in Lagos, a complaint claiming that the Federal Military Government of Nigeria harassed and persecuted the latter’s legal staff in various forms that violated provisions of the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights (Charter). …Read more
Kudla v. Poland
Country: PolandYear: 2000
Court: European Court of Human Rights
Citation: App. No. 30210/96, 35 Eur. H.R. Rep. 198 (2000).
Health Topics: Health care and health services, Mental health, Prisons
Human Rights: Freedom from torture and cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment, Right to bodily integrity, Right to due process/fair trial
Applicant, a Polish national suffering from chronic depression, alleged violations of Articles 3 (prohibition of torture), 5.3 (trial within a reasonable time), 6.1 (unreasonably long proceedings), and 13 (effective remedy) of the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR). The applicant was in detention for fraud charges. While in prison, he attempted suicide twice and went …Read more
Malawi African Association, et al. v. Mauritania
Country: MauritaniaYear: 2000
Court: African Commission on Human and Peoples' Rights
Citation: (2000) AHRLR 149 (ACHPR 2000); Communications 54/91, 61/91, 98/93, 164-196/97 and 210/98
Health Topics: Diet and nutrition, Disasters and emergencies, Health care and health services, Prisons, Violence, Water, sanitation and hygiene
Human Rights: Freedom from discrimination, Freedom from torture and cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment, Freedom of association, Freedom of expression, Freedom of movement and residence, Right to due process/fair trial, Right to family life, Right to favorable working conditions, Right to food, Right to health, Right to liberty and security of person, Right to life, Right to property, Right to work, Rights to the benefits of culture
Six communications jointly alleged that the Mauritanian state committed numerous human rights violations from 1986 to 1992. Specifically, the communications alleged that the State violated articles 2, 4, 5, 6, 7, 9, 10, 11, 12, 14, 16, 18, 19, and 26 of the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights (“the Charter”), which came into …Read more
Taito Rarasea v. State
Country: FijiYear: 2000
Court: High Court
Citation: Criminal Appeal No HAA0027.2000, unreported; (2000) 3 CHRLD 126
Health Topics: Disabilities, Prisons
Human Rights: Freedom from torture and cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment, Right to food
R was sentenced to six months’ imprisonment by the Chief Magistrate for the offence of escaping from lawful custody contrary to s 138 of the Penal Code Cap 17. In addition the Commissioner of Prisons imposed sanctions on R for the escape under the Prisons Act Cap 86, ss 83(1)A(i) and (vi) and paras 123(3) …Read more
Amnesty International, et al. v. Sudan
Country: SudanYear: 1999
Court: African Commission on Human and Peoples' Rights
Citation: Comm. Nos. 48/90-50/91-52/91-89/93 (1999).
Health Topics: Prisons
Human Rights: Freedom from discrimination, Freedom from torture and cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment, Freedom of association, Freedom of expression, Freedom of religion, Right to due process/fair trial, Right to liberty and security of person
Amnesty International and three other international human rights organizations filed a series of four complaints (Communications 48/90, 50/91, 52/91, and 89/93) on behalf of hundreds of prisoners, whom the organizations believed suffered detainment without trial, as well as various forms of torture and cruel and inhuman treatment in prison, following a coup d’état in Sudan …Read more
Bennett v. Jamaica
Country: JamaicaYear: 1999
Court: United Nations Human Rights Committee
Citation: Communication Nº 590/1994*
Health Topics: Prisons
Human Rights: Freedom from torture and cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment, Right to due process/fair trial
Trevor Bennett (“author”) at the time of submission of the communication was awaiting execution at a prison. He had been convicted of murder and sentenced to death. His appeals to the Court of Appeal and Judicial Committee of the Privy Council were dismissed. He claimed violations of articles 6, 7, 9, 10, and 14 of …Read more
Higgs and David Mitchell v. The Minister of National Security and Others
Country: BahamasYear: 1999
Court: Judicial Committee of the Privy Council
Citation: [2000] 2 WLR 1368; [2000] 2 LRC 656; (1999) 8 BHRC 201; (1999) 5
Health Topics: Prisons
Human Rights: Freedom from torture and cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment, Right to due process/fair trial, Right to life
The first appellant was arrested for murder in July 1993. He was committed for trial in November 1993 but there was a technical defect in the committal as a result of which it was subsequently quashed. On 14 November 1994 he was committed again and on 2 October 1995 found guilty and sentenced to death. …Read more