James K. Kahler v. State of Kansas
Country: United StatesYear: 2020
Court: Supreme Court of the United States
Citation: 140 S.Ct. 1021 (2020)
Health Topics: Mental health, 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 appellant was charged with four counts of first-degree murder for when he drove to his ex-wife’s grandmother’s house and shot his ex-wife, her grandmother, and his two daughters to death. The murders followed the appellant going through a divorce with the now deceased ex-wife and suffering a job loss which left him distraught. There …Read more
X v. Germany
Country: GermanyYear: 2018
Court: The European Court of Human Rights
Citation: App. No. 54646/17
Health Topics: Prisons, Public safety
Human Rights: Freedom from torture and cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment, Freedom of movement and residence
The applicant, a Russian national, arrived in Germany in 2002. In 2002 and 2011, the competent domestic authorities denied the applicant’s asylum requests. In 2012, the applicant was granted a residence permit, which was later prolonged until March 2018. In 2014, the Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution investigated the applicant due to …Read more
Glossip et al. v. Gross et al.
Country: United StatesYear: 2015
Court: Supreme Court
Citation: 576 U.S. __ (2015)
Health Topics: Prisons
Human Rights: Freedom from torture and cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment, Right to due process/fair trial, Right to life
The state of Oklahoma adopted lethal injection as its method of execution for inmates on death row. The injection consisted of a three-drug protocol of (1) sodium thiopental (a barbiturate) to induce unconsciousness, (2) a paralytic agent to inhibit all muscular-skeletal movements, and (3) potassium chloride to induce cardiac arrest. The Supreme Court had previously ruled …Read more
Wong Ho Wing v. Peru
Country: PeruYear: 2015
Court: Inter-American Court of Human Rights
Health Topics: 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, Right to life
Wong Ho Wing, a Chinese citizen, was wanted by the judicial authorities of Hong Kong, China for smuggling, money laundering, bribery, and tax evasion. He was arrested at the Lima airport as he attempted to enter Peru from the United States. China and Peru had entered into an extradition treaty in 2001 that obligated both …Read more
Hall v. Florida
Country: United StatesYear: 2014
Court: Supreme Court
Citation: 572 U.S. ___ (2014); 134 S.Ct. 1986
Health Topics: Disabilities, Prisons
Human Rights: Freedom from torture and cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment
The petitioner and his accomplice kidnapped, beat, raped, and murdered a pregnant woman before driving to a convenience store, which they planned to rob. In the parking lot of the store, they killed a sheriff’s deputy who attempted to apprehend them. The petitioner received the death penalty for both murders. He argued that he could …Read more
Shatrughan Chauhan and another v. Union of India and others
Country: IndiaYear: 2014
Court: Supreme Court
Citation: Writ Petition 55 of 2013
Health Topics: Mental health, Prisons
Human Rights: Freedom from torture and cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment, Right to liberty and security of person, Right to life
Fifteen criminal convicts sentenced to the death penalty challenged their sentences as in violation of Article 21 of the Indian Constitution, which protects the right to life. They claimed that the executive orders rejecting their mercy petitions were passed without considering supervening events, including delay, insanity, solitary confinement, and procedural lapses. Two convicts alleged that the …Read more
Gunan v. Kyrgyzstan
Country: KyrgyzstanYear: 2012
Court: United Nations Human Rights Committee
Citation: Communication No. 1545/2007; CCPR/C/102/D/1545/2007
Health Topics: Prisons
Human Rights: Freedom from torture and cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment, Right to due process/fair trial, Right to life
On 21 May 1998 an unidentified person left a bag containing an improvised explosive device (‘IED’) in a minibus in Osh, Kyrgyzstan. Unaware of its contents, the driver of the minibus gave the bag to someone to hold in case the owner came back to claim it. On 1 June 1998, the IED in the …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
Egyptian Initiative for Personal Rights, et al. v. Egypt
Country: EgyptYear: 2011
Court: African Commission on Human and Peoples' Rights
Citation: Comm. No. 334/06
Health Topics: Health care and health services, Prisons
Human Rights: Freedom from torture and cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment, Right to due process/fair trial, Right to life
Three individuals (‘the victims’) were arrested, detained, interrogated, tried and sentenced to death by the Egyptian authorities for their alleged involvement in the 2004 and 2005 bomb attacks on tourist resorts in the Sinai Peninsula. The victims argued that in the course of these proceedings Egypt violated their rights to be free from torture and …Read more
Gomes Lund, et al. (Araguaia Guerrilla) v. Brazil
Country: BrazilYear: 2010
Court: Inter-American Court of Human Rights
Citation: Series C No. 219
Health Topics: Prisons, Violence
Human Rights: Freedom from torture and cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment, Freedom of expression, Right to due process/fair trial, Right to liberty and security of person
On 26 March 2009, the IACmHR submitted to the IACtHR a lawsuit against Brazil, which originated in a petition filed on 7 August 1995 by the Center for Justice and International Law (CEJIL) and Human Rights Watch/Americas. The underlying claims concerned Brazil’s alleged responsibility for the arbitrary detention, torture and forced disappearance of 70 people, …Read more