Wenner v. Germany
Country: GermanyYear: 2016
Court: European Court of Human Rights
Citation: no. 62303/13, § 59, ECHR 2016
Health Topics: Controlled substances, Health care and health services, HIV/AIDS, Infectious diseases, Medicines, Public safety
Human Rights: Right to bodily integrity, Right to health, Right to liberty and security of person, Right to life
The applicant has been a heroin addict since 1973, suffered from hepatitis C since 1975 and been HIV-positive since 1988. Attempts to overcome his heroin addiction through various treatments failed, and from 1991 to 2008 he was treated with drug substitution therapy. In 2008, the applicant was arrested on suspicion of drug trafficking and detained …Read more
Canada (Attorney General) v. PHS Community Services
Country: CanadaYear: 2011
Court: Supreme Court
Citation: [2011] 3 S.C.R. 134; [2011] S.C.C. 44
Health Topics: Controlled substances, Health care and health services, HIV/AIDS, Hospitals, Infectious diseases
Human Rights: Right to liberty and security of person, Right to life
Insite was a medical facility that supervised intravenous drug use. It was established in response to escalating intravenous drug use and a rise in HIV/AIDS and hepatitis C infections among the population of the downtown eastside (DTES) area of Vancouver. In 2003, pursuant to section 56 of the Controlled Drug and Substances Act (CDSA), which …Read more
Khudobin v. Russia
Country: RussiaYear: 2007
Court: European Court of Human Rights
Citation: Application No. 59696/00; (2006) ECHR 898
Health Topics: Chronic and noncommunicable diseases, Controlled substances, Health care and health services, HIV/AIDS, Infectious diseases, Mental health, Prisons
Human Rights: Freedom from torture and cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment, Right to due process/fair trial, Right to health, Right to liberty and security of person
Mr. Khudobin, a Russian national, filed an application against the Russian Government for allegedly violating several articles of the Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms (“the Convention”). The applicant was arrested after he was caught supplying heroin to an undercover police agent. He was placed in custody during pre-trial investigations and …Read more
Case 54/2004 (XII.13.)
Country: HungaryYear: 2004
Court: Constitutional Court
Health Topics: Child and adolescent health, Controlled substances
Human Rights: Freedom from discrimination, Freedom from torture and cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment, Right to bodily integrity, Right to health, Right to liberty and security of person, Right to life, Right to privacy
Five petitions brought separate challenges to Act IV of 1978 on the Hungarian Criminal Code (“Act”) related to the misuse of narcotic drugs. They argued that the Parliament had failed to ensure the exercise of the right to self-determination when it ordered the punishment of the production and cultivation of a small amount of narcotic …Read more
McGlinchey and Ors. v. United Kingdom
Country: United KingdomYear: 2003
Court: European Court of Human Rights
Citation: McGlinchey v. U.K., App. No. 50390/99, 37 EHRR 41 (2003).
Health Topics: Controlled substances, Health care and health services, Health systems and financing, Medicines, Prisons, Tobacco
Human Rights: Freedom from torture and cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment, Right to health, Right to life
Applicants, family members of an individual addicted to heroin who died in prison, alleged that the State violated Articles 3 (freedom from torture or to inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment) and 13 (right to effective remedy) of the Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms (“the Convention”) because the prisoner, Ms. …Read more
Condron v. United Kingdom
Country: United KingdomYear: 2000
Court: European Court of Human Rights
Citation: App. No. 35718/97, 31 Eur. H.R. Rep. 1 (2001).
Health Topics: Controlled substances
Human Rights: Right to due process/fair trial
The applicants, who were heroine addicts, had been arrested and convicted for drug related offences. Upon their arrest, the solicitor had maintained that they were unfit to be interviewed as they were displaying early stages of heroine withdrawal. However, the Force Medical Examiner assessed both applicants as fit to be interviewed. Both applicants failed to …Read more
Strykiwsky v. Mills (in his capacity as Warden of Stony Mountain Institution)
Country: CanadaYear: 2000
Court: Federal Court - Trial Division
Citation: Court File no. T-389-00
Health Topics: Controlled substances, Health care and health services, Medicines, Prisons
Human Rights: Freedom from discrimination
The applicant was an inmate of Warkworth prison and a long time heroin addict. While an inmate, the applicant sought to overcome this addiction. The Correctional Service of Canada had a 2-phase program to address addiction cases. Phase I provided regular doses of methadone “only to those entering federal prison… already enrolled in a community …Read more
Aerts v. Belgium
Country: BelgiumYear: 1998
Court: European Court of Human Rights
Citation: Application No. 25357/94; (1998) 29 EHRR 50; [1998] ECHR 64; 5 BHRC 382; [1998] HRCD 749; (2000) 53 BMLR 79
Health Topics: Controlled substances, Health care and health services, 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
Michael Aerts, complained his continued detention in the psychiatric wing of a prison pending his transfer to the Social Protection Centre breached the right to liberty and security of person in article 5(1) of the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR), the right to fair hearing under article 6(1) of the ECHR, and the prohibition …Read more
Dalia v. France
Country: FranceYear: 1998
Court: European Court of Human Rights
Citation: Application No. 26102/95; (2001) 33 EHRR 26; [1998] ECHR 5
Health Topics: Child and adolescent health, Controlled substances, Mental health
Human Rights: Freedom from torture and cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment, Freedom of movement and residence, Right to family life
Aïcha Dalia (“the Applicant”) is an Algerian national who arrived in France when she was approximately 17 years of age, to join her mother and siblings who lawfully resided there. In 1985, she was sentenced to twelve months’ imprisonment for offences against the dangerous drugs legislation, which also made orders for her deportation and permanent …Read more