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
Millicent Awuor Omuya& 1 Or. v. Attorney General & 4 Ors.
Country: KenyaYear: 2015
Court: High Court at Nairobi
Citation: Petition No. 562 of 2012
Health Topics: Health care and health services, Health systems and financing, Hospitals, Poverty, Sexual and reproductive health
Human Rights: Freedom from discrimination, Freedom from torture and cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment, Freedom of movement and residence, Right to family life, Right to health, Right to liberty and security of person
The petitioners were two women who gave birth and were detained by Pumwani Hospital when they could not pay maternity fees in full upon discharge. The first petitioner was referred to the hospital with a potential breech birth and was detained for 24 days after discharge when she was unable to pay her hospital bill. …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
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
Amirov v. Russia
Country: RussiaYear: 2014
Court: The European Court of Human Rights
Citation: [2014] EHCR 51857/13
Health Topics: Chronic and noncommunicable diseases, Health care and health services, Infectious diseases, Medicines, Prisons
Human Rights: Freedom from torture and cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment, Right to bodily integrity, Right to health
Amirov is a local politician who was arrested and charged in June 2013 with attempted murder, attempting to organize a terrorist attack, and related charges. Amirov was paralyzed in 1993 and requires constant medical care. Amirov argued that he should not be detained pending trial because of his poor health, age and position in the …Read more
Blessington, et al. v. Australia
Country: AustraliaYear: 2014
Court: United Nations Human Rights Committee
Citation: Communication No. 1968/2010; CCPR/C/112/D/1968/2010
Health Topics: Prisons
Human Rights: Freedom from torture and cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment
The claimants, who were serving life imprisonment sentences, claimed that the state of Australia had violated articles 7, 10, 15 and 24 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (“Covenant”), particularly the right to freedom from torture and cruel, inhuman, and/or degrading treatment. The claimants were jointly tried for the murder, abduction, and …Read more
DD v. Secretary of State for Home Department
Country: United KingdomYear: 2014
Court: Royal Courts of London
Citation: [2014] EWHC 3820 (Admin)
Health Topics: Mental health, Prisons
Human Rights: Freedom from torture and cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment
The claimant, DD, a Somali man, was granted asylum and indefinite leave to remain shortly after his arrival in the UK in 2003. Due to his involvement in fundraising for Al-Shabaab, a Terrorism Prevention and Investigation Measure (TPIM) was imposed in 2012. He was charged with breaching the TPIM, remanded into custody, and was sentenced …Read more
Mr. X v. Argentina
Country: ArgentinaYear: 2014
Court: Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities
Citation: Communication No. 8/2012
Health Topics: Chronic and noncommunicable diseases, Disabilities, Health care and health services, Prisons
Human Rights: Right to liberty and security of person
This case involves a claimant that repeatedly requested house arrest due to disability, but was denied house arrest and held in a prison he claims lacks the infrastructure necessary to maintain his right to health and dignity. Claimant was being held in pretrial detention at a prison complex. With authorization of the court, he underwent …Read more
Petrova v. Latvia
Country: LatviaYear: 2014
Court: The European Court of Human Rights
Citation: ECHR 181 (2014)
Health Topics: Health care and health services, Hospitals, Informed consent, Medical malpractice
Human Rights: Freedom from torture and cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment, Right to bodily integrity, Right to family life, Right to privacy
The applicant’s son at the age of 23 was in a car accident and sustained very serious injuries. He had to be operated on but his condition became worse after her surgery and he died. After a few months, she discovered that her son’s kidneys and spleen had been removed for organ transplantation after his …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