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
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
Case EAND/0895/02/13
Country: ArmeniaYear: 2013
Court: Civil Court of Appeal [Հայաստանի Հանրապետության Վերաքննիչ քաղաքացիական դատարան]
Citation: Case № ԵԱՆԴ/0895/02/13
Health Topics: Health care and health services, Hospitals, Informed consent, Mental health
Human Rights: Right to due process/fair trial, Right to liberty and security of person
The appellant, Zhuleta Amarikyan, was compulsorily committed to inpatient psychiatric treatment on the request of the head of the psychiatric clinic. Amarikyan was diagnosed with acute delirium syndrome and was described as being a danger to herself and others and unable to control her actions. At the time of the trial of Amarikyan’s commitment, Amarikyan …Read more
Re SB
Country: United KingdomYear: 2013
Court: Court of Protection
Citation: [2013] EWHC 1417 (COP)
Health Topics: Hospitals, Informed consent, Medicines, Mental health, Sexual and reproductive health
A pregnant 37-year-old woman diagnosed with bipolar disorder was compulsorily detained under Section 2 of the Mental Health Act 1983. She had been on and off medication for 8 years and had suffered both remissions and relapses, due to which she was detained at various times in Italy, France and in England where she currently …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
R v. Conway
Country: CanadaYear: 2010
Court: The Supreme Court of Canada
Citation: 2010 SCC 22
Health Topics: Hospitals, Mental health, Public safety, Violence
Human Rights: Freedom of movement and residence, Right to liberty and security of person
The accused was found not guilty by reason of insanity on a charge of sexual assault with a weapon in 1983. He was subsequently detained in numerous mental health facilities. Before his annual review hearing in 2006 was held, the accused alleged that the centre in which he was detained had violated his constitutional rights …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
M.J.R. s/insanía
Country: ArgentinaYear: 2008
Court: Supreme Court of Justice [Corte Suprema de Justicia de la Nación Argentina]
Citation: S.C. February 19, 2008, "M.J.R. s/ insanía"
Health Topics: Mental health
Human Rights: Right to due process/fair trial, Right to liberty and security of person
On June 4, 1982 M.J.R. , a minor, accused of aggravated murder, was declared unpunishable by law by the National Criminal Examining Court of First Instance number 16, which determined he had to remain in hospital as a safety measure. On July 11, 1983, the advisor on minors filed a process of disability to the …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