Purohit and Moore v. The Gambia
Country: The GambiaYear: 2003
Court: African Commission on Human and Peoples' Rights
Citation: Communication No. 241/2001
Health Topics: Informed consent, Mental health
Human Rights: Freedom from discrimination, Freedom from torture and cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment, Right to due process/fair trial, Right to liberty and security of person
Complainants P and M were mental health advocates, who brought the complaint on behalf of patients detained at Campama, a psychiatric unit of the Royal Victoria Hospital, and existing and future mental health patients detained under the Mental Health Acts of the Republic of The Gambia. Complainants alleged that legislation governing mental health in The …Read more
Regina (on the application of H) v. Secretary of State for the Home Department
Country: United KingdomYear: 2003
Court: House of Lords
Citation: [2003] UKHL 59; [2004] 1 All ER 412
Health Topics: Health systems and financing, Informed consent, Mental health
Human Rights: Right to due process/fair trial, Right to liberty and security of person
H, a young woman who suffered from Down’s syndrome and was severely mentally disabled, lived with her mother, BL, who was deeply distrustful of the health authorities. When her BL fell ill and H’s behaviour became increasingly disturbed H was formally admitted to hospital for assessment under section 2 (allowing mandatory commitment for mentally ill …Read more
Worwa v. Poland
Country: PolandYear: 2003
Court: European Court of Human Rights
Citation: Application No. 26624/95; (2003) 43 EHRR 35
Health Topics: Informed consent, Mental health
Human Rights: Right to privacy
Between 1993 and 1998, the applicant was accused of multiple offenses, including preventing her neighbors from accessing a track to the housing estate, inciting her two daughters to attack their neighbor physically and verbally, threatening her neighbor with a shovel, and doing unauthorized renovation work. In conjunction with the proceedings in the cases against the …Read more
Anderson and Ors. v. Scottish Ministers and Anr.
Country: United KingdomYear: 2001
Court: Privy Council
Citation: [2001] UKPC D5
Health Topics: Mental health, Public safety
Human Rights: Right to due process/fair trial, Right to liberty and security of person
The three applicants were mental patients held in state hospitals who had been convicted of homicide. At the time of their convictions, the medical view was that all psychiatric conditions were treatable to an extent. However, relevant medical knowledge had moved on, and medical advice was now that the conditions of the three applicants were …Read more
K. and T. v. Finland
Country: FinlandYear: 2001
Court: European Court of Human Rights
Citation: Application No. 25702/94; (2003) 36 EHRR 18; [2000] ECHR 173
Health Topics: Child and adolescent health, Hospitals, Mental health
Human Rights: Right to family life
Applicants were two Finnish Nationals, a mother (K.) and her cohabitant (T.). K., a diagnosed schizophrenic, had a history of hospitalization. At the time K. and T. began cohabitating in 1991, K.’s daughter (P.) and son (M.) were living with her. The children had different fathers, neither of whom was T. In 1992, custody of …Read more
Keenan v. United Kingdom
Country: United KingdomYear: 2001
Court: European Court of Human Rights
Citation: App. No. 27229/95, 33 Eur. H.R. Rep. 913 (2001).
Health Topics: Health care and health services, Health systems and financing, Medical malpractice, Medicines, Mental health, Prisons
Human Rights: Freedom from torture and cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment, Freedom of movement and residence, Right to bodily integrity, Right to due process/fair trial, Right to life
The applicant brought an action on behalf of her mentally ill son, Mark Keenan, who killed himself in prison, alleging the State was in violation of Articles 2 (right to life), 3 (prohibition of torture) and 13 (right to an effective remedy) of the European Convention. The applicant alleged that her son, who was known …Read more
Waitemata Health v. Attorney-General
Country: New ZealandYear: 2001
Court: Court of Appeal
Citation: [2001] NZCA 312; [2001] NZFLR 1122; (2001) 21 FRNZ 216
Health Topics: Mental health, Public safety, Violence
Human Rights: Right to due process/fair trial, Right to liberty and security of person
The appellant, H, had a history of sexually violent behavior toward women, and he experienced his first imprisonment and compulsory treatment order in 1998. H had been receiving treatment at the Mason Clinic since prisoners were not permitted outpatient community treatment. In 1999, H completed his prison sentence, but none of his physicians initiated proceedings …Read more
Case 240-2000
Country: El SalvadorYear: 2000
Court: Supreme Court
Citation: No. 240-2000
Health Topics: Hospitals, Mental health
Human Rights: Right to liberty and security of person
The petitioner challenged an order by the lower court allowing his continued detention in a psychiatric hospital. A psychiatrist who had examined him stated that he could make a full recovery through outpatient treatment and did not need to remain detained. The lower court had upheld his detention because he was diagnosed with undifferentiated schizophrenia …Read more
Varbanov v. Bulgaria
Country: BulgariaYear: 2000
Court: European Court of Human Rights
Citation: App. No. 31365/96, Eur. Ct. H.R. 457 (2000).
Health Topics: Health care and health services, Health systems and financing, Informed consent, Mental health
Human Rights: Right to due process/fair trial, Right to liberty and security of person
Applicant was accused of being mentally ill and dangerous. The District Prosecutor’s Office opened an inquiry. A police officer heard the applicant, who allegedly presented a document issued by a psychiatrist certifying that he was mentally fit. Later applicant refused an invitation by the prosecutor to undergo psychiatric examination therefore he was forcefully detained at …Read more
Reid v. Secretary of State for Scotland
Country: United KingdomYear: 1999
Court: House of Lords
Citation: [1999] 1 All ER 481
Health Topics: Hospitals, Mental health, Public safety, Violence
Human Rights: Right to due process/fair trial, Right to liberty and security of person
Hutchison Reid, the respondent, was convicted of culpable homicide in 1967. He was made the subject of a hospital order and a restriction order without any time limit under the Criminal Procedure (Scotland) Act 1955 (the Criminal Procedure Act). A restriction order under the Criminal Procedure Act could only be made if the person posed …Read more