R (on the application of H) v. Secretary of State for Health
Country: United KingdomYear: 2005
Court: House of Lords
Citation: [2005] UKHL 60
Health Topics: Hospitals, Informed consent, Mental health
Human Rights: Right to due process/fair trial, Right to liberty and security of person
H challenged the provision of the Mental Health Act 1983 under which she was detained as incompatible with her right to liberty and security under Human Rights Act 1998. H was a 32-year old woman who was severely disabled by Down’s syndrome. H’s mother intensely distrusted health and social services, and refused on many occasions …Read more
R (on the application of Munjaz) v. Mersey Care NHS Trust
Country: United KingdomYear: 2005
Court: House of Lords
Citation: [2005] UKHL 58
Health Topics: Hospitals, Mental health
Human Rights: Freedom from torture and cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment, Right to family life, Right to liberty and security of person
Colonel Munjaz sought judicial review of Mersey Care NHS Trust’s (Mersey Care) policy on the seclusion of patients detained at the hospital. He claimed that the policy violated both domestic law and the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR), as incorporated into United Kingdom law by the Human Rights Act 1998 (HRA). Colonel Munjaz was …Read more
Storck v. Germany
Country: GermanyYear: 2005
Court: European Court of Human Rights
Citation: Storck v. F.R.G., App. No. 61603/00, 43 Eur. H.R. Rep. 96 (2005).
Health Topics: Disabilities, Health care and health services, Infectious diseases, Informed consent, Medical malpractice, Mental health
Human Rights: Right to due process/fair trial, Right to liberty and security of person, Right to privacy
Applicant, a German national, alleged violations under Article 5 (right to liberty and security of person), Article 6 § 1 (right to a fair hearing) and Article 8 (right to respect for his private and family life) of the European Convention on Human Rights concerning her involuntary placement and medical treatment in a private clinic …Read more
Case 36/2000 (X. 27.) AB
Country: HungaryYear: 2004
Court: Constitutional Court
Health Topics: Health care and health services, Informed consent, Mental health, Sexual and reproductive health
Human Rights: Freedom from discrimination, Freedom from torture and cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment, Freedom of religion, Right to bodily integrity, Right to due process/fair trial, Right to health, Right to liberty and security of person
The Court issued this decision in response to numerous petitions challenging the constitutionality of the sections of the Act CLIV of 1997 on Healthcare pertaining to the treatment of psychiatric patients, especially those with limited disposing capacity. One petitioner objected to the provision of the AH which allowed a therapist to use the assistance of …Read more
H.L. v. United Kingdom
Country: United KingdomYear: 2004
Court: European Court of Human Rights
Citation: App. No. 45508/99, 40 Eur. H.R. Rep. 761 (2004).
Health Topics: Health systems and financing, Hospitals, Mental health
Human Rights: Freedom from discrimination, 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 liberty and security of person
The applicant, a United Kingdom national, suffered from severe autism. He was unable to speak, his level of understanding was limited, and he lacked the ability to consent or refuse treatment. For over thirty years he had been cared for in Bournewood Hospital as an in-patient at the Intensive Behavioural Unit after which time he …Read more
Re Woolley, ex parte Applicants M276
Country: AustraliaYear: 2004
Court: High Court
Citation: (2004) 225 CLR 1; (2004) 80 ALD 1; (2004) 210 ALR 369; (2004) 79 ALJR 43; (2004) 32 Fam LR 180; [2004] HCA 49
Health Topics: Child and adolescent health, Infectious diseases, Mental health, Prisons
Human Rights: Freedom from discrimination, Freedom from torture and cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment, Freedom of expression, Freedom of religion, Right to liberty and security of person
The Applicants were four Afghani children who arrived in Australia with their parents as “unlawful non-citizens” (a person who is in the migration zone who is not an Australian citizen and who does not hold a valid visa) according to the Migration Act 1958 (the Act). The family was placed in immigration detention pursuant to …Read more
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
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