Malawi African Association, et al. v. Mauritania
Country: MauritaniaYear: 2000
Court: African Commission on Human and Peoples' Rights
Citation: (2000) AHRLR 149 (ACHPR 2000); Communications 54/91, 61/91, 98/93, 164-196/97 and 210/98
Health Topics: Diet and nutrition, Disasters and emergencies, Health care and health services, Prisons, Violence, Water, sanitation and hygiene
Human Rights: Freedom from discrimination, Freedom from torture and cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment, Freedom of association, Freedom of expression, Freedom of movement and residence, Right to due process/fair trial, Right to family life, Right to favorable working conditions, Right to food, Right to health, Right to liberty and security of person, Right to life, Right to property, Right to work, Rights to the benefits of culture
Six communications jointly alleged that the Mauritanian state committed numerous human rights violations from 1986 to 1992. Specifically, the communications alleged that the State violated articles 2, 4, 5, 6, 7, 9, 10, 11, 12, 14, 16, 18, 19, and 26 of the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights (“the Charter”), which came into …Read more
Amnesty International, et al. v. Sudan
Country: SudanYear: 1999
Court: African Commission on Human and Peoples' Rights
Citation: Comm. Nos. 48/90-50/91-52/91-89/93 (1999).
Health Topics: Prisons
Human Rights: Freedom from discrimination, Freedom from torture and cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment, Freedom of association, Freedom of expression, Freedom of religion, Right to due process/fair trial, Right to liberty and security of person
Amnesty International and three other international human rights organizations filed a series of four complaints (Communications 48/90, 50/91, 52/91, and 89/93) on behalf of hundreds of prisoners, whom the organizations believed suffered detainment without trial, as well as various forms of torture and cruel and inhuman treatment in prison, following a coup d’état in Sudan …Read more
Higgs and David Mitchell v. The Minister of National Security and Others
Country: BahamasYear: 1999
Court: Judicial Committee of the Privy Council
Citation: [2000] 2 WLR 1368; [2000] 2 LRC 656; (1999) 8 BHRC 201; (1999) 5
Health Topics: Prisons
Human Rights: Freedom from torture and cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment, Right to due process/fair trial, Right to life
The first appellant was arrested for murder in July 1993. He was committed for trial in November 1993 but there was a technical defect in the committal as a result of which it was subsequently quashed. On 14 November 1994 he was committed again and on 2 October 1995 found guilty and sentenced to death. …Read more
Rights International v. Nigeria
Country: NigeriaYear: 1999
Court: African Commission on Human and Peoples' Rights
Citation: Comm. No. 215/98 (1999).
Health Topics: Prisons
Human Rights: Freedom from torture and cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment, Freedom of movement and residence, Right to due process/fair trial, Right to liberty and security of person
Rights International, a non-governmental organization based in the United States, claimed that Nigerian military soldiers arrested and tortured Mr. Charles Baridorn Wiwa at an unknown military detention camp in Gokana, Nigeria. The Complainant alleged that Mr. Wiwa’s detention lasted from January 2-9, 1996, and that during his detention, authorities horsewhipped him, subjected him to various …Read more
Victor Rosario Congo v. Ecuador
Country: EcuadorYear: 1999
Court: Inter-American Commission on Human Rights
Citation: Report 63/99, Case No. 11.427; OEA/Ser.L/V/II.106 Doc. 6 rev., April 13, 1999
Health Topics: Diet and nutrition, Health care and health services, Mental health, Prisons
Human Rights: Right to bodily integrity, Right to due process/fair trial, Right to food, Right to health, Right to life, Right to water and sanitation
Victor Rosario Congo, an Ecuadorian, was placed in a detention center pending investigations into criminal charges. There were indications that he suffered from a mental disorder. In September 12, 1990, Mr. Congo was placed in an isolation cell at which time a guard assaulted him in the Rehabilitation Center, inflicting a wound to his head. …Read more
Villagrán-Morales, et al. (“Street Children”) v. Guatemala
Country: GuatemalaYear: 1999
Court: Inter-American Court of Human Rights
Citation: Merits, Judgment, Inter-Am. Ct. H.R. (ser. C) No. 63 (Nov. 19, 1999); Inter Joint Concurring Opinion of Judges A.A. Cancado Trinidade & A. Abreu-Burelli, Inter-Am. Ct. H.R. (ser. C) No. 63 (Nov. 19, 1999).
Health Topics: Child and adolescent health, Poverty, Violence
Human Rights: Freedom from torture and cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment, Right to bodily integrity, Right to due process/fair trial, Right to liberty and security of person, Right to life
Five youths, three of whom were minors, were “street children” abducted, tortured, and killed by State security agents. The children lived in a sector of the city where violence and crime rate were high and where State officials commit illegal acts against “street children,” including “threats, arrests, cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment and homicides as …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
Aydin v. Turkey
Country: TurkeyYear: 1998
Court: European Court of Human Rights
Citation: App. No. 23178/94, 25 Eur. H.R. Rep. 251 (1998).
Health Topics: Child and adolescent health, Hospitals, Sexual and reproductive health, Violence
Human Rights: Freedom from torture and cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment, Right to due process/fair trial
The applicant was a 17-year old Turkish national of Kurdish origin girl who lived with her parents in a village in south-east Turkey. Since 1985 serious disturbances had raged in this part of the country between the security forces and the members of a Kurdish separatist party. Turkey claimed that these had resulted in the deaths …Read more
Finn v. Jamaica
Country: JamaicaYear: 1998
Court: United Nations Human Rights Committee
Citation: Communication No. 617/1995
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
Finn (F) was arrested in 1987 and alleged that he was beaten on his way to the police lock up. He also alleged that threats were then made against his life and that he was given no medical treatment. F claimed that complaints about this ill treatment were not responded to. He was charged, together …Read more
Fisher v. The Minister of Public Safety and Immigration and Others (No. 2)
Country: BahamasYear: 1998
Court: Judicial Committee of the Privy Council
Citation: [1998] 3 LRC 451, [1999] 2 WLR 349, (1998) 6 BHRC 244, (1998) 2
Health Topics: Prisons
Human Rights: Freedom from torture and cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment, Right to life
The appellant was convicted of murder and sentenced to death in 1994. In 1996, he lodged a petition with the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACmHR). Although The Bahamas ratified the Charter of the Organisation of American States (OAS) in 1982, it has never ratified the American Convention on Human Rights. However, Article 51 of …Read more