Black et al. v. City of Toronto
Country: CanadaYear: 2020
Court: Ontario Superior Court of Justice
Citation: 2020 ONSC 6398
Health Topics: Chronic and noncommunicable diseases, Sexual and reproductive health, Water, sanitation and hygiene
A motion for an interlocutory injunction was brought to prevent the City of Toronto from enforcing its By-law that prohibited camping and erecting tents, structures, and shelters in City parks, City of Toronto Municipal Code, c. 608. The applicants did not challenge the validity of the By-law but sought an order to have it suspended …Read more
British Columbia Civil Liberties Association v Canada (Attorney General)
Country: CanadaYear: 2018
Court: Supreme Court of British Columbia
Citation: 2018 BCSC 62
Health Topics: Mental health, Prisons
Human Rights: Right to bodily integrity, Right to life
The plaintiffs are two non-profit organizations, the British Columbia Civil Liberties Association and the John Howard Society of Canada. The plaintiffs challenged the constitutionality of sections 31-33 and 37 of the Corrections and Conditional Release Act (CCRA), which authorized administrative segregation of inmates in federal prisons. Section 31 provided that the purpose of administrative segregation …Read more
Centre for Health, Human Rights and Development & Anr. v. Attorney General
Country: UgandaYear: 2018
Court: The High Court of Uganda at Kampala
Citation: Civil Suit No. 094 of 2015
Health Topics: Disabilities, Health care and health services, Hospitals, Mental health
Human Rights: Freedom from torture and cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment, Right to a clean environment, Right to health, Right to liberty and security of person, Right to privacy, Right to water and sanitation
The plaintiff stated that the Butabika Hospital is the only public psychiatric hospital under the Ministry of Health in Uganda. Further it is the only mental referral hospital and cases referred to it by other health facilities are of acute conditions, which require a specialized and skilled management. A part of the procedure in the …Read more
Mockute v. Lithuania
Country: LithuaniaYear: 2018
Court: The European Court of Human Rights
Citation: Application No. 66490/09
Health Topics: Health care and health services, Health information, Hospitals, Mental health, Sexual and reproductive health
Human Rights: Freedom of religion, Right to privacy
The applicant suffered from an acute paranoid reaction disorder. She was taken to the Kaunas Psychiatric Hospital by her parents and at their request in 1992; she continued her treatment at another psychiatric hospital. The applicant had joined a religious sect before her first treatment, and her parents stated that she had become disoriented after …Read more
Navtej Singh Johar & Ors. v. Union of India
Country: IndiaYear: 2018
Court: Supreme Court of India
Citation: Writ Petition (Criminal) No. 76 of 2016
Health Topics: Health care and health services, HIV/AIDS, Mental health, Sexual and reproductive health
Human Rights: Freedom from discrimination, Freedom from torture and cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment, Freedom of expression, Right of access to information, Right to bodily integrity, Right to family life, Right to health, Right to life, Right to privacy
Petitioners, by means of a writ petition, challenged Section 377 of the Indian Penal Code (‘IPC’), which made “carnal intercourse against the order of nature” a criminal offense punishable with life imprisonment. Petitioners argued that homosexuality, bisexuality, and other sexual orientations are equally natural and reflective of expression of choice and individuals should have the …Read more
Patient X v. College of Physicians and Surgeons of Nova Scotia
Country: CanadaYear: 2017
Court: Nova Scotia Court of Appeal
Citation: 2015 NSCA 41
Health Topics: Health care and health services, Hospitals
Human Rights: Freedom from discrimination, Right to bodily integrity
The appellant, Patient X,filed a complaint against a physician, Dr. Y, with the College of Physicians and Surgeons. She alleged that he inappropriately touched her breast and made racially inappropriate comments about her “black” lung capacity as compared to “white” lungs. The Investigation Committee dismissed the appellant’s complaint. The Committee’s written decision stated that there …Read more
Caleb Orozco v. Attorney General of Belize
Country: BelizeYear: 2016
Court: Supreme Court of Belize
Citation: Claim 668 of 2010
Health Topics: Health care and health services, Health information, HIV/AIDS, Infectious diseases, Mental health, Sexual and reproductive health, Violence
Human Rights: Freedom from discrimination, Freedom of expression, Right to health, Right to privacy
The Claimant, Caleb Orozco, a citizen of Belize was a homosexual male and a health educator. In the Supreme Court of Belize, he challenged the constitutional validity of Section 53 of the Belize Criminal Code to the extent that it criminalized anal sex between two consenting male adults. Section 53 of the Criminal Code stated …Read more
Kanthasamy v Canada (Citizenship and Immigration)
Country: CanadaYear: 2015
Court: The Supreme Court of Canada
Citation: 2015 SCC 61
Health Topics: Child and adolescent health, Disasters and emergencies, Health care and health services, Mental health, Prisons, Violence
Human Rights: Freedom of movement and residence, Right to liberty and security of person
The appellant was a 17 year old boy who applied for permanent residence from within Canada, having previously landed as a refugee claimant. He travelled to Canada to escape threatened violence from the army and police in Sri Lanka, his native country after he was detained and questioned by the Sri Lankan police and army. …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
F.K.A.G. et al. v. Australia
Country: AustraliaYear: 2013
Court: United Nations Human Rights Committee
Citation: Communication No. 2049/2011, CCPR/C/108/D/2094/2011
Health Topics: Child and adolescent health, 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
The authors, 37 Sri Lankan citizens held in Australian immigration detention facilities, alleged that the actions of the Australian government regarding their detention violated Articles 7, 9, 10, 17, 23, and 24 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (the “Covenant”). At the time of the submission, all of the authors were …Read more