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European Court says man dying of Aids should not be deported

By Liz Fekete

1 August 1997

The European Court of Human Rights has ruled that Britain would be guilty of inhuman and degrading treatment if it deported a man dying of Aids who had previously carried out a prison sentence for attempting to import cocaine.

The man is from St Kitts where there is no treatment for Aids and where he has no close family or means of support. The AIRE (Advice on Individual Rights in Europe) centre, which took his case to Strasbourg said, 'The cost of his basic medication is negligible. He wishes only to be allowed to face his imminent death with basic dignity.'

Despite the fact that the dying man, named only as Mr D, is supported by Aids charities and his medical needs are negligible, the Evening Standard and the Daily Mail argued that he was 'claiming the right to die in London with the full benefit of hugely expensive NHS treatment'. The Daily Mail named the dying man, even though his name had been withheld by the court.

Guardian 3.5.97, Evening Standard 2.5.97, Daily Mail 3.5.97

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