Category: war crimes

New Judgment: R v TRA [2019] UKSC 52 – UKSC Blog

Posted November 13th, 2019 in appeals, criminal justice, news, statutory interpretation, Supreme Court, torture, war, war crimes by sally

‘The appellant was arrested in the United Kingdom in 2017 and charged with one count of conspiracy to commit torture and seven counts of torture, contrary to the Criminal Justice Act 1988, section 134. The charges relate to events in the early stages of the first Liberian civil war in 1990 when an armed group, the National Patriotic Front of Liberia took control of parts of Liberia. Its leader, Charles Taylor, subsequently became President of Liberia in 1997. The point of law raised in the appeal related to the correct interpretation of the term “person acting in an official capacity” in the CJA, section 134(1). The Court of Appeal held that CJA, section 134 is not confined to individuals acting on behalf of a State.’

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UKSC Blog, 13th November 2019

Source: ukscblog.com

Ep. 57: Mass starvation as a weapon of war – Law Pod UK

Posted December 11th, 2018 in food, human rights, international law, news, war, war crimes by sally

‘Rosalind English talks to 1 Crown Office Row’s Catriona Murdoch about the ways in which international law may be used to prevent it.’

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Law Pod UK, 10th December 2018

Source: audioboom.com

ICC crime of aggression comes into effect without key signatories – The Guardian

Posted July 17th, 2018 in crime, international courts, news, treaties, war crimes by tracey

‘A crime of aggression, under which politicians and military leaders can be held individually responsible for invasions and other major attacks, comes into force at the international criminal court, reviving global legal powers last exercised at the Nuremburg and Tokyo war crimes trials of the 1940s. Claims alleging that armed force has been used against the “sovereignty, territorial integrity or political independence” of another state can, from Tuesday, be taken to the tribunal in The Hague.’

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The Guardian, 17th July 2018

Source: www.theguardian.com

Activists bring case at appeal court over UK arms sales to Saudis – The Guardian

Posted April 13th, 2018 in appeals, export controls, international trade, news, Saudi Arabia, war crimes, weapons by tracey

‘Human rights campaigners have begun an attempt to overturn a high court judgment that allows the British government to continue to export arms to Saudi Arabia for use in Yemen.
The Campaign Against Arms Trade brought the case against Liam Fox, the international trade secretary, seeking permission to appeal against a decision last July that granting licences for the export of arms from the UK to Saudi Arabia was not unlawful. CAAT has warned that British weapons could be used to kill or injure Yemeni civilians.’

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The Guardian, 12th April 2018

Source: www.theguardian.com

Telford pensioner investigated for Nazi war crimes – BBC News

Posted March 21st, 2018 in foreign jurisdictions, news, prosecutions, war crimes by tracey

‘A pensioner has become the first person from the UK to be investigated in Germany for his alleged role in the Holocaust in World War Two.’

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BBC News, 20th March 2018

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Ministers ‘undermined law’ over Iraq war crimes allegations – The Guardian

Posted July 24th, 2017 in armed forces, disclosure, electronic mail, government departments, human rights, Iraq, law firms, Ministry of Justice, news, rule of law, Solicitors Regulation Authority, war crimes by sally

‘The government has been accused of undermining the rule of law by putting pressure on an independent regulator in its action against a legal firm pursuing claims of human rights abuses involving British troops in Iraq.’

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The Guardian, 22nd July 2017

Source: www.theguardian.com

Attorney General’s speech at the International Justice Day event – Attorney General’s Office

Posted July 18th, 2017 in attorney general, evidence, prosecutions, speeches, terrorism, war, war crimes by tracey

‘Attorney General discusses the importance of evidence gathering in Syria and Iraq to enable domestic prosecutions.’

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Attorney General’s Office, 17th july 2017

Source: www.gov.uk/ago

Iraq war: judge to review Tony Blair prosecution ban – The Guardian

Posted July 5th, 2017 in attorney general, immunity, international law, Iraq, judges, news, private prosecutions, war crimes by sally

‘The most senior judge in England and Wales will hear a case attempting to overturn a ban on prosecuting Tony Blair over the Iraq war, the Guardian has learned.’

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The Guardian, 5th July 2017

Source: www.theguardian.com

SAS soldiers ‘suspected’ of executing unarmed Afghans and covering up potential war crimes – The Independent

Posted July 3rd, 2017 in Afghanistan, armed forces, news, reports, war crimes by tracey

‘A “rogue” Special Air Service (SAS) unit is suspected of executing unarmed civilians in Afghanistan and fabricating reports to cover up potential war crimes, according to reports.’

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The Independent, 2nd July 2017

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Date set for court challenge to ban British arms sales to Saudi Arabia – The Independent

Posted October 28th, 2016 in international relations, news, Saudi Arabia, war crimes, weapons by sally

‘A date has been set for a High Court court challenge that could halt British arms sales to Saudi Arabia – amid mounting accusations the country is committing war crimes’

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The Independent, 28th October 2016

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Iraq War: Public Interest Lawyers closes down – BBC News

Posted August 15th, 2016 in armed forces, compensation, human rights, inquiries, Iraq, law firms, news, solicitors, war, war crimes by sally

‘The law firm Public Interest Lawyers, which submitted multiple allegations of misconduct by British troops during the Iraq War, is to close.’

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BBC News, 15th August 2016

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Hundreds of compensation claims against British soldiers could be abandoned after controversial law firm announces closure – Daily Telegraph

Posted August 15th, 2016 in armed forces, budgets, compensation, human rights, inquiries, Iraq, law firms, legal aid, legal representation, murder, negligence, news, solicitors, statistics, torture, unlawful killing, war, war crimes by sally

‘Hundreds of compensation claims against British soldiers are likely to be abandoned after a controversial law firm accused of “hounding” troops announced that it is closing.’

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Daily Telegraph, 15th August 2016

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

How the Iraq Inquiry failed to follow the money – OUP Blog

Posted August 8th, 2016 in corruption, inquiries, international law, Iraq, news, statistics, war, war crimes by sally

‘In 2007, I published an article that sought to show in detail how the Iraqi economy had been opened up to allow the transformation of the economy and the routine corruption that enabled a range of private profit-making companies to exploit the post-invasion economy. The article argued that the illegal war of aggression waged by a ‘coalition’ headed by George Bush and Tony Blair was tied to a series of subsequent crimes of pillage and occupation. These included the transformation of the economy and the political system that was explicitly illegal under the terms of the Geneva and Hague Convention; and the mobilisation of political and economic instruments to ‘liberate’ the oil. The recently published Chilcot Report recognizes this corruption – and indeed UK joint legal responsibility for the corruption – and yet the evidence for it has been buried. – See more at: http://blog.oup.com/2016/07/iraq-inquiry-chilcot-money/#sthash.UiY9VxUh.dpuf

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OUP Blog, 31st July 2016

Source: www.blog.oup.com

Outrage as war crimes prosecutors say Tony Blair will not be investigated over Chilcot’s Iraq war report – but British soldiers could be – Daily Telegraph

Posted July 4th, 2016 in armed forces, Crown Prosecution Service, inquiries, international courts, Iraq, misfeasance in public office, negligence, news, prosecutions, torture, war crimes by michael

‘Prosecutors at the International Criminal Court will examine the Chilcot report for evidence of abuse and torture by British soldiers but have already ruled out putting Tony Blair on trial for war crimes.’

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Daily Telegraph, 2nd July 2016

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

House of Lords Sexual Violence in Conflict Committee report: government response – official-documents.gov.uk

Posted July 1st, 2016 in reports, select committees, sexual offences, war, war crimes by tracey

‘The government has now published its response to the report from the House of Lords Select Committee on Sexual Violence in Conflict.’

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official-documents.gov.uk, 30th June 2016

Source: www.official-documents.gov.uk

UK’s claims over Saudi bombing in Yemen ‘deeply disappointing’, say MPs – The Guardian

Posted May 4th, 2016 in armed forces, human rights, inquiries, international law, news, Saudi Arabia, war crimes, weapons by tracey

‘The British government’s claim that Saudi Arabia’s bombing campaign in Yemen has not breached international humanitarian law is “deeply disappointing” and contributes to an “anything goes” attitude from the opposing sides in the conflict, the international development select committee has said.’

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The Guardian, 4th May 2016

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Pressure builds for investigation into London arms trade fair after judge sees evidence of illegal weapons sales – The Independent

Posted April 18th, 2016 in armed forces, export controls, HM Revenue & Customs, jurisdiction, news, police, war crimes, weapons by sally

‘Anti-arms trade campaigners have put pressure on the Government to act after officials’ business-as-usual response to a court ruling warning that illegal arms could be changing hands at at London arms fair.’

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The Independent, 16th April 2016

Source: www.independent.co.uk

What sort of justice do survivors of sexual war crimes want? – The Guardian

Posted April 12th, 2016 in criminal justice, international courts, news, reports, select committees, sexual offences, victims, violence, war, war crimes by sally

‘Convicting perpetrators of sexual violence in conflict is a milestone but we also need to enable survivors to build their future.’

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The Guardian, 12th April 2016

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Cameron wants crackdown on ‘spurious’ military legal claims – BBC News

Posted January 22nd, 2016 in armed forces, death in custody, Iraq, legal aid, news, torture, war crimes by sally

‘The prime minister has ordered a clampdown on “spurious” legal claims against UK military personnel.’

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BBC News, 22nd January 2016

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Legal aid crackdown to protect troops from being sued – Daily Telegraph

Posted January 18th, 2016 in Afghanistan, armed forces, budgets, civil justice, compensation, human rights, inquiries, Iraq, judicial review, law firms, legal aid, news, war crimes by tracey

‘ Human rights lawyers who have brought thousands of war crimes cases against British troops will see their taxpayer-funded legal aid cut, in a new assault on “ambulance chasing” law firms. David Cameron has ordered a crackdown after becoming “very concerned” at the boom in compensation claims and investigations against soldiers over incidents in Iraq and Afghanistan.’

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Daily Telegraph, 16th January 2016

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk