Prof Brice Dickson: The UK’s Engagement With International Human Rights Monitoring Mechanisms – UK Human Rights Blog

Posted December 6th, 2022 in human rights, news, reports, standards, United Nations by sally

‘On 10 November 2022 the UN Human Rights Council conducted its fourth Universal Periodic Review of the UK’s compliance with international human rights standards. The Council’s report was adopted just six days later and contained no fewer than 302 recommendations from other States on how the UK could improve its human rights record. That figure is up from 227 in 2017. For early accounts of the review meeting see the pieces by Marcial Boo and Robert Booth.’

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UK Human Rights Blog, 5th December 2022

Source: ukhumanrightsblog.com

Woman with Down’s syndrome loses abortion law appeal – BBC News

‘A woman with Down’s syndrome has lost her appeal over a law that allows abortion up until birth for a foetus with the condition.’

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BBC News, 25th November 2022

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

The beginning of a pushback against Article 2 inquests? – UK Human Rights Blog

Posted November 25th, 2022 in appeals, drug abuse, human rights, inquests, mental health, news, suicide by tracey

‘In R (Morahan) v HM Assistant Coroner for West London [2022] EWCA Civ 1410, the Court of Appeal robustly rejected a challenge to the earlier decision of the Divisional Court that Article 2 did not apply to drug related death of a voluntarily admitted psychiatric patient.’

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UK Human Rights Blog, 24th November 2022

Source: ukhumanrightsblog.com

Removal of gametes from brain dead man would breach his rights to privacy: Court of Protection – UK Human Rights Blog

Posted November 25th, 2022 in consent, Court of Protection, families, human rights, news, privacy by tracey

‘The 22 year old patient in this case, X, was unconscious in intensive care during the course of this hearing, following a serious stroke. There was virtually no prospect that he would recover. This urgent application by X’s parents, out of hours, before Poole J was for a declaration that it would be lawful for a doctor to retrieve X’s sperm for storage after his death. The applicants also sought an order that X’s father V could sign the relevant consents under the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Act 1990 (“The 1990 Act”). The applicants did not seek any orders in respect of the use of X’s sperm once collected and stored. That was for another day.’

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UK Human Rights Blog, 24th November 2022

Source: ukhumanrightsblog.com

Saba Shakil: Bridging the gap between remedial reform and judicial practice: A study of challenges to delegated legislation – UK Constitutional Law Associaton

Posted November 24th, 2022 in bills, constitutional law, government departments, human rights, judiciary, news by sally

‘The resurrected Bill of Rights Bill (BoRB) shows that the government is continuing to grasp at the wrong end of the remedies stick – and it will continue to do so until it pays attention to the evidence. ‘

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UK Constitutional Law Association, 24th November 2022

Source: ukconstitutionallaw.org

Awaab Ishak: The Right To An Adequate Standard Of Living Should Prevent Such Deaths – Each Other

‘Awaab Ishak, a two-year-old boy from Rochdale, Greater Manchester, died in 2020 from a severe respiratory condition caused by prolonged exposure to mould in his home, an inquest has heard. The right to an adequate standard of living – which includes decent housing conditions – ought to protect people in the UK from living in a home which causes them harm.’

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Each Other, 21st November 2022

Source: eachother.org.uk

Painful lessons about the duty of candour (more on the unlawful seizure of migrants’ mobiles) – UK Human Rights Blog

‘In this first Judgment, the Court analysed powers granted by the Immigration Acts 1971 and 2016 and rejected the Defendant’s erroneous interpretation of the relevant statutory provisions. It then made consequential orders (also reported) including steps to publicise its ruling, given that over 400 phones, still held, could not be linked to any individual migrant.’

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UK Human Rights Blog, 21st November 2022

Source: ukhumanrightsblog.com

Jane Rooney: The Extraterritorial Application of the Human Rights Act: Overseas Military Operations and Beyond – UK Constitutional Law Association

Posted November 22nd, 2022 in armed forces, bills, constitutional law, human rights, news by sally

‘With the reinstatement of Dominic Raab as Secretary of State for Justice, the Bill of Rights Bill, currently before Parliament, is once again a possibility only weeks after Liz Truss halted its progression on account that it was a ‘complete mess’. This post examines the Bill’s provisions on overseas military operations, how they compare with the UK judiciary’s approach, the Overseas Operations (Service Personnel and Veterans) Act 2021, and the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) jurisprudence. Also highlighted are other extraterritoriality issues outside overseas military operations that the UK will have to consider.’

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UK Constitutional Law Association, 22nd November 2022

Source: ukconstitutionallaw.org

Christian Magaard: Reconciling the Proactive Principle of Legality with Parliamentary Sovereignty – UK Constitutional Law Association

Posted November 18th, 2022 in bills, constitutional law, human rights, news, parliament by tracey

‘Rising like an arguably rather dark phoenix from the ashes, the Bill of Rights Bill now appears back on the legislative agenda. Yet again, the repeal of the Human Rights Act 1998 (HRA) seems somewhat inevitable, unless cabinet will once again implode in turmoil. In this light, the potential of the common law to provide a system of rights protection of similar vigour to that of the HRA has rightly gained much attention. The previous debate has largely focused on the content and development of common law rights and the structural potentials of the common law constitution. In contrast, this post will shed some light on what Mark Elliott described as the rigour of rights protection. The repeal of s. 3 HRA is surely one of the major cuts of judicial competences that the Bill of Rights Bill aims to undertake. Reinforcing a suggestion made by Eirik Bjorge and Michael Foran, it will hence be argued that the judiciary may well fill this protection gap by applying the proactive principle of legality (PoL). The use of this principle, however, can only be justified by acknowledging a new doctrinal foundation that reconciles it with parliamentary sovereignty.’

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UK Constitutional Law Association, 17th November 2022

Source: ukconstitutionallaw.org

Shona Wilson Stark: Section 4 of the Human Rights Act 1998: Still Standing, or Standing Still? – UK Constitutional Law Association

Posted November 18th, 2022 in bills, constitutional law, human rights, news by tracey

‘In previous work, I have criticised the courts’ apparent confusion and/or uneasiness with the making of declarations of incompatibility under section 4 of the Human Rights Act 1998 (“HRA”). I have argued that the courts have paid insufficient mind to the fact that the regime under sections 3-4 of the HRA is different to the regime under HRA sections 6-9. The related questions of who has standing to bring a section 4 claim and what “incompatibility” means are unresolved. In this post, I recap my argument and attempt to ignite a discussion about the proper purpose of section 4, prior to any future human rights reform.’

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UK Constitutional Law Association, 16th November 2022

Source: ukconstitutionallaw.org

Frederick Cowell: The Three Eras of Opposition to the Human Rights Act – UK Constitutional Law Association

‘Before it entered the statute books, before it even had been brought to Parliament, the Human Rights Act (HRA) was subject to opposition which was to only strengthen over time. The nature of that opposition has varied since the publication of White Paper Rights Brought Home in October 1997, but it has served as a vehicle, and site of contestation, for many constitutional debates and disagreements over the past quarter century. Opposition to the HRA is also a reflection of broader social change in British society in the twenty-first century and this understanding is key to any analysis of contemporary proposals for reform.’

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UK Constitutional Law Association, 14th November 2022

Source: ukconstitutionallaw.org

Merris Amos: The place of human rights in the Constitution of the United Kingdom – UK Constitutional Law Association

Posted November 11th, 2022 in constitutional law, human rights, news by tracey

‘Recently I have had the great pleasure of convening the SLS Annual Seminar – The Human Rights Act After 22 Years. Rather than formal papers, and yet another edited collection, it was agreed that following the event we would try to capture the contributions in a series of blog posts for the UKCLA Blog. Having learned so much during the seminar, I am now getting things started with this short post.’

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UK Constitutional Law Association, 9th November 2022

Source: ukconstitutionallaw.org

UK’s treatment of asylum seekers must comply with international law, UN says – The Independent

‘The UK should make sure its “treatment of asylum seekers complies with international laws”, members of the United Nations Human Rights Council said.’

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The Independent, 10th November 2022

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Government planning definition of “gypsies and travellers” unlawfully discriminatory, Court of Appeal rules – Local Government Lawyer

‘A decision on a planning application made by settled Travellers by North West Leicestershire District Council and the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities has been quashed by the Court of Appeal.’

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Local Government Lawyer, 9th November 2022

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

UK rolling back efforts to tackle modern slavery, charity says – The Guardian

‘The UK has been accused of “rolling back” moves to tackle modern slavery before a UN review of its human rights record on Thursday.’

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The Guardian, 8th November 2022

Source: www.theguardian.com

Just Stop Oil: High Court grants injunction to prevent M25 protests Published 23 hours ago – BBC News

‘A High Court injunction has been granted to prevent Just Stop Oil protesters disrupting the M25.’

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BBC News, 6th November 2022

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

The latest injunction against HS2 protestors bans nearly everyone anywhere on 170 mile route – UK Human Rights Blog

‘High Speed Two (HS2) Limited and the Secretary of State for Transport v Four Categories of Persons Unknown and Ross Monaghan and 58 other Named Defendants [2022] EWHC 2360 (KB). This case involved the application, and grant, of an interim injunction in the “unknown” as well as “known” protester context by Knowles J in the Birmingham District Registry.’

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UK Human Rights Blog, 7th November 2022

Source: ukhumanrightsblog.com

The small boats storm and the unlawful seizure of mobile phones – UK Human Rights Blog

‘The storm raging around small boats arriving on the south coast has been brewing for some time. In early summer the focus was a policy to send arrivals to Rwanda. Intervention by the European Court of Human Rights effectively suspended flights while a domestic ruling on the policy’s legality is awaited. Meanwhile, in Dover a migrant processing centre has been firebombed, another is dangerously overcrowded, and the new Home Secretary raises tensions by speaking of an “invasion”.’

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UK Human Rights Blog, 4th November 2022

Source: ukhumanrightsblog.com

How Immigration Detention Violates People’s Human Rights – Each Other

‘People held in immigration detention have human rights – just like the rest of us. Under international law and the Human Rights Act 1998 (HRA), people have a right to liberty, a family life, an adequate standard of living and other aspects.’

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Each Other, 4th November 2022

Source: eachother.org.uk

The Number of People Held in Prison Waiting To be Transferred to Immigration Centres has Tripled – Each Other

Posted November 2nd, 2022 in detention, human rights, immigration, legal advice, legal aid, news, prisons, statistics by sally

‘While the number of people held in Immigration Removal Centres (IRC) fell as a result of the pandemic, the number of people detained in prisons for immigration reasons increased. A freedom of information response obtained by the charity Bail for Immigration Detainees (BID) has revealed a concerning rise in the numbers of people held in prisons under immigration powers, awaiting transfers to an IRC.’

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Each Other, 2nd November 2022

Source: eachother.org.uk