Victims’ Rights, the EU Charter, and Passport Confiscation – the Human Rights Roundup – UK Human Rights Blog

‘In recent news, the government outlines proposals for increased rights for the victims of crime, as well as for the revocation and confiscation of passports for ISIS fighters returning to the UK. In other news, the legality of the EU Charter comes back to haunt Chris Grayling once again.’

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UK Human Rights Blog, 15th September 2014

Source: www.ukhumanrightsblog.com

Government wants impunity from UK courts over torture, judges told – The Guardian

Posted July 22nd, 2014 in immunity, intelligence services, news, rendition, torture by sally

‘The government is determined to prevent ministers and officials from being accountable to the courts for colluding in wrongdoing abroad even if it involves torture, three of the country’s most senior judges were warned on Monday.’

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The Guardian, 21st July 2014

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Abdul Hakim Belhaj rendition damages case at Appeal Court – BBC News

Posted July 21st, 2014 in appeals, intelligence services, Libya, news, rendition, torture by sally

‘A damages action brought against the UK over a 2004 rendition case involving a Libyan politician and his wife is being heard at the Court of Appeal later.’

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BBC News, 21st July 2014

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Campaign group is ‘appalled’ after proposed case accusing defence companies of torture equipment marketing collapses – The Independent

‘State prosecutors were yesterday accused of “abject failure” to ensure two defence companies answer allegations of marketing torture equipment at the world’s largest arms fair in London after a private case against the firms collapsed.’

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The Independent, 10th July 2014

Source: www.independent.co.uk

High Court grants JR on immunity of ‘torture’ prince – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted May 15th, 2014 in immunity, judicial review, news, royal family, torture by tracey

‘A judicial review has been granted challenging the prosecution service’s decision to allow the son of Bahrain’s ruler immunity in the UK over torture allegations.’

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Law Society’s Gazette, 14th May 2014

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Further torment – New Law Journal

‘Rosalyn Akar Grams reviews the impact of LASPO on the provision of quality legal representation for survivors of torture, as part of an exclusive NLJ online series on legal aid post-LASPO.’

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New Law Journal, 19th February 2014

Source: www.newlawjournal.co.uk

Handling of female asylum seekers ‘puts UK to shame’ – The Independent

Posted January 29th, 2014 in asylum, detention, human rights, immigration, news, rape, statistics, torture, women by sally

‘The hidden plight of women asylum seekers detained in Britain is exposed today as a major new report warns that female rape and torture victims are being locked up indefinitely, suffering from depression and being intimidated by male guards.’

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The Independent, 29th January 2014

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Woman who lured man to ‘inhuman’ torture by offering sex is spared jail – Daily Telegraph

Posted January 21st, 2014 in false imprisonment, news, sentencing, suspended sentences, torture by sally

‘Chantelle McCluney, 23, watched on as her boyfriend and another lover tortured and humiliated their victim’

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Daily Telegraph, 20th January 2014

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

State immunity upheld against human rights challenges in Strasbourg – UK Human Rights Blog

‘The Strasbourg Court has ruled that the inability of four men to bring torture compensation claims against Saudi Arabia in UK courts did not breach the Convention. The Court held that a “grant of immunity to the state officials in the present case reflected generally recognised rules of public international law” and that there had been no violation of Article 6 (right of access to court).’

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UK Human Rights Blog, 18th January 2014

Source: www.ukhumanrightsblog.com

Saudi Arabia ‘torture’ Britons told they cannot sue – BBC News

Posted January 15th, 2014 in appeals, damages, human rights, news, Saudi Arabia, state immunity, torture by tracey

‘Four British men have failed to overturn a decision by the UK’s highest court which stopped them suing Saudi Arabia for alleged torture. The European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) ruled that the men’s human rights had not been breached by the British court’s decision.’

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BBC News, 14th January 2014

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

UK inquiry on rendition and torture to be handed to ISC – The Guardian

Posted December 19th, 2013 in inquiries, intelligence services, news, rendition, select committees, torture by tracey

‘The stalled official inquiry into the UK’s involvement in rendition and torture in the years after 9/11 is to be handed to the controversial intelligence and security committee (ISC), the government will announce on Thursday.’

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The Guardian, 18th December 2013

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Inquiry Impasse, Charter Confusion and Competition Time – The Human Rights Roundup – UK Human Rights Blog

Posted November 25th, 2013 in asylum, detention, EC law, human rights, inquiries, Iraq, news, terrorism, torture by tracey

‘This week, there are criticisms over the delay of inquiries both into the mistreatment of terrorism suspects and the Iraq War. Meanwhile, discussion continues over the relevance of the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights for UK law, and a dying asylum seeker on hunger strike will not be released.’

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UK Human Rights Blog, 24th November 2013

Source: www.ukhumanrightsblog.com

The real question about the terror suspect who fled in a burqa: did MI5 bring him here illegally? – The Guardian

Posted November 14th, 2013 in fugitive offenders, intelligence services, news, rendition, torture by tracey

“Mohammed Ahmed Mohamed’s escape was an embarrassment. The alleged torture and rendition that came before it might just be a major scandal.”

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The Guardian, 13th November 2013

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Watch that Charter – UK Human Rights Blog

Posted November 12th, 2013 in asylum, EC law, human rights, news, torture, treaties by tracey

“AB, R (on the application of) v Secretary of State for the Home Department [2013] EWHC 3453 (Admin). Here unfolds a story of sophisticated abuse of the asylum system in this country by an individual skilfully shamming persecution. Nor did the security agents who escorted the claimant on his departure come up smelling of roses: it emerged during the course of these proceedings that they had falsified a room clearance certificate to boost the defence case.”

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UK Human Rights Blog, 8th November 2013

Source: www.ukhumanrightsblog.com

The “uneasy” co-existence of public interest immunity and closed material procedure – UK Human Rights Blog

Posted November 8th, 2013 in closed material, damages, human rights, news, public interest immunity, torture by tracey

“CF v Security Service and others and Mohamed v Foreign and Commonwealth Office and others [[2013] EWHC 3402 (QB). The High Court has today made the first court ruling on the use of the Justice and Security Act 2013 in a civil claim for damages.”

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UK Human Rights Blog, 7th November 2013

Source: www.ukhumanrightsblog.com

Terror suspect who fled in burqa seeks damages from UK in torture case – The Guardian

Posted November 7th, 2013 in damages, fugitive offenders, news, terrorism, torture by tracey

“Mohammed Ahmed Mohamed, the terror suspect who escaped surveillance wearing a burqa, is seeking damages from the government in a human rights legal challenge involving allegations of torture, it has been revealed at the high court.”

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The Guardian, 7th November 2013

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Regina (Youssef) v Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs – WLR Daily

Regina (Youssef) v Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs [2013] EWCA Civ 1302 ;   [2013] WLR (D)  412

“The Foreign Secretary had acted lawfully by applying a test of reasonable grounds for suspecting that the claimant met the criteria for designation on a UN Security Council’s consolidated list of persons to be treated as associated with an Islamic terrorist group . The law did not require the Foreign Secretary to stymie the designation because other states relied on evidence obtained by torture. That any review by the court of the designation decision was by way of the conventional rationality test.”

WLR Daily, 29th October 2013

Source: www.iclr.co.uk

GCHQ accused of monitoring privileged emails between lawyers and clients – The Guardian

“GCHQ is probably intercepting legally privileged communications between lawyers and their clients, according to a detailed claim filed on behalf of eight Libyans involved in politically sensitive compensation battles with the UK.”

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The Guardian, 13th October 2013

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Al-Sweady inquiry: British soldiers to accuse colleagues of abusing Iraqis – The Guardian

Posted September 4th, 2013 in armed forces, evidence, inquiries, Iraq, news, torture, unlawful killing by sally

“British soldiers have accused colleagues of abusing Iraqis they shot or detained after an intense gunfight with insurgents in 2004, the inquiry into the circumstances surrounding the incident heard on Tuesday.”

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The Guardian, 3rd September 2013

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

UK woman held in ‘squalid’ cell for more than five years – The Guardian

Posted August 21st, 2013 in human rights, news, prisons, rehabilitation, standards, torture by sally

“Women’s prison in Surrey criticised for ‘inhumane and degrading treatment’ of a prisoner.”

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The Guardian, 21st August 2013

Source: www.guardian.co.uk