You win some, you lose some…Rahmatullah (No.2) in the Supreme Court – UK Human Rights Blog

Posted January 24th, 2017 in appeals, human rights, news, rendition, state liability, Supreme Court, war by sally

‘In Rahmatullah (No 2) v MOD; Mohammed v MOD [2017] UKSC 1, the Supreme Court gave a further important judgment in the litany of cases arising out of the UK’s intervention in Iraq and Afghanistan. The Court held unanimously that the doctrine of Crown act of state defeated claims brought by non UK citizens seeking to sue the Government in the English courts in respect of alleged torts committed abroad.’

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UK Human Rights Blog, 24th January 2017

Source: www.ukhumanrightsblog.com

Former soldier sentenced under Terrorism Act after attempting to travel to Syria to fight Isis – The Independent

Posted January 5th, 2017 in armed forces, community service, news, sentencing, terrorism, war by tracey

‘A former soldier has been sentenced under the Terrorism Act after he attempted to travel to Syria to fight Isis.’

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The Independent, 4th January 2017

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Former Army captain Rachel Webster to sue the Government over Ihat raid – Daily Telegraph

Posted December 15th, 2016 in armed forces, damages, Iraq, news, war, wrongful arrest by tracey

‘A decorated war veteran has made an emotional demand for the government to shut down its “witch hunt” into historic allegations of abuse in Iraq. Rachel Webster, a former captain, announced she was suing the Ministry of Defence over her wrongful arrest by investigators in January 2014.’

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Daily Telegraph, 14th December 2016

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Tony Blair must face new investigation over Iraq, MPs demand – The Independent

Posted November 28th, 2016 in Iraq, news, select committees, war by tracey

‘MPs are calling for a parliamentary committee to investigate whether Mr Blair misled parliament and the public.’

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The Independent, 27th November 2016

Source: www.independent.co.uk

War medal fakers should face criminal charges, say MPs – BBC News

Posted November 22nd, 2016 in armed forces, bills, crime, fraud, misrepresentation, news, reports, war by sally

‘Impostors who wear military medals they are not entitled to should be liable to criminal charges, MPs say.’

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BBC News, 22nd November 2016

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

“British Troops to be Exempted from Human Rights Law” – UK Human Rights Blog

Posted October 5th, 2016 in armed forces, human rights, news, treaties, war by sally

‘Theresa May vows to end ‘vexatious claims’ against service personnel. In the UK about £100 million has been spent since 2004 dealing with thousands of cases lodged against soldiers who served in Iraq. Many were launched under ECHR laws on rights to life and liberty.’

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UK Human Rights Blog, 4th October 2016

Source: www.ukhumanrightsblog.com

Plan for UK military to opt out of European convention on human rights – The Guardian

Posted October 4th, 2016 in armed forces, human rights, news, treaties, war by sally

‘Controversial plans for the military to opt out from the European convention on human rights (ECHR) during future conflicts will be introduced by ministers, to see off what the prime minister described as an “industry of vexatious claims” against soldiers.’

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The Guardian, 4th October 2016

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

The Human Rights Act protects our soldiers – as well as those they protect – The Guardian

Posted September 22nd, 2016 in armed forces, human rights, news, war by sally

‘Tom Tugendhat is wrong. Limiting human rights to our borders will strip soldiers of hard-won protections, and values that distinguish them from the enemy.’

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The Guardian, 21st September 2016

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

How often must we investigate torture? – UK Human Rights Blog

Posted September 21st, 2016 in appeals, armed forces, detention, human rights, Iraq, news, torture, war by tracey

‘Al-Saadoon & Ors v. Secretary of State for Defence [2016] EWCA Civ 811, 9 September 2016. This post concerns the extent of any obligations imposed on the UK to investigate violations of non-refoulement (under Article 3, ECHR) and arbitrary deprivation of liberty (Article 5, ECHR). The non-refoulement issue arose from two individuals whom had been captured by British forces in Iraq claimed they were transferred to American custody and subsequently ill-treated. The Article 5 issue arose from the detention by British forces in Iraq of several individuals who claimed to have had their Article 5 rights violated whilst in British custody.’

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UK Human Rights Blog, 20th September 2016

Source: www.ukhumanrightsblog.com

The Iraq Fatality Investigations: report into the death of Ahmed Jabbar Kareem Ali – official-documents.gov.uk

Posted September 16th, 2016 in armed forces, Iraq, reports, war by tracey

‘The report records the outcome of the fourth investigation into civilian deaths referred to the Iraq Fatalities Investigations by the Secretary of State for Defence.’

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official-documents.gov.uk, 15th September 2016

Source: www.official-documents.gov.uk

Iraq abuse claims ‘often very poor’ says former DPP – Daily Telegraph

‘Alleged Iraq abuse claims brought against British troops by a leading human rights law firm have often been made up of poor, inaccurate information, a review by a former director of public prosecutions has said. Sir David Calvert-Smith said investigators tasked with wading through hundreds of alleged abuse claims had found key details such as names, dates and times were often wrong.’

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Daily Telegraph, 15th September 2016

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Four British soldiers ‘forced Iraqi teenager into river where he drowned’ – The Independent

Posted September 16th, 2016 in armed forces, death in custody, homicide, Iraq, news, reports, war, young persons by tracey

‘The Ministry of Defence has said it is “extremely sorry” for the death of an Iraqi teenager who drowned after being “forced” into a Basra canal by four British soldiers.’

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The Independent, 16th September 2016

Source: www.independent.co.uk

War remains inside the court room: jurisdiction under ECHR – UK Human Rights Blog

‘This is an extremely important judgment from the Court of Appeal on the reach of the ECHR into war zones, in this case Iraq. The CA, with the only judgment given by Lloyd Jones LJ, disagreed in part with Leggatt J.’

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UK Human Rights Blog, 11th September 2016

Source: www.ukhumanrightsblog.com

War & peace: the importance of applying the rule of law to the military – Halsbury’s Law Exchange

Posted September 12th, 2016 in armed forces, human rights, law firms, news, war by sally

‘The news last month that Public Interest Lawyers, the firm which brought a host of discredited cases alleging abuse by British serviceman in Iraq, is to be wound up has been met with applause by the press and service community. These claims culminated in the Al Sweady Inquiry which considered allegations of war crimes and abuse by British troops in Iraq in 2004. The allegations were found to be “baseless” and claims of torture and murder were “wholly without foundation” and “entirely the product of deliberate lies, reckless speculation and ingrained hostility” from some Iraqi witnesses. It has prompted calls for the suspension of the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR) on the “battlefield” and a general attack on lawyers meddling or challenging affairs involving “war”. That reaction is understandable; however, it would be an enormous mistake to conclude that the law only interferes with the military doing its job.’

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Halsbury’s Law Exchange, 7th September 2016

Source: www.halsburyslawexchange.co.uk

Iraq War: Public Interest Lawyers closes down – BBC News

‘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

‘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

Five things you may have missed about the Chilcot inquiry – The Guardian

‘Much of the furore surrounding the Iraq war report focused on the failings of Tony Blair. But there were other, crucial findings that shouldn’t be ignored.’

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The Guardian, 26th July 2016

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

A Grand and Disastrous Deceit – London Review of Books

Posted July 22nd, 2016 in armed forces, inquiries, Iraq, news, war by sally

‘The Iraq Inquiry, chaired by Sir John Chilcot and composed of five privy councillors, finally published its report on the morning of 6 July, seven years and 21 days after it was established by Gordon Brown with a remit to ‘look at the run-up to the conflict, the conflict itself and the reconstruction, so that we can learn lessons’.​ It offers a long and painful account of an episode that may come to be seen as marking the moment when the UK fell off its global perch, trust in government collapsed and the country turned inward and began to disintegrate.’

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London Review of Books, 28th July 2016

Source: www.lrb.co.uk

MPs to debate motion declaring Tony Blair in ‘contempt’ of parliament in September – The Independent

Posted July 21st, 2016 in deceit, Iraq, news, parliament, reports, war by tracey

‘MPs are to debate a motion on whether to declare Tony Blair in “contempt” of Parliament because of his role in the Iraq War.’

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The Independent, 20th July 2016

Source: www.independent.co.uk