Volunteer police officers to be armed with Taser stun guns – BBC News
‘Volunteer police officers in England and Wales will be authorised to use Tasers, the home secretary is to announce.’
BBC News, 17th May 2022
Source: www.bbc.co.uk
Category: weapons
War crimes: How are they defined, investigated and punished? – The Independent
‘International Criminal Court’s chief prosecutor has already announced an investigation into Russia’s conduct in Ukraine as invasion continues and atrocities are alleged in Bucha.’
The Independent, 10th April 2022
Source: www.independent.co.uk
Black people more likely to be Tasered for longer, police watchdog finds – The Guardian
‘Police deploy Taser stun guns too often, with black people more likely to face prolonged use lasting over five seconds, an official report has found.’
The Guardian, 25th August 2021
Source: www.theguardian.com
Families urge ban on English police Taser use against people in distress – The Guardian
‘The families of people who died after being Tasered by police in England have called for a ban on the use of electrical weapons against people in mental health crises.’
The Guardian, 25th August 2021
Source: www.theguardian.com
Dalian Atkinson killing: officer was kept on despite gross misconduct – The Guardian
‘The police officer convicted of the manslaughter of Dalian Atkinson had been previously found by a police disciplinary hearing to have committed gross misconduct but was allowed to remain an officer and given a stun gun, it has been revealed.’
The Guardian, 28th June 2021
Source: www.theguardian.com
Supreme Court backs protesters and rules blocking roads can be ‘lawful’ way to demonstrate – The Independent
‘The Supreme Court has ruled that protests can be a “lawful excuse” to block roads, as the government pushes for new laws to limit peaceful demonstrations. Britain’s most senior judges said it was right to acquit a group of protesters who blockaded the Defence and Security Equipment International (DSEI) arms fair in London in 2017.’
The Independent, 26th June 2021
Source: www.independent.co.uk
High court to hear legal battle over UK arms sales to Saudi Arabia – The Guardian
‘Anti-arms trade campaigners have been given permission to challenge in the high court the UK government’s decision to resume the sale of arms to Saudi Arabia that could be used in the war in Yemen.’
The Guardian, 22nd April 2021
Source: www.theguardian.com
Court hearing over UK’s £400m tank deal debt to Iran postponed – The Guardian
‘A high court hearing designed to resolve the UK’s non-payment of a £400m debt to Iran has been postponed again, leaving the families of dual nationals detained in Iran distraught since they believe the debt is critical to their release of loved ones.’
The Guardian, 19th April 2021
Source: www.theguardian.com
UK’s ‘headlong rush into abandoning human rights’ rebuked by Amnesty – The Guardian
‘Amnesty International has published a stark rebuke of the UK government’s stance on human rights, saying that it is “speeding towards the cliff edge” in its policies on housing and immigration, and criticising its seeming determination to end the legal right for the public to challenge government decisions in court.’
The Guardian, 7th April 2021
Source: www.theguardian.com
UK should ban use of spit hoods and Tasers on children, says Unicef – The Guardian
‘The use of Tasers and spit hoods on children should be banned in the UK, the global humanitarian organisation for children Unicef has recommended.’
The Guardian, 8th December 2020
Source: www.theguardian.com
UK faces new legal challenge over arms sales to Saudi Arabia – The Guardian
‘Campaigners have filed for a judicial review of the UK government’s decision to renew arms sales to Saudi Arabia.’
The Guardian, 27th October 2020
Source: www.theguardian.com
Serious Fraud Office prosecutes Airbus subsidiary over alleged corruption – The Guardian
‘The Serious Fraud Office (SFO) is prosecuting a UK subsidiary of Europe’s largest aerospace multinational, Airbus, along with three men over alleged corruption in an arms deal with Saudi Arabia.’
The Guardian, 30th July 2020
Source: www.theguardian.com
How to divine statutory purpose: the Israel/arms trade disinvestment case – UK Human Rights Blog
‘This case is about Government “Guidance” aimed at local authorities, banning some of those “ethical” objections to investment policies but allowing other objections. “Guidance” in quotes because the net effect of the Act and secondary legislation was to make the Guidance mandatory: see [10] of Lord Wilson’s judgment. In particular, the policy ban was to apply to (a) boycotts to foreign nations and (b) UK defence industries. The sharp focus of the former was Israel. No surprises that the Quakers and the Campaign against the Arms Trade should appear in support of the challenge to the latter.’
UK Human Rights Blog, 29th April 2020
Source: ukhumanrightsblog.com
Police tasering of man with mental health issues ‘contributed to his death’ – The Guardian
‘Truro inquest hears Marc Cole was hit three times as family calls for review of stun guns.’
The Guardian, 28th January 2020
Source: www.theguardian.com
Police deployment of tasers doubles in two years in face of rising violence by suspects – Daily Telegraph
‘Police deployed tasers a record 23,000 times last year in face of increasingly violent suspects, double the number just two years ago, Home Office figures show.’
Daily Telegraph, 20th December 2019
Source: www.telegraph.co.uk
Tory minister admits UK breached court order banning arms sales to Saudi Arabia again – The Independent
‘The government has again admitted breaching a court order banning arms sales to Saudi Arabia over concerns they could be used in the Yemen war.’
The Independent, 26th September 2019
Source: www.independent.co.uk
More police officers to be armed with Tasers in London – The Independent
‘More police officers in London are to be armed with Tasers following calls for the weapons to be rolled out for their own protection, the commissioner of the Metropolitan Police has said.’
The Independent, 17th september 2019
Source: www.independent.co.uk
Government apologises for breaching court ruling against arms sales to Saudi Arabia – The Independent
‘The government has apologised for breaching a court ruling against the sale of weapons to Saudi Arabia that could be used in the Yemen conflict.’
The Independent, 16th September 2019
Source: www.independent.co.uk
UK ministers challenge court ruling on Saudi Arabia arms sales – The Guardian
‘Ministers have asked the courts to set aside a landmark ruling that British arms sales to Saudi Arabia are unlawful, a legal manoeuvre that prompted Jeremy Corbyn to accuse the Conservatives of prioritising military exports over civilian lives.’
The Guardian, 8th July 2019
Source: www.theguardian.com
Yossi Nehushtan: The Unreasonable Perception of Rationality and Reasonableness in UK Public Law – UK Constitutional Law Association
‘In the recent case of R (Campaign Against Arms Trade) v Secretary of State for International Trade [2019] (hereinafter CAAT), the Court of Appeal invalidated the UK government’s decision to grant licences for the sale of military equipment to Saudi Arabia for possible use in the conflict in Yemen. The court found that the government had violated Article 2.2 of the EU Common Council Position 2008/944/CGSP, as adopted in the Secretary of State’s 2014 Guidance. Article 2.2 compels Member States to deny a licence for the sale of military equipment to other states if there is a clear risk that this equipment might be used ‘in the commission of serious violations of international humanitarian law’.’
UK Constitutional Law Association, 1st July 2019
Source: ukconstitutionallaw.org
