Naomi Long- the Minister for Justice- has recently reaffirmed her intention to introduce Unexplained Wealth Orders (UWO) in Northern Ireland (NI). The Independent Reporting Commission (IRC) called for the move last November in a report which said the additional powers would help law enforcement tackle paramilitarism and organised crime. This would seem, to most, a…Continue reading Reverse burdens of proof and Unexplained Wealth Orders Sean Molloy, Lecturer in Law, Northumbria University
Category: Criminal Justice
Addressing the legacy of Northern Ireland’s past Guest post by Chief Commissioner Les Allamby, Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission (NIHRC)
One of the realities of the legacy of the past and moving forward the institutions created in the Stormont House Agreement is that they are the only game in town. There is no plan ‘B’ and no realistic prospect of any alternative arriving in the foreseeable future. The Commission welcomes the draft consultation and legislation…Continue reading Addressing the legacy of Northern Ireland’s past Guest post by Chief Commissioner Les Allamby, Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission (NIHRC)
RUC Walker Report: The Wall of Silence Loses Another Brick Guest post by Brian Gormally, CAJ
On 16 January 1980, the then Chief Constable of the RUC commissioned a report on the interchange of intelligence between Special Branch (SB) and the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) and on the staffing and organisation of various other RUC units. This was written by one Patrick J. Walker, then a senior officer in the Belfast…Continue reading RUC Walker Report: The Wall of Silence Loses Another Brick Guest post by Brian Gormally, CAJ
The Border, racial profiling and Irish citizens post BREXIT
An issue which has been aired in the run up to and aftermath of the referendum has been the fate of land border on the island of Ireland. At a level of political rhetoric the position of the Leave campaign was somewhat confusing, majoring on a platform of ‘taking back control’ of UK borders whilst…Continue reading The Border, racial profiling and Irish citizens post BREXIT
Manifesto Watch: 2016 NI Assembly Election
We are pleased to welcome this guest post from Jason McKeown, Communications Assistant with the Human Rights Consortium. With the 2016 Assembly Elections almost upon us, the Human Rights Consortium takes a look at the manifestos of the various political parties who have put themselves forward for election. This resource will…Continue reading Manifesto Watch: 2016 NI Assembly Election
You’ll never walk alone – Hillsborough and the Human Rights Act
We are pleased to welcome this guest post from Dr Claire McCann, Human Rights Officer (Rights in Practice) with the Human Rights Consortium. Yesterday was a significant day for the families of those people killed in Hillsborough, who have fought so hard to discover the truth of what happened on that fateful day 27 years…Continue reading You’ll never walk alone – Hillsborough and the Human Rights Act
‘The Impact of the Human Rights Act in Northern Ireland’, Conference Overview
The threat to the Human Rights Act rumbles on, albeit, in muted tones compared to the fanfare of the Conservatives 2014 proposals and now juxtaposed by Michael Gove, Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for Justice’s tepid responses to the House of Lords EU Justice Sub-Committee earlier this week, in relation to their inquiry on…Continue reading ‘The Impact of the Human Rights Act in Northern Ireland’, Conference Overview
Independence, Inadmissibility and Information Verification in the Independent Commission on Information Retrieval Proposals- Guest post by Professor Louise Mallinder
On 23 September 2015, the Northern Ireland Office (NIO) published a policy paper outlining the measures to be included in the Northern Ireland (Stormont House Agreement) Bill that will be presented to Parliament on 12 October 2015. This Bill will legislate for a number of commitments made by the UK government in the Stormont House…Continue reading Independence, Inadmissibility and Information Verification in the Independent Commission on Information Retrieval Proposals- Guest post by Professor Louise Mallinder
Crisis at the borders: as EU leaders prepare to meet, call for open borders.
The following piece was written for a protest meeting held outside the EU Building in Belfast on 31st August 2015: Tell the EU to stop pushing refugees into the sea. We called for: open borders, the creation of safe passages, the treatment of refugees with dignity and respect, a stop to fueling the wars that…Continue reading Crisis at the borders: as EU leaders prepare to meet, call for open borders.
Northern Ireland Human Rights Festival Programme Launched!
Today saw the launch of the programme for the 2014 Northern Ireland Human Rights Festival (NIHRF). The festival, which will take place from 8-13 December, consists of a series of events on a range of human rights issues from home and abroad in celebration of International Human Rights Day on 10 December . All events…Continue reading Northern Ireland Human Rights Festival Programme Launched!
Mental illness and the death penalty
This winter will mark 53 years since the last use of capital punishment in Northern Ireland. On 20 December 1961 Robert McGladdery became the last man to be hanged in Belfast’s Crumlin Road Gaol, for the murder of Pearl Gamble. The death penalty for murder was finally abolished in Northern Ireland on 25 July 1973. However, depending on…Continue reading Mental illness and the death penalty
Moazzam Begg: released without charge
Back in February, I wrote at this site about my concern on hearing of the arrest of Moazzam Begg, ex Guantanamo Bay detainee. I had listened to Moazzam speak about his experiences in Belfast in 2009 (my article reporting on his talk at St Mary’s College about his incarceration without charge post 9/11, originally written…Continue reading Moazzam Begg: released without charge