The right not to face inhuman treatment or torture is one of the few absolute freedoms – it can never be justified and there are no exceptions, even during conflicts or the fight against terrorism. This precious value was first recognised in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and torture has long been forbidden under British law. The UK is also a signatory of the UN Convention Against Tor...
read moreOf all the imaginable human rights violations, torture is one of the most serious. Following the horrors of the Second World War the international community ensured its strict prohibition was at the heart of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. The ban on torture is one of the few absolute rights – it can never be justified and there are no exceptions, even during conflicts or the fight ag...
read moreToday we commemorate World Refugee Day, which sees the United Nations Refugee Agency co-ordinating a series of events to raise awareness of the plight of refugees worldwide. The celebrations are a timely reminder of the bravery and sacrifices of millions of displaced people across the globe.For years individual countries held their own days, and even weeks, in recognition of those forced to flee ...
read moreToday a wave of bombings has rocked Iraq, killing dozens and injuring scores of others. The attacks, seemingly designed to disrupt the forthcoming Arab Summit in Baghdad, come exactly nine years to the day since the US and UK led the invasion of Iraq. Given the intractable bloodshed of Afghanistan, it’s almost easy to overlook the other major 21st Century conflict involving our Armed Forces. But...
read moreOutrage at the ruling that Abu Qatada will have to be freed on bail after nearly seven years of detention without charge is predictable. The Home Office has attacked the Special Immigration Appeals Commission’s decision, politicians have decried human rights laws and various commentators are demanding instant UK withdrawal from the European Convention. Hyperbole and cheap shots are all-too-easy ...
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