Northern Ireland judge rules ‘Troubles’ violence amnesty breaches rights
Al Jazeera
Law allowed for ex-soldiers and fighters to get amnesty for acts committed during region’s period of sectarian violence.
A new law that gives immunity from prosecution for most offences committed during Northern Ireland’s decades of sectarian violence is not compliant with human rights, a judge in Belfast has ruled.
The British government’s Legacy and Reconciliation Bill, passed in September, stops most prosecutions for alleged killings by armed groups and British soldiers during “the Troubles” – the period in Northern Ireland from the 1960s to the 1990s during more than 3,500 people died.
The law has been widely opposed by people in Northern Ireland, as critics say it shuts down access to justice for victims and survivors.
Ruling on Wednesday in a legal challenge brought by victims and their families, Justice Adrian Colton said the law’s provision for conditional immunity from prosecution breaches the European Convention on Human Rights.
The judge also said the law will not contribute to peace in Northern Ireland.
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