Human Rights
01 January 1991
Human Rights
artdoc February=1992
The Committee on the Administration of Justice and Amnesty
International made submissions to the United Nations Committee
Against Torture and Other Degrading Treatment or Punishment in
November. The submissions focused on continuing concern about RUC
treatment of suspects in interrogation centres. One member of the
UN body described the seven-day detention powers as extraordinary
and criticised the lack of access to solicitors as well as
British government resistance to the videoing of interviews.
Robert Morris, responding for the government, argued that current
powers were necessary while terrorism remained a real threat,
although the PTA was regularly reviewed. The RUC Chief Constable
in a statement issued prior to the UN hearings, denied that there
was any genuine cause for public concern: `Any area of police
success will be targeted by the paramilitary organisations with
a campaign of spurious complaints and propaganda by them and
their political bedfellows.' Meanwhile a firm of Belfast
solicitors has revealed that in the 18 month period up to March
1991, it has represented 58 clients seeking compensation for ill-
treatment in Castlereagh interrogation centre. The firm had
secured a total of Ã134,000 in compensation payments for its
clients. Paul O'Dwyer, the New York City Commissioner to the
United Nations, has resigned from his post. His decision was
announced on Irish Human Rights Day, 9th December, and was taken
in protest at continuing human rights abuses in the North of
Ireland. The law which abolishes the right to silence, the
Criminal Evidence (NI) Order 1988, is to be challenged in the
House of Lords. Under the Order, Judges are permitted to draw a
negative inference from a suspect's failure to answer questions
or appear in a witness box. Kevin Murray lost an appeal in
October against an 18 year sentence for attempting to murder a
member of the UDR. Justice Kelly drew an adverse inference from
Murray's failure to go into the witness box to counter the
prosecution's forensic evidence yet in his judgement he stated
that a trial of fact must not assume guilt from an accused's
election not to testify. Irish News 12.11.91; 14.11.91; 9.12.91;
AP/RN 28.11.91; Human Rights in Northern Ireland, A Submission
by CAJ to the United Nations Human Rights Committee, February
1991.
Statewatch, Volume 2 no 1, January/February 1992