The Law Explored: human rights on the battlefield – The Times

Posted April 17th, 2008 in armed forces, human rights, special report by sally

“Mr Justice Collins has drawn gasps of disbelief in some quarters by ruling that human rights law might apply to soldiers on active service. In particular, he said, soldiers might enjoy the protection of law on the right to life. ”

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The Times, 16th April 2008

Source: www.timesonline.co.uk

Regina (Smith) v Assistant Deputy Coroner for Oxfordshire – WLR Daily

Posted April 16th, 2008 in armed forces, human rights, inquests, Iran, law reports by sally

Regina (Smith) v Assistant Deputy Coroner for Oxfordshire [2006] EWHC 694 (Admin); [2008] WLR (D) 108

“The procedural obligations arising under art 2 of the European Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms applied to an inquest on an United Kingdom soldier who had died of hyperthermia while on active service in Iraq.”

WLR Daily, 15th April 2008

Source: www.lawreports.co.uk

Please note once a case has been fully reported in one of the ICLR series the corresponding WLR Daily summary is removed.

Blow for MoD as judge rules soldiers have battlefield rights – Daily Telegraph

Posted April 11th, 2008 in armed forces, human rights, news by sally

“The Ministry of Defence has been dealt a groundbreaking legal defeat by a High Court judge who ruled soldiers’ human rights must be protected on the battlefield.”

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The Daily Telegraph, 11 April 2008

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

High Court rejects MoD attempt to ‘gag’ outspoken coroners over defence failures – The Times

Posted April 11th, 2008 in armed forces, coroners, news by sally

“The Government suffered its second important legal defeat in 24 hours today when a High Court judge rejected an attempt by Des Browne, the Defence Secretary, to ban coroners using phrases such as “serious failure” in their verdicts on dead soldiers.”

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The Times, 11th April 2008

Source: www.timesonline.co.uk

R (Gentle and another) v Prime Minister and others [2008] UKHL 20 – WLR Daily

Posted April 11th, 2008 in armed forces, human rights, international law, Iraq, law reports, war by sally

R (Gentle and another) v Prime Minister and others [2008] UKHL 20

Art 2 of the European Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms, which provided that “everyone’s right to life shall be protected by law”, did not place the Government under a duty to members of the armed forces and their families to hold a public inquiry into whether it had obtained adequate legal advice on the lawfulness under international law of the invasion of Iraq.”

WLR Daily, 10th April 2008

Source: www.lawreports.co.uk

Please note once a case has been fully reported in one of the ICLR series the corresponding WLR Daily summary is removed.

Bloody Sunday inquiry 10 years on: £182m in costs and no end in sight – Legal Week

Posted April 10th, 2008 in armed forces, demonstrations, news, Northern Ireland by sally

“The Bloody Sunday inquiry faced its 10-year anniversary this month with a scathing verdict from the profession after senior lawyers strongly criticised the inquiry for waste, having swallowed nearly £100m in legal costs.”

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Legal Week, 10th April 2008

Source: www.legalweek.com

Mothers lose bid for Iraq public inquiry – The Times

Posted April 9th, 2008 in armed forces, Iraq, news, war by sally

“The mothers of two young soldiers killed in Iraq today lost their legal attempt in the House of Lords to force the Government to hold a public inquiry into Britain’s involvement in the conflict.”

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The Times, 9th April 2008

Source: www.timesonline.co.uk

Legal bid to force Iraq inquiry – BBC News

Posted April 9th, 2008 in armed forces, human rights, Iraq, news, war by sally

“Nine Law Lords are to rule on another legal bid to force a public inquiry into Britain’s involvement in Iraq.”

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BBC News, 9th April 2008

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Former Ghurkha faces deportation – BBC News

Posted April 4th, 2008 in armed forces, deportation, Gurkhas, news by sally

“A Nottingham man who served as a Ghurkha in the British Army for 15 years has expressed his anger at a decision to deport him.”

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BBC News, 3rd April 2008

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

MoD criticised over soldier death – BBC News

Posted March 28th, 2008 in Afghanistan, armed forces, inquests, news by sally

“A British soldier who was crushed while repairing a tank in Afghanistan died becasue his regiment was not provided with proper equipement, a coroner ruled.”

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BBC News, 28th March 2008

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

UK admits breaching human rights convention over detainee’s death – The Guardian

Posted March 28th, 2008 in armed forces, human rights, Iraq, news, torture by sally

“The government is to admit ‘substantive breaches’ of the European Convention on Human Rights over the death and torture of Iraqi civilians in the custody of British soldiers, Des Browne, the defence secretary, revealed yesterday.”

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The Guardian, 28th March 2008

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Soldier wife wins deportation row – BBC News

Posted March 27th, 2008 in armed forces, deportation, news by sally

“The wife of a Northumberland soldier threatened with deportation has won the right to stay with her family.”

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BBC News, 26th March 2008

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Crippled marine is refused full payout – The Observer

Posted March 25th, 2008 in Afghanistan, armed forces, compensation, news by sally

“A Royal Marine who lost both his legs and an arm in a Taliban landmine blast in Afghanistan has been told by the Ministry of Defence that he is not entitled to the full compensation package offered to injured troops.”

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The Observer, 23rd March 2008

Source: http://observer.guardian.co.uk/

Father of soldier killed in Afghanistan ‘will sue MoD for damages’ – Daily Telegraph

Posted March 19th, 2008 in armed forces, damages, news by sally

“The father of a soldier killed in Afghanistan vowed last night to take legal action against the Ministry of Defence, demanding that it accepts liability for his son’s death.”

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Daily Telegraph, 19th March 2008

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

MoD in court bid to silence critical coroners – The Independent

Posted March 18th, 2008 in armed forces, coroners, news by sally

“Defence Secretary Des Browne yesterday asked the High Court to outlaw the use of language strongly critical of the MoD in inquest verdicts on soldiers who have died on active service.”

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The Independent, 18th March 2008

Source: www.independent.co.uk

MoD office worker gets £200,000 payout – Daily Telegraph

Posted March 17th, 2008 in armed forces, compensation, news, personal injuries by sally

“Soldiers’ families reacted angrily after it emerged the Ministry of Defence awarded £202,000 to an office employee who strained his back picking up a printer.”

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Daily Telegraph, 17th March 2008

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Gurkhas ask High Court for pension parity – The Times

Posted March 14th, 2008 in armed forces, news, pensions by sally

“They have fought and died in the British Army over centuries and taken part in every significant conflict since 1947 including the Falklands, Afghanistan and Iraq. But today the Gurkhas are embroiled in a new battle — this time with the Ministry of Defence.”

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The Times, 13th March 2008

Source: www.timesonline.co.uk

Inquest criticises Navy over officer death – The Independent

Posted March 6th, 2008 in armed forces, inquests, news by sally

“The Royal Navy was criticised by an inquest jury yesterday over the death of a female officer who was left lying in a coma on the floor of her cabin by shipmates who thought she was drunk.”

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The Independent, 6th March 2008

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Court gags ex-SAS man who made torture claims – The Guardian

Posted February 29th, 2008 in armed forces, injunctions, Iraq, news, torture by sally

“A former SAS soldier was served with a high court order yesterday preventing him from making fresh disclosures about how hundreds of Iraqis and Afghans captured by British and American special forces were rendered to prisons where they faced torture.”

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The Guardian, 29th February 2008

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Former SAS man condemns British role in torture tactics – The Guardian

Posted February 26th, 2008 in Afghanistan, armed forces, Iraq, news, torture by sally

“Hundreds of Iraqis and Afghans captured by British and American special forces were rendered to prisons where they faced torture, a former SAS soldier said yesterday. Ben Griffin said individuals detained by SAS troops in a joint UK-US special forces taskforce had ended up in interrogation centres in Iraq, including the notorious Abu Ghraib prison, and in Afghanistan, as well as Guantánamo Bay.”

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The Guardian, 26th February 2008

Source: www.guardian.co.uk