Secret ‘Torture Loophole’ Raises Serious Questions For Government, MP David Davis And Barrister Say – Rights Info

‘The government must be asked “serious questions” on how a secret policy allowing ministers to approve actions that could lead to torture was signed off, a leading QC and Tory MP have said.’

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Rights Info, 20th May 2019

Source: rightsinfo.org

Home Office overseeing ‘serious failings’ in almost every stage of immigration detention process, MPs warn – The Independent

Posted March 21st, 2019 in detention, government departments, immigration, news, time limits, torture by tracey

‘The Home Office is overseeing “serious failings” in almost every stage of the immigration detention process, according to a new report which makes fresh calls for a time limit on detention.’

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The Independent, 21st March 2019

Source: www.independent.co.uk

UK court ruling raises hopes of asylum for torture survivors – The Guardian

Posted March 7th, 2019 in appeals, asylum, expert witnesses, immigration, news, torture by tracey

‘Tens of thousands of torture survivors could find it easier to secure sanctuary in the UK after a ruling by the supreme court.’

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The Guardian, 6th March 2019

Source: www.theguardian.com

Kathleen Griffin death: Torture killer ‘could have been stopped’ – BBC News

‘A woman was tortured and killed by a man who authorities should have stopped from living with her, a report said.’

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BBC News, 7th February 2019

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

UK government pays £1m to Cyprus ‘torture victims’ – BBC News

Posted January 24th, 2019 in armed forces, class actions, Cyprus, damages, news, rape, sexual offences, torture, victims by tracey

‘Thirty-three Cypriots who claimed they were tortured by British forces during an armed uprising in the late 1950s are to be awarded £1m damages, to be shared between them, by the UK government.’

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BBC News, 24th January 2019

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Ep. 62: Court claims from the empire’s long shadow – Law Pod UK

‘Last year the High Court ruled out claims against the British Government brought by people caught up in the Mau Mau emergency in Kenya in the 1950s. The allegations of brutality against guards employed by the Colonial Office were time-barred by the half-century that has elapsed since the events took place. Guy Mansfield QC represented the Foreign Office in this litigation and discusses the importance of the Limitation Act with Rosalind English.’

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Law Pod UK, 21st January 2019

Source: audioboom.com

What is ‘substantial injustice’ for the purposes of a criminal case review? – UK Human Rights Blog

‘Sapan Maini-Thompson is an LLM Candidate at University College London. On 14th November 2018 the Divisional Court gave judgment in a claim against the Criminal Cases Review Commission (CCRC) in Regina (Anthony Davies) v The Criminal Cases Review Commission . This case was brought on behalf of a prisoner who contended that his conviction had become unsafe following the decision of the Supreme Court in R v Jogee [2016] UKSC 8 which recast the mens rea requirements in joint enterprise cases. The court dismissed the claim in a judgment which involved analysis of how the principles in Jogee are applied, and the circumstances in which the CCRC should re-open an old conviction. Jim Duffy of 1 Crown Office Row was the Junior Counsel for the Claimant.’

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UK Human Rights Blog, 27th November 2018

Source: ukhumanrightsblog.com

High Court pulls plug on CFA-backed Kenya group action – Litigation Futures

Posted November 22nd, 2018 in armed forces, class actions, colonies, fees, Kenya, limitations, news, rape, torture by tracey

‘The High Court yesterday dismissed the group litigation brought on behalf of more than 40,000 claimants in the so-called Mau Mau case, after six years of work done by lawyers operating on a “no win, no fee” basis.’

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Litigation Futures, 22nd November 2018

Source: www.litigationfutures.com

Mau Mau action with 40,000 claimants in doubt after CA refuses permission to appeal test case – Litigation Futures

Posted October 12th, 2018 in appeals, class actions, colonies, Kenya, limitations, news, personal injuries, torture by sally

‘The future of litigation being brought on behalf of more than 40,000 claimants in the so-called Mau Mau case is in doubt after the Court of Appeal refused permission to hear an appeal against a decision to dismiss the first test case.’

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Litigation Futures, 10th October 2018

Source: www.litigationfutures.com

Pair who tortured and murdered 74-year-old shopkeeper jailed for life – The Independent

Posted September 11th, 2018 in joint enterprise, kidnapping, murder, news, sentencing, torture by tracey

‘Two “cowardly, cruel and callous” men have been jailed for life for torturing and killing an elderly jeweller in a botched £300,000 robbery.’

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The Independent, 11th September 2018

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Ministers accused of issuing ‘torture warrants’ to spies – The Guardian

‘Ministers are routinely providing legal cover for the intelligence services where there is a possibility of information being extracted through torture abroad, under a so-called “James Bond clause”, a human rights group has alleged.’

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The Guardian, 6th September 2018

Source: www.theguardian.com

Sandhurst cadets allegedly waterboarded fellow recruit – report – The Guardian

Posted August 21st, 2018 in armed forces, bullying, news, torture by sally

‘Military police are investigating allegations that two cadets waterboarded a fellow recruit at Sandhurst military academy.’

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The Guardian, 18th August 2018

Source: www.theguardian.com

High Court dismisses first test case in second wave of Mau Mau claims – Litigation Futures

Posted August 13th, 2018 in colonies, delay, Kenya, limitations, news, personal injuries, torture by sally

‘The High Court has dismissed the first test case brought as part of a second wave of Mau Mau group litigation, following the British government’s settlement of over 5,000 claims for £19.9m in 2013.’

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Litigation Futures, 10th August 2018

Source: www.litigationfutures.com

The Mau Mau litigation: fear is not a personal injury – UK Human Rights Blog

Posted August 8th, 2018 in colonies, Kenya, limitations, news, personal injuries, torture by tracey

‘Kimathi & Ors v Foreign and Commonwealth Office [2018] EWHC 1305 (QB). Stewart J has recently dismissed the first test case in this group litigation, in which over 40,000 Kenyans bring claims for damages against the UK Foreign & Commonwealth Office, alleging abuse during the Kenyan Emergency of the 1950s and early 1960s, in Kimathi & Others v The Foreign and Commonwealth Office [2018] EWHC 2066 (QB). Jo Moore discusses this in her blog post of 6 August 2018.

Earlier this year however he considered, as a preliminary matter, whether fear, caused either by the tort of negligence or trespass, amounts to personal injury so that the Court has the discretionary power to exclude the 3-year limitation period which arises under section 11 of the 1980 Act. Stewart J concluded that “despite the comprehensive and innovative submissions of the Claimants” (para 37), which included arguments on human rights grounds, fear did not amount to a personal injury.’

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UK Human Rights Blog, 7th August 2018

Source: ukhumanrightsblog.com

Kenyan “Mau Mau” claim dismissed: Fair trial not possible because of half century delay – UK Human Rights Blog

Posted August 6th, 2018 in colonies, compensation, Kenya, news, torture by sally

‘Stewart J has dismissed the first test case in this group litigation, in which over 40,000 Kenyans bring claims for damages against the UK Foreign & Commonwealth Office, alleging abuse during the Kenyan Emergency of the 1950s and early 1960s.’

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UK Human Rights Blog, 6th August 2018

Source: ukhumanrightsblog.com

MPs press for new inquiry into UK role in rendition and torture – The Guardian

Posted July 3rd, 2018 in human rights, inquiries, intelligence services, news, rendition, torture by sally

‘The UK government will give “careful consideration” to calls for a renewed judge-led inquiry into the country’s involvement in human rights abuses after 9/11, the Foreign Office minister Alan Duncan told MPs on Monday.’

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The Guardian, 2nd July 2018

Source: www.theguardian.com

MPs and peers call for judge-led inquiry into UK rights abuses – The Guardian

Posted June 12th, 2018 in human rights, inquiries, news, parliament, rendition, torture by sally

‘An all-party group of MPs and peers has written to Theresa May demanding a judge-led inquiry into the UK’s role in human rights abuses since September 11.’

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The Guardian, 11th June 2018

Source: www.theguardian.com

UK ‘settles rendition case’ with former Libyan dissident – BBC News

Posted May 10th, 2018 in human rights, intelligence services, news, rendition, torture by sally

‘The UK government has reached a settlement with former Libyan dissident Abdul Hakim Belhaj over a long-running rendition case, the BBC understands.’

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BBC News, 9th May 2018

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Hundreds of boys ‘tortured’ at youth detention centres in 1970s and 1980s – The Independent

Posted January 5th, 2018 in assault, detention, news, torture, young offenders by tracey

‘Hundreds of boys say they were subjected to sexual and physical abuse amounting to “torture” in youth detention centres, sparking calls for a public inquiry.’

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The independent, 4th January 2018

Source: www.independent.co.uk

‘Violent’ Somali criminal wins £80k payout for being unlawfully detained for 445 days – Daily Telegraph

‘A “prolific and violent offender” has won £78,500 damages from the Home Office for being unlawfully detained.’

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Daily Telegraph, 10th November 2017

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk