Autistic man still locked up for murder under joint enterprise laws 10 years after friend stabbed stranger – The Independent

‘Despite Alex Henry running from the scene and being diagnosed with autism, he remains behind bars.’

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The Independent, 23rd November 2024

Source: www.independent.co.uk

UN rapporteur challenges LSE over action against pro-Palestine protesters – The Guardian

‘The London School of Economics has been criticised by a UN rapporteur and accused of Islamophobia after reportedly raising an allegation that students behind a pro-Palestine demonstration in July had prompted fears of a repeat of the 7/7 terrorist attacks.’

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The Guardian, 20th October 2024

Source: www.theguardian.com

English water system singled out for criticism by UN special rapporteur – The Guardian

Posted October 10th, 2024 in human rights, news, pollution, United Nations, water by sally

‘The privatised English water system has been singled out for criticism by the UN special rapporteur on the human right to clean water.’

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The Guardian, 9th October 2024

Source: www.theguardian.com

UN torture tsar calls on Starmer to review sentences of IPP prisoners trapped indefinitely behind bars – The Independent

Posted August 22nd, 2024 in news, sentencing, torture, United Nations by sally

‘The UN special rapporteur on torture has urged Sir Keir Starmer to review the cases of thousands of people trapped in prison indefinitely under Imprisonment for Public Protection (IPP) sentences.’

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The Independent, 21st August 2024

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Using Universal Periodic Review Recommendations in UK Courts – Judicial Review

Posted July 30th, 2024 in human rights, judicial review, news, United Nations by sally

‘This article is the first to demonstrate how the United Nations Universal Periodic Review (UPR) recommendations can be used in UK domestic law and courts. The UPR is a cyclical review of UN member states’ human rights obligations. It is unique because it involves states (rather than judges or experts) scrutinising and making recommendations to one another on how they can improve human rights on the ground. These recommendations are then subject to a process of follow-up in the subsequent review, which will occur four to five years later when the state can then be scrutinised about their implementation of recommendations made in the previous cycle. The UPR was set up as an international political process, and as a consequence legal practitioners may be unaware of the UPR, or at least unfamiliar with its relevance to their work. Indeed, it has almost never featured in reported case law in England and Wales.’

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Judicial Review, 29th July 2024

Source: www.tandfonline.com

‘Not acceptable in a democracy’: UN expert condemns lengthy Just Stop Oil sentences – The Guardian

‘The lengthy multi-year sentences handed to Just Stop Oil activists are “not acceptable in a democracy”, a UN special rapporteur has said, as the government faced growing pressure to reverse the previous administration’s “hardline anti-protest” approach.’

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The Guardian, 19th July 2024

Source: www.theguardian.com

UN concern over disciplinary case against UK lawyer for ‘boys’ club’ remarks – The Guardian

‘Four UN special rapporteurs have warned that disciplinary proceedings against a female barrister for saying a judge had shown a “boys’ club attitude” may send “a disconcerting message” to lawyers challenging gender bias in custody and domestic abuse cases.’

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The Guardian, 16th July 2024

Source: www.theguardian.com

UK warned over treating child asylum seekers crossing Channel in small boats as adults – The Independent

‘United Nations experts have warned Britain is at risk of breaching international law over allegations of child asylum seekers being placed in adult detention centres after crossing the Channel on small boats.’

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The Independent, 9th July 2024

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Prisoners serving sentences with no clear end is a stain on British justice – it also amounts to torture – Alice Edwards – The Guardian

Posted May 21st, 2024 in human rights, imprisonment, news, parole, sentencing, torture, United Nations by sally

‘As a UN expert on psychological torture, I’ve asked peers to reconsider the IPP sentences still affecting thousands in jail.’

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The Guardian, 20th May 2024

Source: www.theguardian.com

Michael Lane: “Administrative Clutter” or a Case for Centralising Human Rights? UN Human Rights Mechanisms and the UK Government – UK Constitutional Law Association

Posted May 7th, 2024 in government departments, human rights, news, treaties, United Nations by tracey

‘Human rights in the UK are routinely reviewed by various UN bodies – treaty bodies, special procedures, and the Universal Periodic Review (UPR). The influence of these activities in the UK has been the subject of some inquiry in the past (see, notably, Brice Dickson’s recent book on the subject). But what has remained elusive is whether the work of these bodies has any salience to the UK Government. As the prime initiator of policy and legislation, the executive holds significant power to implement the recommendations of UN bodies that it supports. Hence, we must understand the extent to which policymakers engage with the findings and recommendations of human rights mechanisms to fully appreciate their impact (or lack thereof). Do they have any bearing at all on decision-making, or simply pass under the radar? Is engagement with the UN mechanisms a mere ritual, or a means of securing greater respect for rights in the UK?’

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UK Constitutional Law Association, 7th May 2024

Source: ukconstitutionallaw.org

UN expert condemns UK crackdown on environmental protest – The Guardian

‘A severe crackdown on environmental protest in Britain with “draconian” new laws, excessive restrictions on courtroom evidence and the use of civil injunctions is having a chilling impact on fundamental freedoms, the United Nations special rapporteur has said.’

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The Guardian, 23rd January 2024

Source: www.theguardian.com

MoJ changes to indefinite jail sentences do not go far enough, says UN expert – The Guardian

‘A UN torture expert has said changes to the imprisonment for public protection (IPP) scheme in England and Wales do not go far enough and repeated her call for prisoners jailed under the indefinite sentencing regime to be granted release dates.’

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The Guardian, 19th January 2024

Source: www.theguardian.com

Just Stop Oil protesters’ jail terms potentially breach international law, UN expert says – The Guardian

‘Long sentences handed to two Just Stop Oil protesters for scaling the M25 bridge over the Thames are a potential breach of international law and risk silencing public concerns about the environment, a UN expert has said.’

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The Guardian, 20th November 2023

Source: www.theguardian.com

Suella Braverman is wrong about the UN refugee convention being ‘not fit for purpose’ – here’s why – EIN Blog

Posted October 3rd, 2023 in immigration, news, refugees, treaties, United Nations by sally

‘The UK’s home secretary, Suella Braverman – the minister responsible for setting immigration policy – has said the United Nations refugee convention is not “fit for our modern age” and should be renegotiated.’

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EIN Blog, 2nd October 2023

Source: www.ein.org.uk

AI developing too fast for regulators to keep up, says Oliver Dowden – The Guardian

‘Artificial intelligence is developing too fast for regulators to keep up, the UK’s deputy prime minister is to announce as he aims to galvanise other countries to take the threat seriously in advance of the UK’s AI safety summit in November.’

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The Guardian, 22nd September 2023

Source: www.theguardian.com

TUC complains to UN watchdog over ‘undemocratic’ UK anti-strike law – The Guardian

‘The Trades Union Congress has lodged a complaint with the UN’s labour standards body claiming the UK government flouted the watchdog’s orders over its newly enforced “undemocratic” anti-strike law.’

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The Guardian, 10th September 2023

Source: www.theguardian.com

Refugee wins last-minute extradition reprieve after trying to return from holiday – The Guardian

Posted August 29th, 2023 in extradition, Italy, news, refugees, Russia, United Nations by sally

‘A refugee who was threatened with extradition when he tried to return to Britain after holidaying in Italy has won a last-minute reprieve.’

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The Guardian, 29th August 2023

Source: www.theguardian.com

Court of Appeal upholds challenge to Rwanda removals policy – an extended look – UK Human Rights Blog

Posted July 20th, 2023 in appeals, deportation, immigration, news, refugees, Rwanda, treaties, United Nations by tracey

‘R ((AAA) Syria and Ors) v Secretary of State for the Home Department [2023] EWCA Civ 745. The Claimants in this case are 10 individual asylum-seekers from Syria, Iraq, Iran, Vietnam, Sudan and Albania who entered the UK irregularly by crossing the English Channel in small boats, together with one charity, Asylum Aid.’

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UK Human Rights Blog, 19th July 2023

Source: ukhumanrightsblog.com

UK response to UN Committee Against Torture’s list of issues – Ministry of Justice

Posted July 17th, 2023 in Ministry of Justice, news, torture, United Nations by tracey

‘The UN Committee Against Torture presented a List of Issues prior to submission of the seventh periodic report of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. This is part of the reporting cycle under the UN Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment. This paper is the response submitted by the UK government to the Committee.’

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Ministry of Justice, 17th July 2023

Source: www.gov.uk

UNHCR: Illegal Migration Bill ‘extinguishes’ most refugees’ right to seek asylum – The Independent

‘The United Nations refugee agency’s representative to the UK has warned that the Government’s Illegal Migration Bill “effectively extinguishes the right to seek asylum in the UK for all but a very few refugees”.’

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The Independent, 26th March 2023

Source: www.independent.co.uk