“Allegations that Britain was complicit in the use of chemical weapons linked to an upsurge in child deformity cases in Iraq, are being investigated by the Ministry of Defence.”
The Independent, 4th May 2010
Source: www.independent.co.uk
“New laws to crack down on suspected war criminals living in the UK will have little effect, campaigners warn, because police lack the resources to investigate. Referrals from the UK Border Agency suggest that as many as 50 suspected war criminals are living freely in Britain, but the fact that there have so far been no arrests or prosecutions has prompted claims that there is continuing impunity.”
The Guardian, 9th April 2010
Source: www.guardian.co.uk
“Record numbers of alleged mass murderers and torturers have found safe haven in the UK, making this country one of the war criminal capitals of the world, it is claimed today.”
The Independent, 6th April 2010
Source: www.independent.co.uk
R (JS (Sri Lanka)) v Secretary of State for the Home Department [2010] UKSC 15; [2010] WLR (D) 79
“An asylum seeker was excluded from protection under the Convention and Protocol Relating to the Status of Refugees (1951) (Cmd 9171), pursuant to art 1F(a), if there were serious reasons for considering him voluntarily to have contributed in a significant way to an organisation’s ability to pursue the purpose of committing war crimes or crimes against humanity, whilst being aware that his assistance would in fact further that purpose.”
WLR Daily, 19th March 2010
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.
“Changes in the law to remove the threat of foreign politicians becoming victims of ‘politically motivated’ war crime arrests every time they visit Britain have been postponed until after the general election. The justice secretary, Jack Straw, said the decision to delay immediate legislation had been taken because the government recognised it was a controversial issue that involved the long-standing right of private prosecution.”
The Guardian, 5th March 2010
Source: www.guardian.co.uk
“Baroness Scotland announces plans to alter laws after attempts to obtain warrants against Israeli generals for war crimes.”
The Guardian, 5th January 2010
Source: www.guardian.co.uk
“The attorney general will be asked to approve warrants before suspected war criminals can be arrested in future under a plan being negotiated by the Foreign Office in response to the row over attempts to arrest Israel’s former foreign minister.”
The Guardian, 16th December 2009
Source: www.guardian.co.uk
“The UK will not be a safe haven to those accused of heinous crimes such as genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes, Justice Secretary Jack Straw said today as he announced changes to strengthen the law.”
Ministry of Justice, 26th October 2009
Source: www.justice.gov.uk
“Britain has become a ‘safe haven’ for war criminals because the Government has failed to close loopholes that grant them protection under the law, an influential committee of MPs and peers warns today.”
The Independent, 11th August 2009
Source: www.independent.co.uk
“New plans to strengthen the law on genocide, war crimes and crimes against humanity were announced by Justice Secretary Jack Straw today.”
Ministry of Justice, 7th July 2009
Source: www.justice.gov.uk
“War crime suspects who have fled to Britain after being involved in genocide or crimes against humanity dating back to 1991 will face prosecution in UK courts under proposals announced by the justice secretary, Jack Straw yesterday.”
The Guardian, 8th July 2009
Source: www.guardian.co.uk
“There has been a huge increase in action against suspected war criminals by the UK authorities, the Guardian has learned, as anti-genocide campaigners await an announcement on Tuesday on whether the government will act to end immunity for genocide suspects.”
The Observer, 5th July 2009
Source: www.http://observer.guardian.co.uk/
“Legal loopholes which allow foreign war criminals to escape prosecution in the UK should be closed, a report says.”
BBC News, 15th June 2009
Source: www.bbc.co.uk
Regina (JS) (Sri Lanka) v Secretary of State for the Home Department
Court of Appeal
“In order to establish that an asylum seeker was liable for a joint criminal enterprise such as to exclude him from the protection of the Geneva Convention as complicit in war crimes or crimes against humanity, there had to have been a common design which amounted to or involved the commission of a crime provided for by statute.”
The Times, 11th May 2009
Source: www.timesonline.co.uk
“British lawyers attempting to build a war crimes case against Israel have been blocked from entering the Gaza Strip because the Foreign Office has refused to support their work, the Guardian has learned.”
The Guardian, 21st April 2009
Source: www.guardian.co.uk
“More than 200 people responsible for war crimes and other human rights abuses overseas could be living in Britain, the BBC has learned.”
BBC News, 24th March 2009
Source: www.bbc.co.uk
“Two Iraqis accused of killing British soldiers risk being tortured and executed, in violation of their human rights, if they are tried in Iraq for war crimes, the high court was told yesterday.”
The Guardian, 19th November 2008
Source: www.guardian.co.uk
“The US government today dropped war-crimes charges against British resident Binyam Mohamed, who has accused the American military of torture, and four other detainees being held at Guantánamo Bay.”
The Guardian, 21st October 2008
Source: www.guardian.co.uk
“A British resident held in Guantanamo Bay is to launch a court battle to make the UK government release evidence for his defence.”
BBC News, 27th July 2008
Source: www.bbc.co.uk
“Two Iraqis have been held without trial by the British Army for five years. Why is this any different from Guantanamo Bay?, asks Phil Shiner, of Public Interest Lawyers.”
The Independent, 25th June 2008
Source: www.indpendent.co.uk
© Inner Temple Library 2024