Ireland

Council of Europe concerned on detainee flights

The Council of Europe (COE) has said it supports the Irish Human Rights Commission (IHRC) in its concerns over the possible irregular…

Elaine Edwards
Fri Jan 06 2006 - 00:00

The Council of Europe (COE) has said it supports the Irish Human Rights Commission (IHRC) in its concerns over the possible irregular transfer of detainees via Irish airports.

States must be in a position, where there is doubt, to establish who is on board planes transiting via their airports . . . under whose authority they are being transported and for what purpose
Commissioner for Human Rights Alvaro Gil-Robles

In a letter to IHRC chairman Maurice Manning, the COE's Commissioner for Human Rights, Mr Alvaro Gil-Robles, said: "Given the widespread allegations of such transfers through numerous Council of Europe countries, I very much welcome the attention the Irish Human Rights Commission is paying to this issue and support its calls for greater transparency."

The IHRC recently expressed concern over claims by human rights groups and anti-war campaigners that US aircraft are being used to transport prisoners to secret locations where they are at risk of torture.

Mr Gil-Robles said in the letter he had frequently maintained that states "have a responsibility to ensure that their territory and facilities are not used for illicit purposes, especially not human rights violations", and in particular for violations of Article 3 of the European Convention on Human Rights.

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"In so far as so-called extraordinary rendition flights are concerned, states must be in a position, where there is doubt, to establish who is on board planes transiting via their airports, whether they are travelling freely or are detained, and, if the latter, under whose authority they are being transported and for what purpose.

"The IHRC's proposal that the Irish Government seek the agreement of the US authorities to inspect aircraft would certainly facilitate this," he wrote.

"The Secretary General and the Parliamentary Assembly of Council of Europe have launched enquiries into the recent allegations of extraordinary rendition flights in Europe and I welcome the Irish Government's stated intention of cooperating fully with them.

"It is essential that the record be set straight and that, where necessary, the appropriate lessons are learnt," he said.

The IHRC welcomed Mr Gil-Robles's comments but said it had no further statement to make at this time.