Politics

Amnesty accuses UK of betraying victims over Troubles-era crimes

Human rights group urges Government to continue fighting Legacy Act legislation

Gráinne Teggart, left, deputy director of Amnesty International in Northern Ireland, with Martina Dillon, whose husband Seamus was shot dead by loyalists in Dungannon in 1997. Photograph: Liam McBurney/PA Wire
Gráinne Teggart, left, deputy director of Amnesty International in Northern Ireland, with Martina Dillon, whose husband Seamus was shot dead by loyalists in Dungannon in 1997. Photograph: Liam McBurney/PA Wire
Seanín Graham
Mon Oct 21 2024 - 19:17

Amnesty International has urged the Irish Government to “stand with victims” by continuing to pursue a case against the UK government over its controversial legislation for Troubles-era crimes.

At a press conference in Belfast on Monday, the human rights organisation also accused the UK Labour government of betraying victims after it had previously committed to “repeal and replace” the Legacy Act introduced under the former Conservative government.

Families who lost loved ones during the Troubles were also present and said they would not be “fobbed off again” by British politicians.

The event was held after Northern Secretary Hilary Benn confirmed last Friday that the UK government intended to challenge a Court of Appeal ruling which found that core parts of the Act were unlawful.

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The development comes after the Irish Government lodged an interstate case against the British government over the legislation in the European Court of Human Rights last December.

Within a week of Labour’s landslide election victory in July, Tánaiste Micheál Martin expressed hopes for a “friendly settlement” in the Legacy Act dispute.

Amnesty’s Gráinne Teggart said on Monday that the UK government’s decision to appeal the legal ruling was “a betrayal of its commitments and “fails victims”.

Ms Teggart called on Mr Benn to “scrap the Act in full”.

Fiercely opposed by the North’s main political parties, the Legacy Act came into law on May 1st and ended previous methods of investigating the past and transfers responsibility for all Troubles inquiries to a new investigative body, the Independent Commission for Reconciliation and Information Recovery (ICRIR).

Bereaved families, victims and certain public authorities can request the ICRIR to carry out an investigation. However, the body has been opposed by the majority of victims’ groups and lawyers representing Troubles’ victims.

Martina Dillon, whose husband, Seamus, was shot dead by loyalists when he was working as a doorman outside a disco at a Dungannon hotel in 1997, has spent decades campaigning for justice.

Collusion was suspected in Mr Dillon’s murder and an inquest began last year but was halted due to the legislation.

The Labour government has pledged to reinstate inquests.

Mrs Dillon accused the Northern Secretary of “turning his back” on victims.

“I put my faith in the government. The day Labour got in I was so happy, and then to hear on Friday evening that they are taking a legal challenge against our court winnings, I’m absolutely disgusted,” she said.

“A year ago the Secretary of State stood up and said he was against the Legacy Act, and now he is doing exactly the same.

“We’re not going to stand for it, we’re here for an inquest and we’re not going to stop until we get one.” - Additional reporting by PA

Seanín Graham

Seanín Graham

Seanín Graham is Northern Correspondent of The Irish Times