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Amnesty Alert - Northern Ireland

01 November 1991

Amnesty International has for the first time issued an "urgent action" notice in relation to Northern Ireland. Such a notice means that AI members worldwide are asked to contact the relevant authorities to appeal on behalf of the victim. In this case, the victim is Damien Austin (17) who alleges that the RUC ill-treated and threatened him in Castlereagh interrogation centre. Austin claims he was verbally abused, punched, slapped, and spat upon. His trousers and underpants were repeatedly pulled down, a cigarette lighter held towards his pubic hair, and death threats were made. He also claims to have been burned with a cigarette on the face. During a second detention, Austin alleges that detectives punched him in the stomach, on the arms and throat and back of the head. He further says that detectives placed boots between his legs and applied pressure to his testicles. He claims that detectives tried to choke him as well. His right ear was pulled and stitches from a previous injury burst.

In a High Court affidavit, Austin's doctor stated that he "examined him in detail and found evidence of severe assaults to his body. In addition to the physical injuries he appeared dazed and apprehensive ... I can confirm that Damien Austin is being subjected to severe ill-treatment and the police doctor agreed with me on this." Austin is one of more than twenty cases of alleged ill-treatment currently being monitored by the Committee on the Administration of Justice. His detention came during the run-up to a local government bye-election in North Belfast in which his father, Joe Austin, was standing as the Sinn Fein candidate. Joe Austin was duly elected. In October Amnesty International decided to refer this case and other similar ones to the United Nations Committee on Torture.

Just News Bulletin of CAJ September 1991; Guardian 29.10.91.