Archive
Northern Ireland: How a 1980s state killing cover-up is still relevant today
A review of ‘Decades of Deceit: The Stalker Affair and its Legacy’ by Paddy Hillyard (Beyond the Pale Books, 2024). Read More
Northern Ireland: Gun “believed to have been smuggled with the help of British intelligence” implicated in up to 12 murders
An assault rifle linked to a series of murders carried out by loyalist paramilitaries in Northern Ireland between 1988 and 1991 is believed to have been smuggled into the country with the help of British intelligence operatives, according to a recent media report. Read More
Northern Ireland: Special Police Ombudsman report on policing of protest during the pandemic
The Police Ombudsman for Northern Ireland has argued in a special report that although the different police approach to Black Lives Matter and "Protect Our Monuments" protests in summer this year was unfair, the approach was not motivated by racism. However, the Ombudsman's explanation for the differential treatment of the protests may not convince everybody. Read More
Northern Ireland: “Astonishing, arrogant and cruel”: government refuses inquiry into Pat Finucane murder
The family of murdered Belfast solicitor Pat Finucane have condemned the UK government's decision not to order a public inquiry into his death as "astonishing, arrogant and cruel". Read More
UK: Covert Human Intelligence Sources (Criminal Conduct) Bill: report from Joint Committee on Human Rights
The UK parliament's Joint Committee on Human Rights has published a scrutiny report of the Covert Human Intelligence Sources (Criminal Conduct) Bill. The Committee recommends a number of changes, including clear limits on the crimes that may be committed during undercover/covert activity and specification of who may commit criminal acts, amongst other things. Read More
Northern Ireland: “I am sir, you are a number”: Prisoners faced “systemic inhuman and degrading treatment” in response to 1970s protests, report finds
Prisoners held in the Armagh and H-Block prisons between 1976 and 1981 were subjected to "systemic inhuman and degrading treatment" that "violated international human rights standards and breached common law and statute", with the full knowledge of the British government, an independent inquiry has found. Read More
UK: Calls to halt bill authorising crimes by state agents
The Covert Human Intelligence Sources (Criminal Conduct) Bill would, if approved, give explicit legal permission for certain state agents to commit crimes in the course of their duties, but does not specify which crimes are covered. There is fierce opposition to the proposed measures. Read More
Northern Ireland: Arrest warrants for investigative journalists overturned
The High Court in Belfast has quashed the arrest warrants issued for investigative journalists Trevor Birney and Barry McCaffrey. The two were subject to police investigation and arrest for their work on a documentary on the 1994 Loughinisland massacre, in which members of the loyalist Ulster Volunteer Force paramilitary killed six people and wounded five. Read More
UK Supreme Court quashes Adams’ Long Kesh escape convictions
"The UK's highest court has said Gerry Adams was imprisoned illegally by the British government when he was interned without trial in the early 1970s. Read More
Brexit will mean checks on goods crossing Irish Sea, government admits – Ministers’ letter confirms border control posts at ports of Belfast, Warrenpoint and Larne
"The government has privately conceded there will be post-Brexit checks on goods crossing the Irish Sea, months after Boris Johnson insisted there would be no such trade barriers. Read More