Conditional Amnesties in Northern Ireland

SOURCE www.nbcnews.com
Britain offering conditional amnesties to ex-soldiers and militants involved in Northern Ireland's violence found to breach European Convention on Human Rights by Belfast's High Court.

Key Points

  • Judge Adrian Colton ruled the immunity provisions to be in breach of the ECHR
  • The law has faced opposition from victims' families, human rights organizations, and political parties
  • The Irish government is mounting a separate legal challenge against Britain at the European Court of Human Rights

Pros

  • The ruling upholds human rights standards set by the European Convention on Human Rights
  • Victims' families and major political parties in Northern Ireland oppose the law

Cons

  • The immunity provisions under the Northern Ireland Troubles Act are found to be in breach of human rights laws
  • The law has sparked over 20 legal challenges