Equality Commission investigation into the NIO Legacy Bill
Complainants’ welcome findings but raise concerns the NIO withheld documents from Commission investigators | 29 September 2021
The Committee on the Administration of Justice (CAJ) and Pat Finucane Centre (PFC) have welcomed a report from the Equality Commission for Northern Ireland (ECNI - published today 29 September) that concludes the Northern Ireland Office (NIO) breached its Equality Scheme in relation to its proposed...
UK to pay £1 million compensation to Greek Cypriots
The Guardian | 04 February 2019
In an out-of-court settlement the British Government has agreed to pay $1 Million in compensation to 33 former EOKA fighters who were tortured by British troops and police in the 1950s.
Secretary of State's Rules of Engagement in Northern Ireland
Pat Finucane Centre | 24 October 2017
A memo from a private secretary to the Secretary of State in 1975 suggesting that the SoS would like to see '...some form of dispensation permitting the Forces to open fire in an emergency without fear of subsequent legal action.' The author speculates that compensation claims by the relatives of...
Families Challenge MoD and Prime Minister in London
Pat Finucane Centre | 26 October 2017
In November 2016 the families of Christopher Quinn and Kevin Heatley along with the Pat Finucane Centre utilised Advans in London to highlight the murders of their relatives and the appalling treatment they endured after the killings, in response to Theresa May's comments on those pushing for human...
PFC letter to Chief Constable following the arrest and detention of Derry republican Tony Taylor
PFC | 06 May 2016
The PFC has maintained on-going contact with the solicitor acting on behalf of Derry republican Tony Taylor and we share the widespread concerns at his continuing detention without trial. We have raised these concerns with the Chief Constable and at meetings with different Justice Ministers and...
Priest joins calls for release of Derry republican prisoner Tony Taylor
Seamus McKinney, The Irish News | 08 October 2016
A DERRY priest has joined a campaign for the release from prison of leading dissident republican Tony Taylor. Holy Family parish priest Fr Paddy O’Kane said he also prayed for Taylor’s case during Sunday Mass last week.
British Secretary of State Paul Murphy makes announcement on Hamill, Nelson and Wright Inquiries
PFC | 16 November 2004
Below is an Northern Ireland Office press release issued earlier today. The PFC has not yet formed a view on the adequacy of the terms of reference or the acceptability of the members as proposed. This will, to an extent, be determined by the views of the families.
De-proscription of unlawful organisations (added May 2018)
Declassified 1974 NIO discussion doc on de-proscription of UVF and Sinn Fein. The juxtaposition of Sinn Fein (as opposed to the IRA) with the UVF tells us much about British government attitudes to loyalist paramilitary organisations. At the time the UDA remained legal and it would be another 18 years before London finally accepted that the UFF was nothing more...
Orwellian legal advice on UDA roadblocks from 1972 Advice note from Ministry of Home Affairs dated 22 August 1972 (by this date the duties of this Ministry had been taken over by the Northern Ireland Office) which seeks to retrospectively justify UDA roadblocks which were frequent throughout Belfast and elsewhere in the summer of 1972. The advice note states that...