Each year the HRLA will provide one or more bursaries to a total value of £3,000 to one or more law students, the money is to be used to enable the student to undertake work related to human rights law in the UK that they would otherwise not be able afford to do. For information on the scheme please go to: http://www.hrla.org.uk/Bursary.php
Please note the application deadline has been extended to 1 May 2007.
Thursday 22 March 2007
Thursday 15 March 2007
JUSTICE Student Human Rights Network
Dear Friend
Two ways you can get further involved with JUSTICE
Apply for our summer internship programme
JUSTICE takes at least two summer interns each year to assist our human rights and criminal justice policy staff. The internship can involve undertaking comparative legal research, drafting briefing notes, editing policy papers, writing book reviews, attending meetings and court and provides an excellent opportunity to find out what it is like working for a leading legal non-governmental organisation. The internship may also include occasional assistance with administrative tasks. The scheme runs from June to September, and interns normally work four days a week for approximately four to six weeks. We will reimburse reasonable travel costs within
London and give an allowance each day for lunch. Because of the level of JUSTICE's policy work we encourage applications from law graduates, although we do welcome applications from other suitable qualified people and from undergraduate students.
To apply please email rbrailsford@justice.org.uk or post your CV and a covering letter, detailing your skills, experience, reasons for wanting to work with us and your availability, to Rachel Brailsford by Friday 18 May 2007. We will put all applications forward for shortlisting and invite those successful at shortlisting for a short interview at our offices in London EC4 in late May/early June.
More information is available on our website: http://www.justice.org.uk/aboutus/volunteersandinterns/index.html
Become a student, pupil or trainee member of JUSTICE
JUSTICE celebrates its 50th anniversary
http://www.justice.org.uk/50_anniversary/index.html in 2007 with an ambitious programme of publications and events. To make this possible, we need the support of our members more than ever. Our members help JUSTICE in important ways - by ensuring that knowledge of our work is as widespread as possible, by giving us political legitimacy and by providing funds to continue our work. Membership of JUSTICE for students, pupils and trainees costs just £20 a year and members receive a copy of the Annual Report, three editions each year of the JUSTICE Bulletin (a membership publication), discounts on publications and conferences, as well as advance notice of and booking for our lectures and events.
More information on membership can be found on our website
http://www.justice.org.uk/supportus/becomemember/index.html. Please download a membership form and help to support us as we face the next fifty years.
JUSTICE (http://www.justice.org.uk/)is an independent, UK based charity which seeks to advance access to justice, human rights and the rule of law.
The JUSTICE Student Human Rights Network is a lively, interactive network for all those studying the law and who are interested in human rights. Keep up to date with developments and future events of the network at www.justice.org.uk/jshrn/home.htm
Give us feedback and ideas for developing the network - by e- mailing jshrn@justice.org.uk. Forward this e-mail to friends and colleagues who might be
interested. Subscribe to the network to make sure you get the next bulletin and information of activities. Email jshrn@justice.org.uk. This is also the address to use if you wish to unsubscribe.
Two ways you can get further involved with JUSTICE
Apply for our summer internship programme
JUSTICE takes at least two summer interns each year to assist our human rights and criminal justice policy staff. The internship can involve undertaking comparative legal research, drafting briefing notes, editing policy papers, writing book reviews, attending meetings and court and provides an excellent opportunity to find out what it is like working for a leading legal non-governmental organisation. The internship may also include occasional assistance with administrative tasks. The scheme runs from June to September, and interns normally work four days a week for approximately four to six weeks. We will reimburse reasonable travel costs within
London and give an allowance each day for lunch. Because of the level of JUSTICE's policy work we encourage applications from law graduates, although we do welcome applications from other suitable qualified people and from undergraduate students.
To apply please email rbrailsford@justice.org.uk or post your CV and a covering letter, detailing your skills, experience, reasons for wanting to work with us and your availability, to Rachel Brailsford by Friday 18 May 2007. We will put all applications forward for shortlisting and invite those successful at shortlisting for a short interview at our offices in London EC4 in late May/early June.
More information is available on our website: http://www.justice.org.uk/aboutus/volunteersandinterns/index.html
Become a student, pupil or trainee member of JUSTICE
JUSTICE celebrates its 50th anniversary
http://www.justice.org.uk/50_anniversary/index.html in 2007 with an ambitious programme of publications and events. To make this possible, we need the support of our members more than ever. Our members help JUSTICE in important ways - by ensuring that knowledge of our work is as widespread as possible, by giving us political legitimacy and by providing funds to continue our work. Membership of JUSTICE for students, pupils and trainees costs just £20 a year and members receive a copy of the Annual Report, three editions each year of the JUSTICE Bulletin (a membership publication), discounts on publications and conferences, as well as advance notice of and booking for our lectures and events.
More information on membership can be found on our website
http://www.justice.org.uk/supportus/becomemember/index.html. Please download
JUSTICE (http://www.justice.org.uk/)is an independent, UK based charity which seeks to advance access to justice, human rights and the rule of law.
The JUSTICE Student Human Rights
Give us feedback and ideas for developing the network - by e- mailing jshrn@justice.org.uk. Forward this e-mail to friends and colleagues who might be
interested. Subscribe to the network to make sure you get the next bulletin and information of activities. Email jshrn@justice.org.uk. This is also the address to use if you wish to unsubscribe.
Soldiers cleared over ill-treatment of Iraqi prisoners
This article appeared in the Guardian on 14th March 2007.
· Courts martial questioned after latest acquittals
· 'Overzealous officialdom' accused by colonel
Steven Morris and Audrey Gillan
Britain's military court martial system was called into question last night after two soldiers became the latest in a series of troops to be acquitted of offences against Iraqi prisoners.
Major Michael Peebles, 35, and Warrant Officer Mark Davies, 37, both of the Intelligence Corps, were among seven men put on trial in relation to the alleged ill-treatment of Iraqis arrested in Iraq in the summer of 2003. Both were yesterday found not guilty of negligently performing the duty of ensuring the Iraqis were not ill-treated by soldiers under their command.
Last month, four soldiers from the Queen's Lancashire Regiment, including its former commander in Iraq, Colonel Jorge Mendonca, 43, were cleared on a judge's orders due to lack of evidence.
The six-month-long, £20m prosecution was condemned yesterday by Colonel David Black of the Queen's Lancashire Regiment, who said it had been brought by an "overzealous and remote officialdom". He criticised the attorney general for taking the case to court.
However, the outcome was described as a "travesty" which "gave the victims nothing" by Phil Shiner, the lawyer representing the family of Baha Mousa, a 26-year-old Iraqi killed in a detention centre controlled by the regiment.
He said: "Mr Justice McKinnon found that the evidence was clear that these injuries were 'sustained as a result of numerous assaults over 36 hours by unidentified persons'. He said 'none of those soldiers has been charged with any offence simply because there is no evidence against them as a result of a more or less obvious closing of ranks'. It was in the words of one soldier witness a 'free for all'. It appears to be nothing less than systematic punishment on behalf of 1 QLR in the mistaken belief that these Iraqis were responsible for the death of one of the battalion."
The prosecution alleged that Iraqi detainees were handcuffed, hooded with sacks, deprived of sleep and forced to maintain a "stress position" - backs to the wall, knees bent and arms outstretched. If they dropped their arms they were punished with beatings. One prisoner alleged he was threatened with lighted petrol and another said he was forced to urinate into a bottle which was then tipped over him while he was held in a detention centre in Basra, southern Iraq. The violence culminated with the killing of Mr Mousa, who died after being so badly beaten that he suffered 93 injuries, the court heard.
It was told that such rough treatment of prisoners was known as "conditioning" and was used before questioning. Whether such treatment was legal became the centre of the case with a key witness, Major Anthony Royce, claiming that he had been told conditioning was legitimate. At the start of the court martial, Corporal Donald Payne, 35, of the QLR, admitted the war crime of treating the Iraqis inhumanely. He became the first British convicted war criminal and is awaiting sentencing.
Also charged with inhumane treatment were Lance Corporal Wayne Crowcroft, 22, and Private Darren Fallon, 23. They were acquitted on the instructions of Mr Justice McKinnon due to a lack of evidence. The military panel who sit as a jury were also ordered to find Sergeant Kelvin Stacey, 30, not guilty of assault.
A Ministry of Defence spokesman said: "Today's judgment has been an important one and we will need time to consider fully the serious implications. In very difficult and dangerous circumstances in Iraq, our forces do a superb job. However, we need to maintain both operational effectiveness and the public's trust and confidence. If, as a result of this trial, which is still ongoing, lessons need to be learned, we shall do so."
Gilbert Blades, solicitor for Maj Peebles, said the case highlighted the flaws of the court martial process. "No one who was prosecuted in this case, with one exception, should have been prosecuted. If charges are brought, the case should be capable of standing up to scrutiny by the court," he said.
"The SIB [the Special Investigations Branch of the Royal Military Police] are not awfully well equipped in relation to the latest technology and they are undermanned: you put all that together and it is not surprising that they are not achieving the results that you would expect them to.
"Coupled with that is the flaw with the decision-making process ... on who to prosecute. But, as I understand, the decision was actually made by the attorney general, so his judgment has to be questioned."
· Courts martial questioned after latest acquittals
· 'Overzealous officialdom' accused by colonel
Steven Morris and Audrey Gillan
Britain's military court martial system was called into question last night after two soldiers became the latest in a series of troops to be acquitted of offences against Iraqi prisoners.
Major Michael Peebles, 35, and Warrant Officer Mark Davies, 37, both of the Intelligence Corps, were among seven men put on trial in relation to the alleged ill-treatment of Iraqis arrested in Iraq in the summer of 2003. Both were yesterday found not guilty of negligently performing the duty of ensuring the Iraqis were not ill-treated by soldiers under their command.
Last month, four soldiers from the Queen's Lancashire Regiment, including its former commander in Iraq, Colonel Jorge Mendonca, 43, were cleared on a judge's orders due to lack of evidence.
The six-month-long, £20m prosecution was condemned yesterday by Colonel David Black of the Queen's Lancashire Regiment, who said it had been brought by an "overzealous and remote officialdom". He criticised the attorney general for taking the case to court.
However, the outcome was described as a "travesty" which "gave the victims nothing" by Phil Shiner, the lawyer representing the family of Baha Mousa, a 26-year-old Iraqi killed in a detention centre controlled by the regiment.
He said: "Mr Justice McKinnon found that the evidence was clear that these injuries were 'sustained as a result of numerous assaults over 36 hours by unidentified persons'. He said 'none of those soldiers has been charged with any offence simply because there is no evidence against them as a result of a more or less obvious closing of ranks'. It was in the words of one soldier witness a 'free for all'. It appears to be nothing less than systematic punishment on behalf of 1 QLR in the mistaken belief that these Iraqis were responsible for the death of one of the battalion."
The prosecution alleged that Iraqi detainees were handcuffed, hooded with sacks, deprived of sleep and forced to maintain a "stress position" - backs to the wall, knees bent and arms outstretched. If they dropped their arms they were punished with beatings. One prisoner alleged he was threatened with lighted petrol and another said he was forced to urinate into a bottle which was then tipped over him while he was held in a detention centre in Basra, southern Iraq. The violence culminated with the killing of Mr Mousa, who died after being so badly beaten that he suffered 93 injuries, the court heard.
It was told that such rough treatment of prisoners was known as "conditioning" and was used before questioning. Whether such treatment was legal became the centre of the case with a key witness, Major Anthony Royce, claiming that he had been told conditioning was legitimate. At the start of the court martial, Corporal Donald Payne, 35, of the QLR, admitted the war crime of treating the Iraqis inhumanely. He became the first British convicted war criminal and is awaiting sentencing.
Also charged with inhumane treatment were Lance Corporal Wayne Crowcroft, 22, and Private Darren Fallon, 23. They were acquitted on the instructions of Mr Justice McKinnon due to a lack of evidence. The military panel who sit as a jury were also ordered to find Sergeant Kelvin Stacey, 30, not guilty of assault.
A Ministry of Defence spokesman said: "Today's judgment has been an important one and we will need time to consider fully the serious implications. In very difficult and dangerous circumstances in Iraq, our forces do a superb job. However, we need to maintain both operational effectiveness and the public's trust and confidence. If, as a result of this trial, which is still ongoing, lessons need to be learned, we shall do so."
Gilbert Blades, solicitor for Maj Peebles, said the case highlighted the flaws of the court martial process. "No one who was prosecuted in this case, with one exception, should have been prosecuted. If charges are brought, the case should be capable of standing up to scrutiny by the court," he said.
"The SIB [the Special Investigations Branch of the Royal Military Police] are not awfully well equipped in relation to the latest technology and they are undermanned: you put all that together and it is not surprising that they are not achieving the results that you would expect them to.
"Coupled with that is the flaw with the decision-making process ... on who to prosecute. But, as I understand, the decision was actually made by the attorney general, so his judgment has to be questioned."
Wednesday 14 March 2007
The blog
After the good feeling generated by the NCLG conference 2007 hosted at the University of Kent, we thought it would be a good idea to create a forum for further exploration and discussion of critical ideas. This is the first post. The floor is now open to you.
There's probably a better way of doing this but if you want to start a topic, send your blog to nclg@hotmail.co.uk and it will be posted here.
There's probably a better way of doing this but if you want to start a topic, send your blog to nclg@hotmail.co.uk and it will be posted here.
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