JUSTICE responded to the Scottish Government consultation on the proposal to introduce a leave requirement for Scottish cases to proceed to the Supreme Court. Currently no equivalent requirement for leave applies to that applicable in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. Instead, appeals must be certified by counsel before being referred. JUSTICE expressed our support for […]
Retaining the DNA of people arrested but not charged: Biometrics Commissioner Consultation
July 18, 2013
JUSTICE regrets the decision in the Protection of Freedoms Act 2012 to depart from the DNA retention model operating in Scotland. The decision to provide for the continuing retention of DNA taken from individuals on arrest, even in circumstances where no charge results, will, in our view, be extremely difficult to justify. We are particularly […]
Making Justice Work: Courts Reform (Scotland) Bill
July 2, 2013
The Making Justice Work: Courts Reform (Scotland) Bill Consultation ran from February to May 2013. It contained proposals to restructure the way civil cases and summary criminal cases are dealt with by the courts in Scotland. The proposals suggest a legal framework for implementing the majority of recommendations of the Scottish Civil Courts Review. The […]
Protocol 15 to the European Convention on Human Rights
June 24, 2013
On the opening of Protocol 15 of the European Convention on Human Rights, JUSTICE and the International Commission of Jurists, together with other national and international NGOs urged the Contracting Parties to take steps to ensure that the changes in the Protocol would not result in weaker protection for individual rights across Europe. Principally, the […]
Draft Voting Eligibility (Prisoners) Bill
June 14, 2013
The Voting Eligibility (Prisoners) Draft Bill has been published in response to the line of European Court of Human Rights case-law which concludes that the absolute ban on prisoners voting in section 3 Representation of the People Act 1983 (“RPA”) is incompatible with the right to participate in full and fair elections. A Joint Committee […]
JUSTICE evidence to UN Committee against Torture
May 2, 2013
UK record on torture subject to scrutiny In May 2013, the UN Committee against Torture will question UK Ministers and officials about the UK’s compliance with the UN Convention against Torture (UNCAT). In advance of this hearing, JUSTICE has written to the committee to raise our concern that a number of key issues continue to […]
UK record on torture subject to scrutiny
May 1, 2013
In May 2013, the UN Committee against Torture will question UK Ministers and officials about the UK’s compliance with the UN Convention against Torture (UNCAT). In advance of this hearing, JUSTICE has written to the committee to raise our concern that a number of key issues continue to undermine the UK’s commitment to UNCAT, including […]
JUSTICE urges Peers to reject Government rewrite of the Secret Courts Bill
March 25, 2013
JUSTICE considers that that the operation of CMP is inherently unfair and that normalising the use of these controversial and previously exceptional hearings will undermine the credibility of our judges and public confidence in the civil justice system. Allowing one party – usually the Government – to present its case to the Court largely unchallenged […]
Justice and Security Bill: JUSTICE urges MPs to act now to stop the expansion of Secret Evidence
March 1, 2013
Monday afternoon will see the Justice and Security Bill return to the House of Commons for some key votes. The “Secret Courts” Bill would introduce closed material procedures (CMP) – where one party is excluded from a claim, together with his or her legal team, from part or all of a case, their interests represented […]
JUSTICE urges Supreme Court to extend human rights protection to UK troops
February 15, 2013
On Monday morning, the Supreme Court will begin a four day hearing set to determine whether the protection of the European Convention on Human Rights extends to the activities of UK troops overseas. JUSTICE has intervened in this case to urge the Supreme Court to find that the relationship between the UK and its forces […]