JUSTICE Legal Director, Jodie Blackstock, is one of several signatories to an open letter, published by the Guardian on 26 January 2017. It calls for an immediate moratorium on prison construction in the UK and a national debate about how to build a safer society and secure communities. The letter reads: Wednesday’s opposition day debate […]
Supreme Court rules torture and rendition claims against UK government should proceed
January 17, 2017
Leading human rights organisations have hailed a landmark decision of the UK Supreme Court to hold the UK Government accountable for its role in human rights abuses overseas. The country’s highest court issued today a long-awaited judgment in the two joined appeals in Belhaj and Others v. Jack Straw & Others and Rahmatullah v. Ministry of […]
Lord Advocate: The reconciliation of rights between victims and the accused must remain dynamic
December 20, 2016
JUSTICE Student Network member Lidia Dancu gives her account of the Lord Advocate James Wolffe QC’s Human Rights Day lecture in Scotland. JUSTICE marked Human Rights Day 2016 with a lecture on fundamental rights and the prosecution of crime, held at the Faculty of Advocates in Edinburgh, Scotland. The lecture, held on Friday 9 December […]
The human rights implications of Brexit on EU migration
On Thursday 8 December 2016 at The Lighthouse in Glasgow, four eminent lawyers and academics with varying knowledge and perceptions of Brexit presented their views on one of the most constitutionally significant events in British history. Organised in partnership with the Equality and Human Rights Commission, and chaired by Sarah Smith, BBC Scotland Editor, the […]
James Wolffe QC stresses need to respect the dignity and rights of all
December 14, 2016
Lord Advocate, James Wolffe, QC gave the 2016 JUSTICE Human Rights Day Lecture on Friday 9 December. He emphasised the need to respect the dignity and rights of all people within the criminal justice system, whether victim, witness or accused. Mr Wolffe’s first speech since he was appointed Lord Advocate in June took place at […]
JUSTICE response: Modernising judicial terms and conditions
November 30, 2016
JUSTICE has responded to the UK Government’s proposals to modernise judicial terms and conditions. While JUSTICE supports the introduction of a single non-renewable fixed term for Recorders and Deputy High Court Judges, we argue that it will not solve our judiciary’s pressing diversity crisis alone. The Government’s proposals should sit alongside more wide-ranging reforms to […]
JUSTICE response: Transforming our justice system
November 23, 2016
JUSTICE recently responded to the ‘Transforming our justice system‘ consultation by the Ministry of Justice and Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary, which sought views on specific measures being implemented as part of MoJ’s changes to the justice system, namely ‘assisted digital’, online convictions and statutory fixed fines, and the panel composition in tribunals. At this […]
JUSTICE response: Law Commission programme of work
November 2, 2016
The Law Commission has identified some areas of law that may require reform and could be potential projects for its 13th Programme of work. They launched a consultation and JUSTICE responded. The response focussed on inquiries and codification, streamlining and consolidation. In respect of inquiries, the response emphasised the important public functions that inquiries play […]
JUSTICE Human Rights Conference 2016 round-up
October 24, 2016
Over 150 people and exceptional speakers from across the professions, the judiciary and the major political parties joined us for the annual JUSTICE Human Rights Conference in London on Friday 14 October. It was an engaging, interesting and thought-provoking day which tackled some of the most important issues in British human rights law today. The […]
Lord Justice Briggs outlines potential for an online court
October 19, 2016
The annual Tom Sargant Memorial Lecture 2016 took place on Tuesday 18 October at Shearman & Sterling LLP in London. The Rt. Hon. Sir Michael Briggs, Lord Justice of Appeal outlined his recommendations for a new online court and the potential for more affordable dispute resolution. Lord Justice Briggs explained some of the challenges and […]