09.12.05
Statements
The UK House of Lords Says Evidence Obtained Under Torture is Never Admissible in Judicial Proceedings
In a landmark decision, the hightest court of the United Kingdom rejected the use of evidence obtained under torture. The seven Law Lords voted unanimously to overturn the decision of a lower court which held last year that torture evidence could be admitted as long as the torture happened abroad and without the involvement of UK officials.
Yesterday's decision constitutes a significant reaffirmation of the absolute ban on torture and its fruits. In the words of Lord Bingham of Cornhill, torture evidence is "unreliable, unfair, offensive to ordinary standards of humanity and decency and incompatible with the principles which should animate a tribunal seeking to administer justice."
The decision:
A Ors Judgement1.pdf
The World Organization Against Torture (OMCT) interevened as Amicus Curiae in this case together with a coalition of other NGOs including the Advice Centre on Individual Rights in Europe (The AIRE CENTRE), the Association for the Prevention of Torture, British Irish Rights Watch, The Committee on the Administration of Justice, Doctors for Human Rights, Human Rights Watch, The International Federation of Human Rights, INTERIGHTS, The Law Society of England and Wales, Liberty, the Medical Foundation for the Care of Victims of Torture, REDRESS. For the full submission, see: A (torture) 26 sept FINAL.pdf
Yesterday's decision constitutes a significant reaffirmation of the absolute ban on torture and its fruits. In the words of Lord Bingham of Cornhill, torture evidence is "unreliable, unfair, offensive to ordinary standards of humanity and decency and incompatible with the principles which should animate a tribunal seeking to administer justice."
The decision:
A Ors Judgement1.pdf
The World Organization Against Torture (OMCT) interevened as Amicus Curiae in this case together with a coalition of other NGOs including the Advice Centre on Individual Rights in Europe (The AIRE CENTRE), the Association for the Prevention of Torture, British Irish Rights Watch, The Committee on the Administration of Justice, Doctors for Human Rights, Human Rights Watch, The International Federation of Human Rights, INTERIGHTS, The Law Society of England and Wales, Liberty, the Medical Foundation for the Care of Victims of Torture, REDRESS. For the full submission, see: A (torture) 26 sept FINAL.pdf