UK: Government quietly issues statement on UK involvement in torture

‘Once again, we call on the Government to establish an independent, judge-led inquiry’ - Rachel Logan

Responding to a quietly-released written statement last week from Theresa May in response to the Intelligence and Security Committee’s June reports into the UK’s involvement in the torture of detainees overseas, Rachel Logan, Amnesty International UK’s legal expert, said:

“By quietly issuing this wholly inadequate statement during the climactic week of Brexit negotiations, the Government has once again shown an unwillingness to deal with this deeply troubling issue in a properly responsible way. 

“Back in June, the Intelligence and Security Committee’s reports laid bare some of the details of the UK’s involvement in numerous appalling cases of rendition and torture. 

“People were kidnapped, detained and tortured with the involvement of UK officials.

“If we’re to ensure that the UK never again involves itself with these abhorrent practices then lessons must be learned, and people must be held fully accountable. 

“Once again, we call on the Government to establish an independent, judge-led inquiry into the UK’s involvement in torture. 

“We can’t continue brushing this issue under the carpet.”

Petition to the Prime Minister

In August, Amnesty handed a 27-000-strong petition in to Downing Street calling on Theresa May to set up a judge-led inquiry into the UK’s involvement in rendition and torture. In an accompanying letter to the Prime Minister, Amnesty, Reprieve, Liberty and Freedom From Torture said “a judge-led inquiry remains the only way to draw a line under the UK’s regrettable involvement in the rendition and torture of people during the US-led ‘war on terror’, and ensure nothing like this ever happens again”.