Figures revealed as events launched to help Mother and Baby institution survivors design public inquiry ’Victims have a right to both truth and justice. We must not repeat the mistakes of past inquiries’ – Patrick Corrigan Amnesty International and Ulster University have launched a series of online events to help survivors of Mother and Baby and Magdalene Laundry institutions in Northern Ireland to design a public inquiry into abuses they suffered. The first in the series of events went online today (Monday), with others to follow in subsequent weeks, sharing the experiences of victims and

Responding to reports that the Northern Ireland Office is to make regulations to give the Secretary of State the powers to direct the commissioning of abortion services in Northern Ireland. Grainne Teggart, Northern Ireland Campaigns Manager said: “One year since abortion regulations were published, it is unacceptable that these services have yet to be commissioned. This is a damning indictment of the failure of the Northern Ireland Health Minister to prioritise the health of women and girls. “The Northern Ireland Office has legal obligations to ensure the regulations are applied. Once again

Amnesty International has welcomed the decision of the Council of Europe Committee of Ministers to re-open its scrutiny of UK government failures to order a public inquiry into the 1989 murder of lawyer Patrick Finucane. The European Court of Human Rights had previously ruled that the UK authorities had violated Article 2 of the European Convention on Human Rights by not properly investigating the murder. The Council of Europe, in its statement today, said it had “decided to reopen their consideration of the individual measures in the case of Finucane in order to supervise the ongoing measures

In 81% of cases, PSNI used spit hoods on people with disabilities Spit hoods used by PSNI 8 times on children, aged 10-17 Spit hoods given to 4,000 more PSNI officers despite opposition from Policing Board Amnesty International, Children’s Law Centre, CAJ and Include Youth write to Policing Board Amnesty International and other civil society organisations in Northern Ireland have criticised a decision by the Chief Constable of the Police Service Northern Ireland (PSNI) to give spit hoods to 4,000 more officers in defiance of the Policing Board and in light of the possible increased risk of

Graffiti threats – with a gunsight target beside the journalist’s name – have been painted on two walls in east Belfast Patricia Devlin has received previous threats, including a death threat allegedly by the Ulster Defence Association ‘Amnesty International condemns these latest sinister threats against a journalist’ – Patrick Corrigan Amnesty International has condemned graffiti threats against Patricia Devlin, a journalist at the Northern Ireland edition of the Sunday World newspaper. Graffiti has been painted on two walls in east Belfast – Finvoy Street and the Upper Newtownards Road -

Amnesty and former residents unite in call for NI inquiry as Irish Government publishes 3,000-page investigation report into Mother and Baby Homes in Republic of Ireland ‘Northern Ireland must now follow the Republic of Ireland and instigate a full-scale inquiry into the appalling tragic scandal of Mother and Baby Homes here’ - Patrick Corrigan Women who were forced to give birth in Mother and Baby Homes in Northern Ireland, and children who were born in the homes, have joined with Amnesty International to call for a public inquiry into abuses they say they suffered. Amnesty says there were

More than a third of million people affected across County Antrim and County Down Health Minister’s failure to commission services and provide funding is forcing vital abortion care to a halt Women still have a legal entitlement to this service but will have to travel to other trust areas ‘The Minister has created a postcode lottery for healthcare, forcing women to travel in the midst of a pandemic’ – Patrick Corrigan Amnesty International has learned that Northern Ireland’s South Eastern Health and Social Care Trust has stopped referrals to their early medical abortion service as of today (5

Northern Ireland journalist Patricia Devlin has written to the Chief Constable of the PSNI threatening legal action unless he provides assurances that the PSNI will conduct an immediate and effective investigation of violent threats made against her and her baby son. The pre-action protocol letter, issued by her lawyers KRW Law, puts Chief Constable Simon Byrne on notice that unless such assurances are provided, an application for legal proceedings by way of judicial review will be made to the High Court. In October 2019, Patricia Devlin, an award-winning crime reporter working for the Sunday

Briefing note for the Biden-Harris Transition Team: Brexit and the protection of the Good Friday Agreement, human rights and equality laws in Northern Ireland Representatives of civic society groups from across the island of Ireland welcome the President-elect’s continued support for the Good Friday Agreement, most recently reaffirmed in his congratulatory calls with An Taoiseach Micheál Martin and Prime Minister Boris Johnson. Respect for the Good Friday Agreement will need to ensure no Border infrastructure, but much more than that. It is also a peace agreement and a basis for ensuring no