British government urged to rethink Troubles legacy bill given 'opposition in North' 

The Troubles legacy bill offers conditional immunity from prosecution for perpetrators of Troubles crimes.

The Council of Europe has urged the UK Government to rethink its controversial legacy bill, which offers conditional immunity from prosecution for perpetrators of Troubles crimes.

In his report on human rights in the UK, the Council of Europe’s Commissioner for Human Rights Dunja Mijatovic said the legislation was not compatible with the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR).

The report says the UK "should consider withdrawing the legacy bill in view of the widespread opposition in Northern Ireland and the serious issues of compliance with the European Convention on Human Rights it raises".

Ms Mijatovic goes on to say that "any further steps on legacy must place the rights and needs of victims at its heart" and calls for steps to be taken to "enhance overall human rights protection in Northern Ireland, including by providing adequate resources to the Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission so that it can carry out its functions fully".

The report also urges the British government to take steps to protect journalists, as well as other groups at risk, in "light of continuing threats against them". Ms Mijatovic says there can be "no impunity for the murders of journalists", citing the cases of Martin O’Hagan and Lyra McKee.

Abortion services

A statement said: "The commissioner also stresses that adequate and sustained funding of abortion services in Northern Ireland is essential to safeguard women’s sexual and reproductive health and rights."

The Council of Europe’s Committee of Ministers, which supervises the implementation of judgments from the European Court of Human Rights, has also published its latest decision on the McKerr vs the United Kingdom group of Northern Ireland legacy cases. 

Among other things, the decision expresses growing concern that the Northern Ireland Troubles bill has been progressed and calls for amendments to be made to bring this piece of legislation into line with human rights laws.

Amnesty International UK deputy director for Northern Ireland Grainne Teggart said the news of the council's recommendation was welcome.

“Once again, the UK government finds itself isolated on the international stage. These are welcome and important calls which the UK government must not ignore. Victims’ rights must be prioritised and the bill scrapped.

“This intervention adds to the cutting critique and overwhelming opposition facing the Troubles bill."

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