European Court says it wasn’t torture

The court building in Strasbourg

 

By Anthony Neeson

The European Court of Human Rights has found that 14 men from Northern Ireland were not tortured by British soldiers in 1971.

And the Irish government has expressed its sympathy to those who believe otherwise.

The case of the “Hooded Men” was brought by the Irish government, but today the European Court of Human Rights, based in Strasbourg, France, issued its judgment on the 14 Catholic men who were rounded up and subjected to a number of torture methods including, hooding, stress position, sleep deprivation, deprivation of food and water, and white noise.

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The men were also thrown out of helicopters while hooded, believing that they were high in air. In fact they were a couple of feet off the ground.

In many cases family members were also unaware of what had become of the men until weeks later when they were interned without trial.

In 1976, the European Commission ruled that the men were tortured.

However, two years later and after an appeal by the British government, the European Court of Human Rights held that the men suffered inhumane and degrading treatment that was not torture.

New evidence led to the Irish government request to find that the men had been tortured.

After the ruling, one of the men said he was “far, far, far from giving up.”

Francis McGuigan said: “While any one of us have breath left in our bodies we will fight it and we will keep on fighting it.

“With the exception of two, the rest of us are now over 70 and I don’t see a weakness in our determination yet.

“At this stage, the European Court has missed a great opportunity to try to stamp out torture, be it here in Ireland, or any corner of the world.”

A statement from Irish foreign minister Simon Coveney said that the ruling would be fully considered by the Irish government.

“It is important to note that, although the court dismissed the government’s application for a revision, nothing in today’s judgment alters the court’s original 1978 ruling that the men suffered inhuman and degrading treatment, in breach of Article 3 of the European Convention on Human Rights,” said Coveney.

“My thoughts today are with the men who suffered this treatment, and who have had to deal with the long-lasting effects. I know that they will be understandably disappointed with this morning’s judgment,” he said.

“I am due to meet the men in the coming weeks, and look forward to hearing their views.”

 

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