Lawyers speak out over Defence Committee report
Human rights lawyers have spoken out against a Select Committee report warning of the “judicialisation” of war.
MPs warned last week that the “unprecedented” number of legal challenges against the Ministry of Defence could have “unintended consequences” for both military personnel and civilians, in a Defence Committee report, UK Armed Forces Personnel and the Legal Framework for Future Operations.
They said it could lead to commanders taking fewer risks with their own troops and making more use of air strikes and remotely actioned weapons—resulting in greater violence and more civilian casualties. They called for more training for army personnel to clarify their personal liability.
However, Emma Norton, legal officer at Liberty, says: “These laws safeguard servicemen and women and strengthen the chain of command. Without them, claims to protect rights abroad become poisonous hypocrisy. It’s time to remember the principles we fight for in the first place.”
