1. July 2003: European Court passes judgement on Finucane murder
BRITAIN GUILTY OF BREACHING RIGHT TO LIFE
Press Release from the Derry (North of Ireland) based human rights centre
Pat Finucane Centre:
The family of Patrick Finucane welcome the judgment of the European Court of
Human Rights today in Strasbourg. This is the first judicial determination
on the murder of Patrick Finucane that has taken place so far. The Court has
had the benefit of all relevant material on this case since it was submitted in
1995, including the recent report prepared by Sir John Stevens, Commissioner
of the London Metropolitan Police and its ruling affirms once again the
importance of this case and the international concern that persists in relation to it.
The claims by the family of Pat Finucane and many others worldwide that the
RUC and British Army colluded in his murder have now been judged so serious
that the UK Government violated Article 2 of the Convention in not
responding to them adequately or at all. The European Court was persuaded that the
actions of the British State "failed to provide a prompt and effective investigation
into the allegations of collusion by security personnel."
The obvious conclusion that must be drawn from this is that the State could
not and would not investigate itself in this matter because the accusations
it faced were absolutely true. The British Government must now address the
matter in a forthright manner that properly addresses the violations of Article 2
of the Convention and remedies those violations without further delay.
Speaking on behalf of the Finucane family, Michael Finucane, son of the
murdered solicitor and also a practising lawyer, said:
"My family have never been afraid to put our case forward to be tested. Now,
we have a judgment from the highest court in Europe that his right to life
was violated. The UK have been found wanting because they did not properly
protect his life nor investigate his death. It is easy to see why they didn't want
to investigate this murder: they were the instigators and facilitators of it."
"The responsibility for this matter now rests squarely with the British
Government and how they will meet their obligations under the European Convention. It
remains to be seen whether they will take their convention obligations seriously now
that, once again, they have been measured and found wanting. The only way
that the British Government can hope to reclaim any part of its shattered
reputation is by establishing a full, independent judicial public inquiry without any
further delay."
NOTES FOR EDITORS:
Michael Finucane is practising solicitor based in Dublin. He is the eldest
son of Pat Finucane.
Contact tel: (00-353) (0)87 2247898
Background information on the Pat Finucane case and on collusion is available on the website of the
Pat Finucane Centre