29 May 1997 Edition

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Major human rights group slams RUC

Human Rights Watch/Helsinki has recommended that the RUC be reformed with a view to making it ``publicly accountable''.

In a major report on policing in the Six Counties - To Serve Without Favour: Policing, Human Rights and Accountability in Northern Ireland - the group says, ``The emergency regime imposed on Northern Ireland by the British government invests the RUC with expansive police powers to stop, question, search, arrest, detain and interrogate persons merely suspected of terrorist activity''.. It added that ``intimidation and harassment of detainees and lawyers representing them is commonplace in the holding centres''.

The report addresses four ``areas of immediate concern to policing and human rights''. These are the policing of the summer of 1996 marching season, policing under emergency legislation, paramilitary assaults and allegations of collusion between members of the security forces and loyalist paramilitaries.

 


An Phoblacht will carry a full story of the press conference and launch of the report in next weeks issue.

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