Move to have IMC declared unlawful

Sinn Féin MP for Newry/Armagh Conor Murphy revealed this week that papers have been lodged in the High Court in London seeking to have the establishment of the so-called Independent Monitoring Commission (IMC) declared unlawful.

Speaking on Wednesday Conor Murphy said: "When the IMC was established Sinn Féin made clear our absolute opposition to this body. It was established outside the terms of the Good Friday Agreement and has proven itself to be little more than a tool of anti-Peace Process securocrats.

" The decision to challenge the legality of the IMC is the latest stage in our legal and political campaign against the IMC and the cover it has provided for the British Government to sanction and discriminate against our electorate.

"In this case we will be arguing that the establishment of the IMC was unlawful. We will be arguing that the IMC should be declared unlawful on the grounds of apparent bias and lack of any application of standards of proof.

"We are seeking the reports of the IMC to date declared void and the reliance on these reports by the British Secretary of State declared unlawful.

"Sinn Féin has consistently rejected the IMC and their attacks on our party and electorate. It is undemocratic, unaccountable and entirely unacceptable and our campaign to ensure that the British government returns to the Good Friday Agreement position on sanctions against those in breach of the GFA will continue."