Report: The crisis of the Human Rights framework of the Belfast / Good Friday Agreement

International lawyers assert multiple breaches of human rights and international law by the UK Government in Northern Ireland ahead of the 25th anniversary of the Belfast/Good Friday Agreement.

Read the full report here.

An international delegation of lawyers from Europe, South Africa, and the United States of America (‘the Delegation’) visited Northern Ireland between 28 September 2022 and 4 October 2022 to talk to human rights organisations, victims’ groups, and trade unions to hear their concerns regarding the state of the peace process and human rights in Northern Ireland ahead of the 25th anniversary of the Belfast/Good Friday Agreement (B/GFA).

The Delegation included prominent international lawyers from the European Lawyers for Democracy and Human Rights and the International Association of Democratic Lawyers. It also conducted a series of Zoom interviews with human rights organisations, victims’ groups and trade unions over the summer of 2022.

Interviews were held with the Migrant Centre NI; the NI Human Rights Consortium; Relatives for Justice; the Pat Finucane Centre; the WAVE Trauma Centre; Committee on the Administration of Justice; the Equality Coalition; the Human Rights Committee of the Law Society of Northern Ireland; and academics from the Transitional Justice Institute.

The Delegation believes, considering the evidence it has heard and reviewed, that there is an attempt by the present UK Government to unilaterally dismantle the human rights framework of the B/GFA, which is the foundation for peace in the region. The Delegation will disseminate their findings to their influential national associations of human rights lawyers. The report will also be sent to the UK Government, the Irish Government, the EU Commission, and the United States government. The Delegation consider this period to be a crucial moment in Irish history and is pleased to play its part in safeguarding human rights in Northern Ireland.

Thomas Schmidt, Co-Secretary General of the European Association of Lawyers for Democracy and Human Rights (ELDH), said,

“The Delegation was disturbed to hear evidence about the regression of human rights standards in Northern Ireland. We are aware that the 25th anniversary of the Belfast/Good Friday Agreement will occur next month. Now is the time for the UK Government to urgently commit to realising human rights in Northern Ireland.”