Lawyers acting for Iraqi victims of torture have launched legal proceedings against the British government for failing to ban hooding in its new guidelines to security agents and service personnel. Public Interest Lawyers (PIL) said the new guidance announced by Prime Minister David Cameron in July explicitly permitted the use of hooding of prisoners, despite the recognised serious health risks associated with the practice, particularly in the heat of Iraq and Afghanistan. “The re-emergence of this practice was critical in Baha Mousa’s death. The Government does Baha Mousa and the inquiry into his death a disservice by presuming to re-introduce this barbaric practice even before that inquiry has a chance to report.” said PIL founder Phil Shiner. The year long inquiry into the 2003 death of Mousa, a Basra hotel receptionist, while in British custody, is due to consider what lessons the Ministry of Defence (MoD) has learnt from the tragedy.
TORTURE VICTIMS CHALLENGE UK HOODING
Lawyers acting for Iraqi victims of torture have launched legal proceedings against the British government for failing to ban hooding in its new guidelines to security agents and service personnel
