A LAW firm involved in representing around 50 former internees is seeking to challenge the British government on its amendments to their controversial Legacy Bill which will deny victims of internment any form of redress.

Following the quashing of the conviction for false internment of former Sinn Féin President Gerry Adams, many other convictions were quashed because by law all internment orders were to have been personally signed by the British Secretary of State at the time. Several cases are now advancing through the courts for victims to be able to seek redress.

The amendment introduced to the Legacy Bill in the British House of Lords this week seeks to shut down these civil actions by retrospectively making these defective custody orders legal, meaning victims of internment will no longer be able to claim damages from the British government for their illegal detention in the early 1970s.

Gary Duffy of KRW Law’s conflict litigation department said a number of their clients did not have access to their original internment orders and have asked the Public Records Office (PRONI) for them. The effort of obtaining these has been so slow that a judicial review has now been taken against PRONI to speed the process up.

Solicitor Gary Duffy added: "If the proposed amendment to the Legacy Bill is passed by the House of Commons then it will amount to the most draconian and excessive kind of political interference in the judicial process and in an individual’s right to obtain justice for egregious human rights breaches. 

“Unfortunately, the amendment and the closing of legal agitation is entirely consistent with the wider goal of the Legacy Bill. While this is a particularly blatant attempt to usurp the role of the courts in the interests of wider political expediency, it is sadly an example of what lies ahead for all Troubles-related victims.

“It is disappointing that after months of wrangling with PRONI to access our clients detention records, including a successful judicial review, that we received a number of files on the day the amendment was announced that clearly show breaches of the detention procedure. 

“We feel that this is more than coincidental and in fact it would seem that the State was aware of the number of cases coming down the track and have acted now to prevent people from enforcing their rights.”