webofevil: (Default)
webofevil ([personal profile] webofevil) wrote2008-03-28 12:44 pm

A massive milestone in human rights law

Enough, cynics! You’ve had your day. The Ministry of Defence has made a historic decision that edifies us all: it is due to admit that when British soldiers beat to death an innocent Iraqi hotel receptionist in 2003, although no soldiers were ever found guilty of his murder, the army breached his human rights.

We can only pray that the next step, as with the Metropolitan Police, is for a prosecution to be brought on the grounds of health and safety.

(deleted comment)

[identity profile] webofevil.livejournal.com 2008-03-28 02:47 pm (UTC)(link)
I think you might be right. I might be suggesting that in beating him to death the perpetrators might have allegedly been guilty of slightly more than breaching his human rights—but I won’t make any definite assertions about their having failed to follow best practice, for fear that I would, in turn, breach theirs.

[identity profile] chiller.livejournal.com 2008-03-28 02:19 pm (UTC)(link)
I wonder when all crime will be defined as a "breach of human responsibility", thus avoiding any unpleasant stigma &c &c.