NEWS FROM THE CELTIC LEAGUE
The Dublin government has announced it’s going ahead with the establishment of a further Special Criminal Court and seven judges are to be appointed.
The Special Courts are juryless and although originally designed to deal with terrorist cases have also been used for serious organised crime cases. A wiki link which gives background to the Courts can be found here:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special_Criminal_Court
The Belfast government also continues to use juryless Courts. ‘Diplock Courts’ (as they are termed) were introduced about the same time as the most recent incarnation of their 26 county equivalents.
Both systems of juryless Court systems have been repeatedly condemned by International Rights bodies including the United Nations Human Rights Committee.
The UK government did indicate almost a decade ago that it might do away with the Diplock system, which coincidentally has a link to the theories of infamous British Army counter-insurgency strategist Frank Kitson, however they simply reconstituted them in a different form.
There’s a Wiki link to the Diplock Courts here:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diplock_courts
Paradoxically Frank Kitson is being sued himself in the Belfast Courts no doubt if his case ever gets of the ground he will want it to be dealt with by the normal court system (link):
The Celtic League, as a fully accredited United Nations NGO, believes that Court systems of this type which have been condemned internationally by the UN have no place in a modern democratic society a return to jury trial (in both the 6 and 26 Counties of Ireland) should be expedited.
BERNARD MOFFATT
Issued by: The Celtic News
29/10/15
THE CELTIC LEAGUE INFORMATION SERVICE.
The Celtic League established in 1961 has branches in the six Celtic Countries. It promotes cooperation between the countries and campaigns on a range of political, cultural and environmental matters. It highlights human rights abuse, military activity and socio-economic issues