Prime Minister undermines obligation to hold independent inquiry into UK torture complicity

Freedom from Torture is dismayed that the the Prime Minister has rolled back from his 2010 promise to re-establish an independent, judge-led inquiry into UK involvement in torture and rendition.

Yesterday David Cameron told Parliament that “the right approach…is [that] the ISC (Intelligence and Security Committee) has agreed to look at these issues."

Sonya Sceats, Director of Policy and Advocacy, Freedom from Torture, said:

“The UK is required by international law to hold an independent inquiry into collusion by our intelligence agencies in torture. That can never be achieved by the Intelligence and Security Committee so long as the government retains veto powers over what evidence it may consider and what may be published afterwards.

It beggars belief that the Prime Minister chose to undermine this obligation on the very same day as the Foreign Office held a reception to celebrate UN laws on torture prevention.

An independent, judicial inquiry remains essential to get to the bottom of what happened, support those working inside the intelligence services to prevent further British involvement in torture, and deliver justice for the survivors who endured unspeakable brutality at the hands of our security partners in Libya and elsewhere."