A potential landmark case has opened in Northern Ireland that could determine whether former soldiers and retired police officers can be convicted over torture allegations. The Belfast court of appeal will sit for three days to hear the case of the “hooded men”, who were beaten and subjected to severe interrogation techniques at the start of the Troubles. Speaking before the first day of the hearing, Grainne Teggart, Amnesty International’s Northern Ireland campaigns manager, said: “The torture of these men was authorised at the highest levels of government. The investigation must be independent and must get under way without any further delay.”The high court in Belfast ruled in October that the Police Service of Northern Ireland must investigate the unlawful treatment of the 14 men. The European court of human rights rejected the men’s request to have their treatment referred to as torture in March.

Source: The Guardian April 18, 2018 11:22 UTC