14/03/2003

NIHRC call for public inquiry into Nelson murder

Ahead of the fourth anniversary of the murder of human rights lawyer Rosemary Nelson, the Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission has re-stated its call for a public inquiry into the killing.

In a statement today, the Commission said it "regrets very much" that police inquires have so far not resulted in anyone being charged over the murder. The Commission added that the failure of the police investigation made a public inquiry "all the more necessary and urgent".

Earlier this week the Commission met with Judge Peter Cory to learn what progress he has been able to make to date and it provided him with information which the Commission itself has collected on some of the cases.

A retired Canadian judge, Judge Cory was appointed last year to carry out a review of several controversial killings in Northern Ireland. The judge has been tasked to make recommendations as to whether pubic inquiries should be held into any of the killings.

During the meeting, the Commission stressed that on the back of its own review, it had already come to the conclusion (announced last year) that independent international public judicial inquiries are required in relation to the murders of Patrick Finucane in 1989, Billy Wright in 1997 and Rosemary Nelson in 1999.

The Chief Commissioner of the Human Rights Commission, Professor Brice Dickson, said: "We are all keen to hear later this year what Judge Cory concludes in relation to the six incidents he is investigating and we are sure he is being as thorough as he can be. But with respect to three of the cases the Commission is already sufficiently convinced of the need for a public inquiry."

(GMcG)

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