YOU may well have been surprised to see adverts from Amnesty International on billboards and in newspapers over recent weeks which highlight the role the Human Rights Act played in the Hillsborough inquest.
If you were surprised, you’re not alone. A YouGov poll found that 70 per cent of people in the UK were unaware that the Human Rights Act had any involvement in the historic Hillsborough inquest which returned the conclusion of “unlawful killing” of the 96 football fans earlier this year.
Similarly, 74 per cent of people were unaware that the Human Rights Act is part of Good Friday Peace Agreement which ended the troubles in Northern Ireland.
Given that the Human Rights Act has been the subject of a great deal of myth-pedalling and scapegoating over the years, it’s hardly surprising people don’t know much about its importance.
Yet when Hillsborough relatives and victims of the Northern Ireland troubles are all calling for the Human Rights Act to be kept, we should pay attention and so should the Government.
It’s often something that people only need in their darkest hours, when other avenues of justice have failed them.
We allow it to be scrapped at our peril.
Find out more about Amnesty’s campaign at www.savetheact.uk.
ROBIN PEELER
Chairman, Taunton Group, Amnesty International
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereComments are closed on this article