Victims of miscarriages of justice should come forward - Coiste na n-Iarchimí

Coiste na n-Iarchimí has appealed for former political prisoners who feel they have been the victims of miscarriages of justice to come forward.
The call comes after three Derry men appeared in Belfast’s Court of Appeal last Friday where they were due to see their convictions overturned.
Although the case was adjourned, senior Counsel for the Crown has already told the Court of Appeal that they “do not seek to stand over the convictions” of Peter McDonald, Eric Wright and James Brown, who were 16 years old when they were arrested and jailed in the mid 1970s.
“That in effect concedes that these men have been victims of a miscarriage of justice,” Coiste’s Jim McVeigh said at a press conference last Friday.
“Very soon these men will be found innocent after many years of persistent campaigning but this is only the most recent in a line of similar cases that have been sent back to the Court of Appeal by the Criminal Case Review Commission (CCRC).
“All of them have made allegations of torture, some including waterboarding and electric shock treatment, and ill-treatment at the hands of their RUC interrogators. Others have maintained that statements were fabricated by the RUC or indeed that other vital evidence that would have proven their innocence was suppressed by detectives in order to secure convictions.”
Jim estimates that there could be hundreds of cases that will eventually see convictions quashed, but that, he says, is only “the tip of the iceberg”.
“Coiste na n-Iarchimí has been contacted by dozens of former political prisoners who have sought assistance in preparing applications for the CCRC. Dozens of others have gone to their solicitors who are currently preparing applications on their behalf. These cases are, in our view, clearly only the tip of the iceberg.”
Peter McDonald and three other people who have initiated proceedings in a bid to see their convictions quashed detailed their stories at the press conference.
Peter McDonald, Charlie McMenamin, Breige-Anne McCaughley and Liam Coogan all told of being tortured until they signed statements that saw them locked up when they were teenagers.
Coiste Chairman Raymond McCartney said the accounts reflect the inadequacy of the Diplock courts which were established in the North in 1972.
“These are very emotional circumstances7 and I want to thank the speakers for opening up on such personal terms,” he said.
“What we have heard here is a damning indictment of the Diplock system.”
While all of the speakers came from nationalist backgrounds, Jim was keen to point out that the issue is not one that is exclusive to nationalist communities.
“While many of these people have been individuals from the nationalist community, this is not an issue restricted to one community. A number of individuals from the unionist community have also been successful in having their convictions overturned.
“This is not an issue simply for republicans or loyalists, this is an issue of human rights and justice.”
Coiste na n-Iarchimí can be contacted on 90 200770.