Rights Watch (UK) is extremely concerned that the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) is refusing to disclose ‘sensitive intelligence’ to Office of the Police Ombudsman of Northern Ireland (OPONI) and has done so on more than 100 occasions.
Yasmine Ahmed, Director of Rights Watch (UK) comments that:
“We are deeply concerned that the Police feel it acceptable to withhold information from an independent oversight body such as the OPONI. The OPONI has a security cleared intelligence unit and an agreement with the PSNI about how sensitive material is requested, obtained and dealt with. The PSNI are legally required to provide the Ombudsman with information and we see this as indicative of the PSNI’s reluctance to be held accountable for police wrongdoing.
We are encouraged that the OPONI is taking decisive action by way of a legal challenge to ensure that all relevant information is disclosed. It is unacceptable that the PSNI decides what information can be accessed by an independent oversight mechanism. This fundamentally undermines the independence and efficacy of the OPONI review procedure and raises serious questions as to whether it complies with the investigatory obligation under Article 2 of the ECHR.”
ENDS
For further information contact info@rightsandsecurity.org
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