Abstract
On January 17, 2024, the Republic of Ireland lodged an inter-state complaint in the European Court of Human Rights (“ECtHR”) against the United Kingdom. The complaint came after the United Kingdom passed the Northern Ireland Troubles (Legacy and Reconciliation) Act of 2023. Among other things, the Legacy Act grants immunity to persons who provide information related to any crimes committed during the Troubles, an intense period of political unrest and violence in Northern Ireland between Catholic Republicans and Protestant Loyalists.
To hold the United Kingdom accountable for human rights violations stemming from the Legacy Act, an ECtHR ruling paired with advocacy from civil society and other States will be crucial. Ultimately, by granting immunity to perpetrators of unsolved crimes, the United Kingdom is averting its obligations under domestic, regional, and international human rights law and will continue to do so until the Legacy Act’s amnesty provision is amended or repealed.