Tony Taylor's continued incarceration raised with European human rights commissioner

The continued incarceration of Derry republican Tony Taylor has been raised with the Council of Europe's Commissioner for Human Rights, Nils Muižnieks.
Tony Taylor with his family.Tony Taylor with his family.
Tony Taylor with his family.

Sinn Féin’s representative to the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE), Seán Crowe, T.D. asked the human rights chief to look into the case of Mr. Taylor, who has been in prison for almost two years after having had his licence revoked by the erstwhile Secretary of State for the North, Theresa Villiers in 2016.

Deputy Seán Crowe said: “In the PACE, I informed Commissioner Muižnieks that Tony Taylor was arrested and his early release licence under the Good Friday Agreement was revoked by the previous British Secretary of State, and that he was detained in Maghaberry Prison in March 2016 without having been charged, questioned or allowed legal representation.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

“I informed the Commissioner that in the course of Tony Taylor’s detention, no evidence has been produced which could in any way justify his continued detention, nor indeed his arrest in March 2016."

The Sinn Féin T.D. urged Commissioner Muižnieks to demand that Britain grant Mr. Taylor due process via the courts.

“I said Tony Taylor’s detention in this way fuels the perception of a form of legalised interment by remand. It is a violation of his fundamental human rights and a subversion of due process.

“I asked the Commissioner to look into Tony Taylor’s case and I welcome his commitment on the floor of PACE to do so.

“In his reply he also committed to continuing to support ongoing human rights legacy cases in the North and this is also welcome.”

Related topics: