Human rights roundup: Gaza acquitting, Google snooping and grade suing

24 September 2010 by Adam Wagner

Some of this week’s human rights news, in bite-size form. The full list of our external links can be found on the right sidebar or here:

Judge’s veiled criticism of Israeli actions in Gaza causes a legal dilemma – Joshua Rozenberg: I posted on this in July (see here). A judge in a criminal damage case gave what appears to be a biased summing up to the jury, expressing political views about the war 2008/9 Gaza. Joshua Rozenberg asks what, if anything, can be done about it.

Mental health tender criteria ‘discriminate against smaller firms’ – The Law Gazette – More trouble for the Legal Services Commission? The Law Society are already judicially reviewing their tender for family legal aid work.

UK requested user details from Google 1,000 times in 6 months – BBC News: Google have published  its latest “Transparency Report”. You can see an interactive map of Government requests for information here. The UK asked requested user information 1,342 times in the first six months of 2010, second only to the Unites States and Brazil.

New environmental protective costs order case: limited companies shouldn’t be protected like members of the public: See Rachel Marcus’ post on the case. This will be dealt with more fully next week, and could have a big impact for community groups’ ability to challenge planning decisions.

Baby P mother denied inquest representation funding – BBC news: It would appear that this decision is being appealed, and we will report on whatever decision is reached. For a sneak peak of the legal principles involved in public funding for inquests, see our post on the 7/7 bomber’s wife who was denied funding for the 7/7 inquest. There needs to be a “significant wider public interest” and the funding needs to “”enable the coroner to carry out an effective investigation into the death”. My instinct is that Baby Peter’s mother would be able to offer more insight into the death of her son than the 7/7 bomber’s wife could into her husband’s radicalisation, but who knows what the Administrative Court will think.

Making a freedom of information request? These internal FOI policy documents will help – The Information Commissioner’s Office has recently disclosed all of its “Lines to Take” policy documents which set out how the ICO approaches certain types of Freedom of Information complaints.

How can the UK be the ‘first safe country’ in which to claim asylum? – Corinna Ferguson, Liberty – A very useful summary of the legal foundations of the asylum system.

Student sues university over inadequate supervision – 11KBW Education Law Blog – 11 KBW’s Education Law Blog say the student is unlikely to succeed as courts have been reluctant to get into marking/academic outcomes in the past. The case has been widely reported. Afua Hirsch surveys some similar cases here.

And don’t forget our recent posts…

• Eviction of council tenants was breach of human rights September 23, 2010 Rosalind English
• When is access to environmental justice “prohibitively expensive”? September 22, 2010 Rachel Marcus
• The future of the Human Rights Act, a reminder September  22, 2010 Adam Wagner
• Top judge says legal aid in family cases may disappear September 21, 2010 Adam Wagner
• Open for your comments September 21, 2010 1 Crown Office Row
• Does Nick Clegg want prisoners to vote? September 20, 2010 Adam Wagner
• Media freedom under review September 20, 2010 Adam Wagner

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