In a rare application, the Irish government is taking Britain to court over torture allegations. International human rights lawyer Amal Clooney is part of a legal team representing a group known as the "hooded men" in an interstate case before the European Court with Belfast law firm KRW Law.The men allege they were tortured when they were held without trial in Northern Ireland in August 1971. The 10 are from a group of 14 who allege they were tortured by being hooded, forced to listen to constant loud static noise, deprived of sleep, food and water, forced to stand in a stress position and beaten if they fell, the BBC reports. Some were also thrown from helicopters while their heads were covered with hoods.
Overturned
The case originally came before the European Commission on Human Rights which in 1976 upheld a complaint by the Irish government that the men had been tortured. However, this was later appealed and the ruling overturned. The European Court ruled that the men had been subjected to inhumane and degrading treatment, but not torture. Sources: The Guardian; BBC
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