Amnesty International concern at terror suspects’ treatment
The report, Dangerously disproportionate: The ever-expanding national security state in Europe, claims “draconian powers” have been rushed through, discriminating against Muslims and refugees and “undermining fundamental freedoms”.
In a section on Ireland, it highlights two deportation cases against people, because of their alleged links to terror groups and the alleged threat they posed.
In the first case, widely reported by the media, a Jordanian man of Palestinian descent was deported to Jordan following a High Court decision on July 6 last.
The State had alleged that the man was the “main recruiter” of IS in Ireland.
Amnesty said it opposed the deportation on the basis the man would be at risk of torture on his return.
“The government successfully argued in court that the man was not at such a risk, because he was so low profile that the Jordanian authorities would not even notice his return,” said the report.
“This was despite an Irish government expert’s affidavit noting the utmost urgency of the deportation, because the man was both a domestic and an international security threat.”
The report said a letter from the Irish Government on July 11 acknowledged that its assessment of the man’s risk on return was governed by the “balancing test expressly prohibited by the European Court of Human Rights”.
It said the letter stated: “All such applications were fully considered and the rights of the individual concerned were weighed and balanced against the rights of the State to ensure the security and safety of the State.”
The report said Amnesty and the man’s lawyers “remain concerned for his safety in Jordan”.
Security sources told thethat Amnesty had access to the case, which was held in public.
“Everything was done correctly,” said the source. “There’s a process in place and the court gave its decision.”
A second case concerned a man subject to a deportation order on alleged national security grounds.
The man was granted refugee status in 2000, but was subsequently convicted of offences in another European country for activities considered to have provided support to a political grouping in his country of origin deemed to be a terror group.
After release from prison and return here, his status was revoked. The Refugee Appeal Tribunal rejected his appeal, but said there was a “substantial risk of serious harm” in his country of origin if deported. The report noted that the minister had declined him leave to remain. The report said that, as it stood, the deportation had not been executed.
Amnesty Ireland director Colm O’Gorman said: “In the wake of a series of appalling attacks, from Paris to Berlin, governments have rushed through a raft of disproportionate and discriminatory laws.” He said EU governments were stripping away human rights “under the guise” of defending them.
A security source said new counter-terrorism measures had to be “proportionate” to the threat being posed.
He added: “There’s no issue with police and security services being subject to scrutiny, but every state is entitled to protect its citizens from terrorism.”
