British state impunity in North and Britain highlighted at event in London

Campaigners, lawyers, bereaved families and human rights NGOs have taken part in day-long series of workshops examining the "enduring problem of state impunity" in the North and Britain.

'State Impunity and Injustice: Northern Ireland, Britain, and the Fight for  Accountability' took place in St Ethelburga’s Centre for Reconciliation and Peace in London, on June 30.

It was co-hosted by the Pat Finucane Centre (PFC), the Committee on the Administration of Justice (CAJ), INQUEST, and the International Expert Panel  convened by the Norwegian Centre for Human Rights. 

The first panel addressed the legacy of the conflict in the North, drawing on the  2024 Bitter Legacy report; legal developments in the Sean Brown case; and the impact  of the British Government’s Northern Ireland Troubles (Legacy and Reconciliation) Act. 

The second panel explored how similar patterns of impunity play out in the investigation  of deaths in custody and other deaths in Britain – such as Grenfell and Hillsborough.

It  considered the role and limitations of inquests and public inquiries, and reflected on  how legal action, campaigning and public pressure have driven systemic change. 

John Finucane MP (Sinn Féin) was among those in attendance. Many in the audience  have been directly involved in challenging state violence, cover-up and denial in both  Northern Ireland and Britain. 

Held at a centre dedicated to reconciliation and peace, the event emphasised how legal  strategies, public pressure, and solidarity between campaigns can challenge  institutional failures to investigate and prevent state-related deaths. 

Renowned human rights solicitor Gareth Peirce, part of the legal team representing a  member of Irish rap group Kneecap facing a terrorism charge, spoke in a personal  capacity on the patterns of impunity she has seen across decades.

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Peirce has  previously represented Gerry Conlon and the Guildford Four, the Birmingham Six,  WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange, and Guantánamo detainees, and remains active in  resisting state abuse of power. 

Brian Dooley, Senior Advisor at Human Rights First, commented: “The Northern Ireland conflict was and still is too often a blind spot for much of Britain.  Levels of knowledge about what happened, and is still happening, are shockingly low,  even among those who are otherwise well informed about politics.

"It’s vital to bring these issues to London and other major centres in Britain to help  educate the public.

"The event demonstrated how patterns of secrecy, delay, and denial continue to  undermine justice and accountability in both Northern Ireland and Britain, and  highlighted the importance of solidarity between campaigns confronting state harm in  all its forms."