| Subject: Nelson Case |
Author:
Amnesty
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Date Posted: 18:40:07 08/13/02 Tue
In reply to:
Irish News
's message, "Serial Killings" on 18:11:27 08/13/02 Tue
>AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL
>
>Public Statement
>
>AI Index: EUR 45/006/2002 (Public)
>News Service No: 97
>10 June 2002
>
>United Kingdom: chief suspect in the killing of human
>rights defender Rosemary Nelson is found dead in his
>cell at Maghaberry Prison
>
>
>Mark Fulton, a 42-year-old leading member of the
>Loyalist Volunteer Force (LVF) -- one of Northern
>Ireland's main Loyalist paramilitary groups -- was
>found dead in his cell, reportedly lying on a bed with
>a belt around his neck, at Maghaberry prison, Co
>Antrim, Northern Ireland. Mark Fulton had been named,
>as a key suspect, for the loyalist murders of human
>rights lawyer Rosemary Nelson and of Sunday World
>newspaper journalist Martin O'Hagan.
>
>Mark Fulton, originally from Portadown, Co Armagh,
>Northern Ireland, had been on remand awaiting trial on
>charges of conspiracy to murder Rodney Jennett. He was
>a close associate of Billy Wright, the founder of the
>LVF who was shot dead in the Maze prison in December
>1997 by two Irish National Liberation Army (INLA)
>prisoners. There have been reports that Mark Fulton
>had received death threats from the INLA and that he
>feared for his life. He had also been reported as
>suffering from bouts of depression.
>
>Given the death threats Mark Fulton had reportedly
>received from the INLA, his alleged involvement in the
>killing of Rosemary Nelson, as well as the allegations
>of official collusion in the latter, it is imperative
>that, if any doubts as to how he came to die are to be
>put to rest, an independent investigation into all the
>circumstances surrounding his death, including what
>measures for his protection were in place, be
>conducted as promptly as possible.
>
>The Police Service of Northern Ireland has reportedly
>opened an investigation into the circumstances of his
>death, and is allegedly treating it as suspicious,
>despite media reports suggesting that Mark Fulton
>might have taken his own life.
>
>Amnesty International is calling on the authorities to
>ensure that the investigation into Mark Fulton's death
>be thorough, independent and impartial, and that its
>remit include all the circumstances surrounding his
>death. This was required by a number of recent
>judgments (Jordan, McKerr, Kelly and others,
>Shanaghan, McShane) of the European Court of Human
>Rights arising from deaths in disputed circumstances
>in Northern Ireland. In those judgments the Court
>concluded that investigation procedures had violated
>the state's obligations to respect and protect the
>right to life, enshrined in Article 2 of the European
>Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and
>Fundamental Freedoms.
>
>Amnesty International also urges the authorities to
>ensure that Mark Fulton's family are made aware of
>their right to have an independent forensic
>pathologist present at the post-mortem examination in
>accordance with Principle 16 of the UN Principles on
>the Effective Prevention and Investigation of
>Extra-legal, Arbitrary and Summary Executions.1
>
>1 Principle 16 of the UN Principles on the Effective
>Prevention and Investigation of Extra-legal, Arbitrary
>and Summary Executions states: "Families of the
>deceased and their legal representatives shall be
>informed of, and have access to any hearing as well as
>to all information relevant to the investigation, and
>shall be entitled to present other evidence. The
>family of the deceased shall have the right to insist
>that a medical or other qualified representative be
>present at the autopsy. When the identity of a
>deceased person has been determined, a notification of
>death shall be posted, and the family or relatives of
>the deceased shall be informed immediately. The body
>of the deceased shall be returned to them upon
>completion of the investigation." Public Document
>****************************************
>For more information please call Amnesty
>International's press office in London, UK, on +44 20
>7413 5566
>Amnesty International, 1 Easton St., London WC1X 0DW.
>web: http://www.amnesty.org
>
>For latest human rights news view
>http://news.amnesty.org
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