Rights group says it would assist Corrib detainees if asked

The Human Rights Commission would consider any request for assistance from lawyers for the five men being held in jail for contempt…

The Human Rights Commission would consider any request for assistance from lawyers for the five men being held in jail for contempt of court in relation to the Corrib gas pipeline, according to a spokeswoman.

This follows a suggestion from human rights lawyer Donncha O'Connell that the commission could intervene as an amicus curiae (friend of the court), raising human rights or other issues, when the case next came up for consideration. The suggestion came at a public meeting in support of the men addressed by Mr O'Connell, a lecturer in law in NUI Galway, and others in Galway on Monday.

He said that the Human Rights Commission had the statutory power to intervene in such a court case in order to raise such issues.

The spokeswoman said that any request would be considered under the European Convention on Human Rights Act, in the light of the commission's published guidelines.

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These included considering the human rights issues involved in the case and whether they affected a significant number of people, as well as those directly involved in the case.

She added that no such request had been received as yet.