In Defence of Open Justice
16 August 2012
TUV Leader Jim Allister has expressed concern about the scale and effect of reporting restrictions placed on a case against 5 mainstream republicans, alleging Provisional IRA membership and involvement in activities on behalf of the IRA. The restrictions were imposed earlier this month in Belfast Magistrates Court, where the accused are due to appear again at the end of August in committal proceedings.
Commenting Jim Allister said:-
“Whereas reporting restrictions are often used in sex cases to protect the identity of victims, where there is a family connection with the accused, or in juvenile cases, the general expectation is of full public disclosure concerning those accused of criminal offences. The starting point is that the administration of justice must be done in public. The open justice principle is clearly recognised by the courts and by Parliament. The common law has been supplemented in this respect by statute, leaving such full reporting restrictions, as in this case, quite exceptional.
“It is extremely rare in a Diplock case for names of accused to be withheld. The fact that accused may be aligned to Sinn Fein and the so called ‘mainstream republican movement’ should not be a consideration, however politically inconvenient the prosecutions might be.
“Likewise, it is imperative that the PPS resists any behind-the-scenes pressure to drop these prosecutions. The public interest requires pursuit of the case. I will, of course, be following the matter closely to see that justice is done.”
