Rosemary Nelson

the life and death of a human rights defender

European Parliament on the Murder of Rosemary Nelson

- having regard to its resolutions on the peace process in Northern Ireland,

whereas Rosemary Nelson, a leading human rights lawyer, was murdered in a car bomb attack while leaving her home on 15 March 1999,
whereas many of Ms Nelson's clients over the last 10 years were people detained for questioning about alleged politically motivated offences,
whereas Ms Nelson testified to the US Congressional SubCommittee on International Operations and human rights in September 1998 on the death threats, harassment, physical and verbal abuse she claimed to receive from officers of the Royal Ulster Constabulary (RUC),
whereas the Independent Commission for Police Complaints (ICPC) report on the investigation into alleged threats against Rosemary Nelson concluded that there were a number of serious concerns,
whereas RUC Chief Constable Ronnie Flanagan announced that the investigation into the murder would be undertaken by the RUC but overseen by David Philips, a UK Chief Constable, with assistance from the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI),
whereas the United National Special Rapporteur, Dato Param Cumaraswamy, reporting to the United Nations Human Rights Committee on the shooting of another Irish lawyer, Pat Finucane, 10 years ago, has criticised the RUC for failing to take note of complaints that defence lawyers has been harassed and intimidated by the police,

Condemns the murder of Rosemary Nelson and offers its condolences to her family, friends and colleagues;
Calls for the police investigation into her murder to be conducted by an independent team of investigators, as a guarantee of the objectivity of the investigation and the only way to be assured of the confidence and cooperation of the public;
Furthermore, calls for a full independent judicial enquiry into all of the circumstances surrounding the murder of Ms Nelson;
Believes that any democratic society should ensure the safety of members of the legal profession and that such people should not be in danger of assassination because of their work;
Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the British and Irish governments, the governments of the Member States, the UN Special Rapporteur on the Independence of Judges and Lawyers and the Royal Ulster Constabulary.