Rosemary Nelson was an internationally known and respected human rights lawyer. Rosemary was 40 years of age when she died. She was a wife to Paul Nelson and a mother to Gavin (13), Christopher (11) and Sarah (8). Rosemary studied for her law degree at Queen's University, Belfast. After working for other solicitors for a number of years, Rosemary became the first female solicitor to open her own practice in her native town. The weekend immediately prior to her death marked the tenth 'birthday' of her practice.
Rosemary was a consummate professional, dedicated to the cause of justice and committed to the universal enjoyment of human rights. She never lost her capacity to be outraged when people's rights were abused. Rosemary used her considerable experience of the law to try and ensure that rights were translated into reality. Rosemary acted in several high profile human rights cases.
Despite the threats to her life associated with her work as a human rights defender Rosemary was courageous and retained a common humanity. She was obstructed in the execution of her professional duties in contravention of the United Nations Basic Principles on the Role of Lawyers which state: "Governments shall ensure that lawyers (a) are able to perform all of their professional functions without intimidation, hindrance, harassment or improper interference; (b) are able to travel and to consult with their clients freely both within their own country and abroad; and (c) shall not suffer, or be threatened with, prosecution or administrative, economic or other sanctions for any action taken in accordance with recognized professional duties, standards and ethics" (Principle 16) and "lawyers shall not be identified with their clients or their clients' causes as a result of discharging their functions" (Principle 18). Members of the official police agency in Northern Ireland, the RUC, issued death threats against Rosemary. Rosemary's murder threatens the rule of law and all human rights' defenders in Ireland. It is essential, for Rosemary and her family and for the future protection of human rights in Ireland, that the truth surrounding the circumstances of her murder be told. Given the death threats issued against Rosemary Nelson by the RUC when she was alive they cannot now be viewed as independent and capable of carrying out an adequate or effective investigation into her murder. A fully independent international investigation and a fully independent international judicial inquiry are the only satisfactory means whereby the truth about the murder of Rosemary Nelson will be established.