By IRNA
London : The Guardian newspaper Wednesday said it would legally challenge a High Court ban on the UK press from repeating allegations of abuse of Iraqis by British soldiers.
The Ministry of Defence (MoD) obtained a gagging order to prevent the media from publishing details in a case challenging the refusal to set up an inquiry into the allegations, which lawyers argue is required by the country’s Human Rights Act.
The Guardian, which reported details of the abuse two months ago, said it can now only be described as a “claim for an inquiry into events that took place in Iraq in 2004.”
The MoD has repeatedly said there is no evidence of any wrongdoing by the soldiers in question and the ban is of the kind to prevent a jury from being prejudiced.
Lawyers for the Iraqis’ families want the High Court to force the government to agree to an independent inquiry following the MoD’s refusal to prosecute the alleged perpetrators.
The case is expected to be heard next month when lawyers for the defendants are due to provide further detailed allegations of the abuse.
The case is being brought under the European human rights convention covering the right to life, protection against torture and human or degrading treatment, and unlawful detention.
To counter accusations about the ban, the MoD was reported to be insisting that the gagging order “came about at the initiative of the court.”
“The court has extensive experience in these matters, and the order was made with the consent of both parties in the interests of ensuring that legal processes are not hindered,” the MoD was quoted saying.