Ulster Human Rights Watch is calling on the Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission to give the Independent Commission for Reconciliation and Information Recovery (ICRIR) a chance to prove itself before rushing to pre-judge its work and handing out brickbats.
UHRW Advocacy Manager Axel Schmidt said: “The assertions made by the Chief Commissioner of the NI Human Rights Commission lack even the flimsiest of evidence.
“The comments seek to undermine the ICRIR are paint a picture of it lacking independence. This flies in the face of High Court and Appeal Court rulings as well as UK Supreme Court determination, which is conveniently overlooked or ignored by Chief Commissioner.
“It would be far better, and certainly a more productive route to take, if the Human Rights body adopted a more constructive position before rushing to pre-judge the work of the ICRIR and handing out brickbats.
“Calling into question those who lead the ICRIR is akin to doing it down before it properly gets off the starting line.
“UHRW has a productive and business-like relationship with the ICRIR and in all dealings, we have found it to be open, transparent and willing to do its best. At no point, or in any case, did we see it seeking to obfuscate or frustrate.
“We will judge the ICRIR on the work it does for victims of terrorism – all victims of crime. Sadly, the Human Rights Commission doesn’t appear willing to give it the same opportunity which reflects poorly on that body and the people who are charged with ensuring human rights are upheld.”