Information Note on the Court’s case-law 17

April 2000

Jordan v. the United Kingdom (dec.) - 24746/94

Decision 4.4.2000 [Section III]

Article 2

Article 2-1

Life

Allegations of unlawful killings by or with the collusion of the security forces: admissible

[This sumarry also covers the following decisions of 4 April 2000: McKerr v. the United Kingdom (dec.) (no. 28883/95); Kelly and Others v. the United Kingdom (dec .) (no. 30054/96); and Shanaghan v. the United Kingdom (dec.) (no. 37715/97).]

These four cases concern allegations of unlawful killings by the security forces, or with their connivance, in Northern Ireland. The first applicant’s son was shot and killed by an officer of the Royal Ulster Constabulary in uncertain circumstances. The second applicant’s father was shot by a Royal Ulster Constabulary Home Support Unit in circumstances remaining in dispute after more than ten years of inquest proceedings. In the third application, the applicants’ relatives were killed in an ambush operation organised by the RUC allegedly with the intention of shooting them. In the last application, the applicant’s son, who was an active member of Sinn Fein, was killed while drivin g to his work; the shooting was claimed by a loyalist group but the applicant alleges that members of the police colluded in his death.

Admissible under Article 2.

© Council of Europe/European Court of Human Rights This summary by the Registry does not bind the Court.

Click here for the Case-Law Information Notes