Document - United Kingdom/Northern Ireland: Inquiry into the
killing of human rights defender and lawyer Rosemary Nelson
finds serious omissions by state agencies  Public Statement Al
Rawi and Others    AI Index: EUR 45/006/2011  24 May 2011
Yesterday, the UK authorities released the findings of an
inquiry into the death of Rosemary Nelson, a lawyer and
prominent human rights defender, who was killed on 15 March 1999
by a bomb attached to her car in Lurgan, Northern Ireland. In
the years before her death Rosemary Nelson had been subjected to
threats and harassment, including by members of the law
enforcement agencies. The Inquiry found that “the state failed
to take reasonable and proportionate steps to safeguard the life
of Rosemary Nelson”. The government has interpreted the
Inquiry’s conclusions to have completely cleared the authorities
of collusion in the killing of Rosemary Nelson. This response
is, sadly, an example of the United Kingdom government glossing
over the inconvenient findings of an inquir