Dominic Raab: he has spoken pretty words about human rights in the past, but apparently the human rights of young boys who were sexually abused in youth detention centres mean nothing to him.
Thousands of men say they were sexually abused at youth detention centres when they were young boys but Dominic Raab has refused to launch a public inquiry. Why?
That is the purpose of a judicial review demand that has been launched in the courts.
Raab has avoided commenting on the reasons for his decision – because the judicial review claim is taking place. Justice minister Damian Hinds, responding to a Parliamentary question, said it would be inappropriate to comment while legal proceedings are ongoing.
He did say the government has “the deepest sympathy for the men who suffered sexual or physical abuse while detained at Medomsley Detention Centre”.
But Medomsley is not the only place where these abuses are said to have happened.
It is true that more than 2,000 victims have come forward from Medomsley, but others have reported mistreatment at centres across England between the 1960s and the 1980s.
Several were raped and sexually abused by guards as children, and although several men have been prosecuted, survivors say the full extent of the horrors they suffered has not been properly investigated.
Lawyer David Greenwood said he had personally received reports of abuse at “every youth detention centre in the country” in the 1970s and 1980s.
Mr Greenwood, the head of child abuse at Switalskis Solicitors, said he had been contacted by 160 people held at the former Eastwood Park youth detention centre in Gloucestershire, but believes the true number of victims there will be more than 1,000.
Claimants argue that Mr Raab’s decision was legally “irrational” and violates obligations under human rights laws, including the freedom from torture and inhuman or degrading treatment.
A judicial review may overturn Raab’s decision and get an inquiry launched – and obviously this would be good for justice.
But will it tell us why Dominic Raab decided not to launch one in the first place?
For me, that is the important question.
We already know of many abuses that have taken place in these detention centres and it is clearly in the interests of justice to know how far the rot extended.
Raab – as the Secretary of State for Justice – has obstructed this.
I think we should be told the Justice Secretary’s reasons for wanting to hinder the course of justice.
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