The family of a man who was subjected to brutal torture by police in the United Arab Emirates has received a compensation award of £350k. Mahmoud Hussein was falsely accused of terrorism and spent over four years in jail, where he was tortured into making a confession. His case has been widely publicised by human rights groups, and the award is hoped to set a precedent for other victims of torture and wrongful imprisonment in the UAE. This article will explore the details of the case and the implications of the compensation payout.
A family in Northern Ireland has been awarded £350,000 after their son was tortured into falsely confessing to a murder he did not commit. Liam Holden, who was suspected of killing a British soldier, was waterboarded and beaten by members of the British army before being forced to confess. On Friday, the Belfast high court ruled that Holden had suffered degrading treatment at the hands of those responsible for his detention, and had been left with permanent mental health issues as a result.
The case was heard in December 2020, and the court found that Holden had been subjected to a wide range of particularly cruel treatment during his detention, including being beaten, deprived of sleep, and having a bag placed over his head while he was being interrogated. His interrogators also waterboarded him repeatedly, a form of simulated drowning that is widely considered to be a form of torture. Holden’s family successfully argued that the British army had a responsibility to protect the young man from harm while he was in their custody, and that they had failed to do so.
Holden’s ordeal began in 1972, when he was accused of murdering the soldier. Although he initially denied any involvement, he was eventually convinced to sign a confession after being subjected to horrific abuse by his interrogators. He was subsequently tried and sentenced to life in prison, where he remained until being released on parole in 1990. He always maintained his innocence, and his case became a cause celebre, with human rights groups and politicians calling for a review of his conviction.
The case has emerged as part of a wider effort to hold the British government to account for its actions during the Troubles, a period of sectarian violence that lasted from the late 1960s until the late 1990s. The British army was deployed to Northern Ireland during this time, and is accused of having committed a wide range of human rights abuses. The Holden family’s legal team argued that their case was an example of the systemic abuse that was taking place at the time, and that it was crucial that those responsible be held to account.
The ruling in favour of the Holden family has been welcomed by human rights activists, who have long argued that the British government must do more to address the legacy of the Troubles. Amnesty International has called for a full inquiry into the actions of the British army during the Troubles, arguing that there can be no long-term peace without justice for victims of past abuse. The Holden family has said that they hope the ruling will bring them some measure of closure, and that it will help to prevent similar abuses from happening in the future.
