UK plan to end Troubles prosecutions ‘could breach international law’

European human rights commissioner warns Northern Ireland secretary that amnesty is deeply problematic'

Boris Johnson's plan to impose a statute of limitations to end all prosecutions related to the Troubles before 1998 could be in breach of international law, a European human rights commissioner has told the government.

Dunja Mijatovi of the Council of Europe has written to the secretary of state for Northern Ireland, Brandon Lewis, saying the UK's proposals appear indistinguishable from an unconditional amnesty for those not yet convicted.