LONDON (AP) 鈥 A new law that gives immunity from prosecution for most offenses committed during Northern Ireland's decades of sectarian violence is not compliant with human rights, a judge in Belfast ruled Wednesday.
The British government's , passed in September, stops most prosecutions for alleged killings by militant groups and during 鈥渢he Troubles鈥 鈥 the period in Northern Ireland from the 1960s to the '90s in which more than 3,500 people died.
The law was widely opposed by people in Northern Ireland and the Irish government. Critics say it shuts down access to justice for victims and survivors.
Ruling in a legal challenge brought by victims and their families, Justice Adrian Colton said the law's provision for conditional immunity from prosecution breaches the European Convention on Human Rights.
The judge also said the law will not contribute to peace in Northern Ireland.
鈥淭here is no evidence that the granting of immunity under the act will in any way contribute to reconciliation in Northern Ireland; indeed the evidence is to the contrary," he said at Belfast High Court.
However, Colton ruled that a new body set up to probe Troubles killings, to be loosely modeled on South Africa鈥檚 post-apartheid Truth and Reconciliation Commission, could carry out human rights-compliant investigations.
Britain's government said it will consider the ruling carefully but added that it remained 鈥渃ommitted鈥 to implementing the legacy bill.
Amnesty International said there were 鈥渟ignificant questions鈥 for Britain's government to answer, and urged officials to repeal the law.
鈥淭he core part of this legislation was the immunity from prosecution. That has now been stripped out, struck out from the law. So it鈥檚 back to Parliament and back to the U.K. government about what they are going to do next,鈥 said Grainne Teggart of Amnesty.
In December, the Irish government launched a separate against Britain鈥檚 government over the Troubles law at the European Court of Human Rights.
The 1998 largely ended violence in Northern Ireland, and British authorities say the law will allow the country to move on.
But those who lost loved ones have said the law would airbrush the past and allow killers to get away with murder. Dozens of legacy inquests have yet to be heard.
Martina Dillon, who was among those who brought the case, said she will 鈥渇ight until I get truth and justice.鈥 Her husband, Seamus, was shot dead in 1997.
Ongoing lawsuits include a case brought against by three people who were wounded in bombings attributed to the Irish Republican Army more than 50 years ago.
The case is likely to be one of the last court efforts by victims seeking justice.
