Rights organisations urge Biden to help protect Good Friday Agreement

Rights organisations urge Biden to help protect Good Friday Agreement

Human rights organisations have urged US president-elect Joe Biden to help protect the Good Friday Agreement as the UK reaches the end of the Brexit transition period.

A briefing paper signed by 14 organisations north and south of the border was sent to Biden’s transition team, in particular to those leading on European policy.

The short paper sets out concerns about the UK government’s controversial Internal Market Bill, the possibility of the UK leaving the European Convention on Human Rights, and the continued implementation of EU labour, anti-discrimination and environmental standards after the transition period ends.

Amnesty International, the Belfast-based Committee on the Administration of Justice (CAJ), the Irish Council for Civil Liberties (ICCL), legal rights group FLAC, the Children’s Rights Alliance and the Irish Congress of Trade Unions (ICTU) are among the organisations who put their names to the paper.

It concludes: “We would be grateful for the continued support of the president-elect and his transition team in securing necessary protections for the Good Friday Agreement, particularly its human rights and equality provisions, as the effects of Brexit continue to materialise.

“In particular, we would urge the transition team where possible to initiate a deeper conversation with British and Irish representatives, bringing the specific points made above to their attention.

“We stand ready to provide further assistance and analysis for the president-elect’s team in relation to any of these areas. “

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