“The Troubles,” three decades of sectarian strife in Northern Ireland, deserve to be addressed. But legislation now making its way through the British Parliament seems unlikely to bring closure. Families of victims have waited decades for truth and justice; veterans complain they’ve been demonized. Bill would grant immunity from prosecution to those who committed serious offenses during the Troubles. This is not blanket amnesty, and requires the applicant to cooperate with the commission’s fact-finding. Immunity from prosecution could “reward appalling conduct,” says the Bingham Center for the Rule of Law.
