We are the Gulf Center for Human Rights and we are challenging the government’s decision to weaken the Ministerial Code by completely removing the requirement that ministers comply with international law. 

Since 2011, we have been documenting serious violations of human rights committed against human rights defenders across the Gulf region, detained, tortured or facing the death penalty. We know why government officials must  respect and promote international law. 

“If you believe Ministers should be accountable and uphold human rights in their activities abroad on behalf of the British people - please support our case.”

What has the government done?

On 15 October 2015, the Prime Minister at the time David Cameron quietly removed from the Ministerial Code an overarching duty on Ministers to comply with international law and to uphold the administration of justice. 

The Code has recently been in the headlines after a series of misdemeanours by Tory government ministers such as Priti Patel and Damian Green – both who were forced to resign or quit as ministers for breaching the principles of the code.

Priti Patel, the former Secretary of State for International Development, was forced to resign on 8 November 2017 when she breached the Ministerial Code by holding at least 12 undisclosed meetings with Israeli officials and offered funding to the Israeli Defence Force during her summer holiday in 2017. The code ensured that the minister was held to account for her lack of honesty and transparency. 

Damian Green, the former First Secretary of State was also forced to step down after an investigation found that statements he made concerning allegations that porn had been found on his computer had twice breached the code.

Why does this matter?

The obligation that was removed underpins the government’s respect for human rights and international law on everything from torture, freedom of speech, respect for women's and children's rights to fighting corruption and bribery.

Only 11 days before the changes to the code, the Foreign Office made it very clear human rights were “no longer a top priority” and come second to business interests. 

What happened after that? Human rights and justice were ignored by ministers as they made multimillion arms deals with some of the most oppressive regimes in the world including Saudi Arabia and Bahrain; ministers tried to bypass parliament to trigger Article 50 in order to leave the EU; and Priti Patel almost got away with operating her own policy by attempting to fund the Israeli Defence Force. 

And the cherry on the cake? The government has shown blatant disregard for human rights and is set to welcome the Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia in an official UK visit on 7 March while Saudi human rights defenders are being tortured in prisons!

International law is important  not just to  holding our government to account, but to also ensure that this decision does not motivate oppressive governments around the world to continue ignoring their international human rights obligations.

Doesn’t this government think it needs to comply with international law!?

What we need to do?

In 2016, we took the Prime Minister to court over these changes in the code as we could not simply stand by and witness the erosion of minister’s human rights obligations.Although the High Court refused permission, we have been granted permission to appeal to the Court of Appeal. 

Our hearing is coming up soon and we now really need your help to bring our case to court. Our appeal cannot go ahead unless we can fundraise £2000 to cover the government’s costs in the event we lose.

We cannot afford to allow government to further erode transparency, accountability and human rights. Please help by contributing what you can. Our legal team are acting without payment and have already put in a lot of work to get us this far: Jason Coppel QC; Hannah Slarks and Zac Sammour of 11KBW plus Sue Willman, Adam Hundt and Dan Carey of Deighton Pierce Glynn solicitors.

This is something we all have a stake in. Please contribute what you can to help us succeed.