Mohammed (Serdar) v Ministry of Defence

Subject Matter

FALSE IMPRISONMENT — Suspected terrorist — Detention in Afghanistan — Claimant suspected of being Taliban commander captured by UK armed forces in Afghanistan and detained at British military base — Claimant detained for 110 days before transferred to Afghan authorities — Claimant bringing claim for unlawful detention, false imprisonment and breach of right to liberty — Whether claimant’s detention lawful — Human Rights Act 1998, Sch 1, Pt I, art 5

[2014] EWHC 1369 (QB); [2014] CN 1019, QBD

CONFLICT OF LAWS — Sovereign immunity — Act of state — Foreign claimants arrested and detained by British armed forces acting abroad — Claimants bringing claims in tort for damages for unlawful detention — Whether claims justiciable — Whether barred by doctrine of Crown act of state — Crown Proceedings Act 1947 (10 & 11 Geo 6, c 44), s 2(1) — Human Rights Act 1998 (c 42), Sch 1, Pt I, art 6

[2015] EWCA Civ 843; [2017] AC 649; [2016] 2 WLR 247; [2015] WLR (D) 354, CA

HUMAN RIGHTS — Liberty — Interference with — Afghan claimants arrested and detained for more than 96 hours by HM Armed Forces acting in Afghanistan — Whether such detention lawful under Afghan law, United Nations Security Council resolution or international humanitarian law — Whether international humanitarian law providing any authority to detain in internationalised non-international armed conflict — Whether procedural requirements of Convention right to liberty modified during such conflict — Whether claimants’ detention breaching rights to liberty — Human Rights Act 1998, Sch 1, Pt I, art 5

[2015] EWCA Civ 843; [2017] AC 649; [2016] 2 WLR 247; [2015] WLR (D) 354, CA

Appellate History

Commentary

Blackstones Civil Practice 2023
Foreign States and Diplomats - Foreign States 14.45

Articles of the Convention Incorporated into the Human Rights Act 1998 - Article 6: right to a fair trial - Rights protected by art. 6 91.21