Special Powers Act

E97549

The Special Powers Act was a controversial emergency law in Northern Ireland that granted sweeping powers to authorities, widely criticized for enabling repression and civil rights abuses.


Statements (43)
Predicate Object
instanceOf controversial law
emergency law
legislation
characterizedBy broad arrest powers
censorship powers
detention without trial
search and seizure powers
suspension of normal legal safeguards
sweeping powers for authorities
country Northern Ireland
criticizedBy Sinn Féin
surface form: "Irish nationalist parties"

civil rights organizations
human rights advocates
international observers
criticizedFor civil rights abuses
discrimination against the Catholic and nationalist community
enabling repression
lack of judicial oversight
violation of civil liberties
enabled broad police powers
curfews and movement restrictions
executive detention
enactedBy Northern Ireland Parliament
surface form: "Parliament of Northern Ireland"
governingBody Northern Ireland authorities
hasConsequence contributed to political unrest
increased tensions in Northern Ireland
humanRightsImpact restriction of due process rights
restriction of freedom of assembly
restriction of freedom of expression
jurisdiction Northern Ireland
legalDomain emergency powers
national security
legalStatus controversial
notableFor role in debates over emergency powers
use as a tool of state control
perception symbol of state repression for many in Northern Ireland
politicalContext Northern Ireland conflict
civil rights movement in Northern Ireland
purpose grant sweeping powers to authorities
maintain public order
subjectOf civil rights campaigns
human rights reports
legal and political criticism

Referenced by (1)

Full triples — surface form annotated when it differs from this entity's canonical label.


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