UN legal opinion on IPP sentences

In an anticipated development, the United Nations Working Group on Arbitrary Detention (UNWGAD) is set to release its first legal opinion regarding the controversial Imprisonment for Public Protection (IPP) sentences within the next few days. This legal opinion will focus on whether the UK Government's continued detention of five IPP prisoners constitutes arbitrary detention under international law. The complaint, which brought the issue before the UN, claims that the UK's treatment of these individuals compromises their liberty rights.

IPP sentences, described by critics as the “greatest single stain on the British Justice system,” were introduced by the New Labour government in 2003 as a measure aimed at protecting the public from dangerous offenders. Although these sentences were abolished in 2012, thousands of individuals still find themselves ensnared in this form of indefinite imprisonment. Current data reveals that there are still 2,329 people serving IPP sentences, which often involve disproportionately lengthy periods of incarceration for minor offences.

Among the cases submitted to the UN are those of Leroy Douglas, who has served nearly 19 years for stealing a mobile phone, and Abdullahi Suleman, who has been imprisoned for 18 years for a laptop robbery. Notably, the grim statistics also show that 96 IPP prisoners have taken their own lives while incarcerated since the inception of the sentence. The financial implications are staggering as well, with taxpayers reportedly funding over £1.6 billion for a sentence that has been officially abolished for over a decade.

As the UK prison system nears a breaking point, an early release scheme has been paused and resentencing has emerged as a potential solution to rectify the past injustices faced by IPP prisoners. Resentencing could potentially free enough space to accommodate the equivalent of four average-sized prisons.

We will share a comprehensive press release following the UN's legal opinion, which will include the immediate reactions of family members of the IPP detainees. More information will be available as it becomes accessible.