UK government rejects demand from campaigners to replace head of inquiry into torture claims

UK: Torture inquiry chief won’t be replaced

LONDON — British government lawyers say they have dismissed a call to replace the head of an inquiry into allegations that Britain colluded in the torture of terrorism suspects overseas.

Human rights group Reprieve has complained that ex-appeals court judge Peter Gibson would not be impartial as inquiry chairman, as he has served as Intelligence Services Commissioner, Britain’s spy watchdog, since April 2006.

Hugh Giles, of the Treasury solicitors department — the government’s legal wing — says in a letter sent to Reprieve on Thursday that Gibson had “undoubted judicial experience, expertise and integrity.” He says attacks against Gibson are “unwarranted and baseless.”

Giles also says the government had not already conducted a private, internal inquiry, as Reprieve alleged.