UK to appeal Kenya torture judgement

2012-10-05 12:35

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London - Britain's Foreign Office said it would appeal a High Court judgement on Friday that three elderly Kenyans who were tortured under British rule in the 1950s could pursue their claim for damages from London.

"The judgement has potentially significant and far reaching legal implications," it said in a statement.

"The normal time limit for bringing a civil action is 3 to 6 years. In this case, that period has been extended to over 50 years despite the fact that the key decision makers are dead and unable to give their account of what happened."

The Foreign Office added that it did not dispute that each of the three claimants in the case suffered torture and other ill treatment at the hands of the colonial administration.

Lawyers for the claimants said Friday's judgement would be carefully studied by victims of alleged colonial torture from Malaya to the Yemen from Cyprus to Palestine.

- Reuters