Dear John,

The Government’s Overseas Operations Bill is just the latest attempt to enable the powerful to dodge accountability for their unlawful actions.

The Bill will effectively decriminalise offences committed by the Armed Forces abroad after five years – including torture and war crimes.

No one should be above the law, and if enough of us speak up we can stop this Bill in its tracks. Email your MP today.

The Overseas Operations Bill is a human rights disaster.

It creates a presumption against prosecution for alleged offences committed on operations abroad more than five years ago. It can take many years to investigate and gather evidence for a prosecution, especially while a conflict is ongoing, meaning it would become practically impossible to challenge even the gravest of crimes. 

And so the Bill effectively lets torturers off the hook – violating international law and setting a dangerous precedent for regimes the world over.

It will also prevent soldiers and civilians from bringing claims against the Ministry of Defence after six years, putting the MoD beyond the reach of the law for actions as serious as unlawful killing and human rights abuses. 

It makes a mockery of everything our Armed Forces should stand for. 

But next week Parliament has the chance to scrap the Overseas Operations Bill – and momentum is growing. Former high-ranking military personnel and survivors of torture have challenged it, winning support from politicians on all sides. Now is the time to let our elected MPs know that we won’t stand for this Bill becoming law in our names.  

A war crime doesn’t stop being a war crime after five years. Trauma from torture doesn’t have a time limit. There can be no deadline on justice.

Don’t let the powerful hide from accountability. Use our quick and easy tool to email your MP today. It takes just two minutes.

Thank you for your support

Sam Grant
Head of Policy and Campaigns

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