Ireland’s independent rights watchdog, the Irish Council for Civil Liberties (ICCL), has published a new guide to inform people about their rights when dealing with the Gardaí.

The Know Your Rights: Criminal Justice & Garda Powers pack provides the general public with information about their rights and Garda powers in the areas of searches, arrests, interviews, detention, provision / retention of bodily samples and public order. Awarded the “Plain English” mark by the National Adult Literacy Agency (NALA) for its use of clear and accessible language, Know Your Rights: Criminal Justice & Garda Powers is the first of a series of booklets which the ICCL is rolling out as part of its Know Your Rights public information project.

The guide is free, and will be distributed nationwide through Citizen’s Information Centres and other public information providers. It is also available to download from a dedicated website – www.knowyourrights.ie and from this website (please see the Know Your Rights logo to the left of the screen).
                                
For further information, please contact:

Walter Jayawardene
Campaigns & Communications Officer
Irish Council for Civil Liberties
9-13 Blackhall Place
Dublin 7

Tel. + 353 1 799 4503
Mob: +353 87 9981574   
 
E-mail  walter.jayawardene@iccl.ie

NOTES:

Know Your Rights: Criminal Justice & Garda Powers  was launched this evening, Tuesday 26 January 2010, at 6.30pm in the offices of the publication’s sponsors, Garrett Sheehan & Partners, Cunningham House, 130 Francis Street, Dublin 8.

Details of upcoming Know Your Rights booklets on the European Convention on Human Rights Act 2003 and on privacy rights will be made available soon on the dedicated Know Your Rights webpage.  See www.knowyourrights.ie for details.