Special Category Status
Encyclopedia
In July 1972, William Whitelaw, the British government's Secretary of State for Northern Ireland
, granted Special Category Status (SCS) to all prisoners convicted of Troubles
-related offences. This had been one of the conditions set by the Provisional IRA when they negotiated a meeting with the British Government to discuss a truce, another being the release of Gerry Adams
from internment.
Special category (or "political") status was de facto
prisoner of war
status, providing them with some of the ‘privileges’ of POWs such as those specified in the Geneva Convention. This meant prisoners did not have to wear prison uniforms or do prison work, were housed within their paramilitary
factions, and were allowed extra visits and food parcels.
In 1974, continuing confrontation culminated in the burning of the Maze Compound Prison (then known as Long Kesh) and damage to other establishments.
In January 1975 the Gardiner Committee, which looked at how the British Government should deal with terrorism in Northern Ireland in the 'context of civil liberties and human rights', recommended the ending of SCS. It argued that SCS undermined the role of the prison authorities in maintaining discipline. The response of some prisoners to this was violent, and six prison staff were killed in the period 1976-77.
The Government accepted the recommendation and on 1 March 1976, the new Labour Secretary of State
Merlyn Rees announced the phasing out of SCS. Anyone convicted of a scheduled terrorist-related offence after March 1976 would be treated as an ordinary criminal and would have to wear a prison uniform, do prison work and serve their sentence in the new Maze Prison in what became known as the H-Blocks.
By late 1976, the new cellular prison accommodation recommended by Gardiner was ready to receive its first prisoners. In the week that Roy Mason
took over from Merlyn Rees as Secretary of State, Kieran Nugent
, the first prisoner sentenced under the new policy, arrived at the Maze Prison and was ordered to wear a prison uniform.
Nugent refused the uniform saying he was not a criminal but a political prisoner. He was locked in his cell where he wrapped himself in the blanket that was on the bed rather than remain naked. This was the same action taken by old IRA prisoners in the south in the 1940s. The blanket protest
was reborn and soon other prisoners followed his example. By 1978 nearly 300 Republican prisoners were refusing to wear prison uniforms.
The protest culminated in the 1981 hunger strike
when 10 Republican prisoners died.
Secretary of State for Northern Ireland
The Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, informally the Northern Ireland Secretary, is the principal secretary of state in the government of the United Kingdom with responsibilities for Northern Ireland. The Secretary of State is a Minister of the Crown who is accountable to the Parliament of...
, granted Special Category Status (SCS) to all prisoners convicted of Troubles
The Troubles
The Troubles was a period of ethno-political conflict in Northern Ireland which spilled over at various times into England, the Republic of Ireland, and mainland Europe. The duration of the Troubles is conventionally dated from the late 1960s and considered by many to have ended with the Belfast...
-related offences. This had been one of the conditions set by the Provisional IRA when they negotiated a meeting with the British Government to discuss a truce, another being the release of Gerry Adams
Gerry Adams
Gerry Adams is an Irish republican politician and Teachta Dála for the constituency of Louth. From 1983 to 1992 and from 1997 to 2011, he was an abstentionist Westminster Member of Parliament for Belfast West. He is the president of Sinn Féin, the second largest political party in Northern...
from internment.
Special category (or "political") status was de facto
De facto
De facto is a Latin expression that means "concerning fact." In law, it often means "in practice but not necessarily ordained by law" or "in practice or actuality, but not officially established." It is commonly used in contrast to de jure when referring to matters of law, governance, or...
prisoner of war
Prisoner of war
A prisoner of war or enemy prisoner of war is a person, whether civilian or combatant, who is held in custody by an enemy power during or immediately after an armed conflict...
status, providing them with some of the ‘privileges’ of POWs such as those specified in the Geneva Convention. This meant prisoners did not have to wear prison uniforms or do prison work, were housed within their paramilitary
Paramilitary
A paramilitary is a force whose function and organization are similar to those of a professional military, but which is not considered part of a state's formal armed forces....
factions, and were allowed extra visits and food parcels.
In 1974, continuing confrontation culminated in the burning of the Maze Compound Prison (then known as Long Kesh) and damage to other establishments.
In January 1975 the Gardiner Committee, which looked at how the British Government should deal with terrorism in Northern Ireland in the 'context of civil liberties and human rights', recommended the ending of SCS. It argued that SCS undermined the role of the prison authorities in maintaining discipline. The response of some prisoners to this was violent, and six prison staff were killed in the period 1976-77.
The Government accepted the recommendation and on 1 March 1976, the new Labour Secretary of State
Secretary of State
Secretary of State or State Secretary is a commonly used title for a senior or mid-level post in governments around the world. The role varies between countries, and in some cases there are multiple Secretaries of State in the Government....
Merlyn Rees announced the phasing out of SCS. Anyone convicted of a scheduled terrorist-related offence after March 1976 would be treated as an ordinary criminal and would have to wear a prison uniform, do prison work and serve their sentence in the new Maze Prison in what became known as the H-Blocks.
By late 1976, the new cellular prison accommodation recommended by Gardiner was ready to receive its first prisoners. In the week that Roy Mason
Roy Mason
Roy Mason, Baron Mason of Barnsley, PC is a British Labour politician and former Cabinet minister.He was born in Royston, and grew up in Carlton, Barnsley in South Yorkshire...
took over from Merlyn Rees as Secretary of State, Kieran Nugent
Kieran Nugent
Kieran "Header" Nugent was a volunteer in the Provisional Irish Republican Army and best known for being the first IRA 'blanket man' in the H-Blocks...
, the first prisoner sentenced under the new policy, arrived at the Maze Prison and was ordered to wear a prison uniform.
Nugent refused the uniform saying he was not a criminal but a political prisoner. He was locked in his cell where he wrapped himself in the blanket that was on the bed rather than remain naked. This was the same action taken by old IRA prisoners in the south in the 1940s. The blanket protest
Blanket protest
The blanket protest was part of a five year protest during the Troubles by Provisional Irish Republican Army and Irish National Liberation Army prisoners held in the Maze prison in Northern Ireland. The republican prisoners' status as political prisoners, known as Special Category Status, had...
was reborn and soon other prisoners followed his example. By 1978 nearly 300 Republican prisoners were refusing to wear prison uniforms.
The protest culminated in the 1981 hunger strike
1981 Irish hunger strike
The 1981 Irish hunger strike was the culmination of a five-year protest during The Troubles by Irish republican prisoners in Northern Ireland. The protest began as the blanket protest in 1976, when the British government withdrew Special Category Status for convicted paramilitary prisoners...
when 10 Republican prisoners died.