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Human rights lawyer Amal Clooney resigned from her role as Britain’s special envoy for press freedom.
The move is a protest against the country’s intention to violate international law on Brexit-related legislation.
The British government has drafted a bill that it recognizes that it would violate its international legal obligations and undermine parts of the divorce agreement it signed before Britain formally left the European Union in January.
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said the bill was essential to counter “absurd” threats from Brussels.
However, it has prompted resignations and the threat of a rebellion by parliamentarians, which appears to have been avoided after a compromise was reached.
“It is regrettable that the UK is talking about its intention to violate an international treaty signed by the prime minister less than a year ago,” Clooney, who is married to actor George Clooney, said in a letter to the foreign minister, Dominic Raab. .
“It threatens to embolden autocratic regimes that violate international law with devastating consequences around the world,” he wrote.
He added: “When I was asked by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (as then) to serve as Special Envoy for Freedom of the Media, the role was described as one in which I would help the UK defend the right to a free press all over the world.
“My role was intended to help promote actions that governments could take to ensure that existing international obligations relating to freedom of the media are met in accordance with international law.
“I accepted the role because I believe in the importance of the cause and I appreciate the important role that the UK has played and can continue to play in promoting the international legal order.
“In these circumstances, I have been dismayed to learn that the Government intends to pass legislation – the Internal Market Law – which the Government itself admits would ‘violate international law’ if enacted.
“I was also concerned to note the position taken by the Government that, although it is an ‘established principle of international law that a state is bound to fulfill its contractual obligations in good faith’, the ‘UK Parliament is sovereign as a matter of law and can pass legislation that violates the obligations of the UK Treaty ”.
“Out of respect for the professional working relationship that I have developed with you and your senior colleagues who work in human rights, I postponed writing this letter until I had the opportunity to discuss this matter directly with you. But, having done so now, I did not I have received With the assurance that any change of position is imminent, I have no alternative but to resign my position. “
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