Alice Hardy, partner in our Public Law and Human Rights team, has been quoted in Solicitors Journal on the implications of the Court of Appeal’s judgment in the case of World Uyghur Congress v National Crime Agency, which challenged the decision by the National Crime Agency (NCA) not to investigate cotton products imported from the Uyghur Region in China.

The Court of Appeal found that both the NCA’s reasons for refusing to investigate were wrong in law. It quashed the NCA’s decision and the NCA is now required to consider whether to investigate on a lawful basis.

The article provides background and a timeline for the case.

Alice said:

This judgment should lead to companies taking more care to ensure their supply chains are not tainted by forced labour or other criminal practices. The NCA did not contest that products of forced labour are criminal, nor that 85% of Chinese cotton comes from the Uyghur region with clear evidence of human rights abuses.

Alice specialises in human rights claims and public law challenges against government bodies and detaining authorities, with particular interest in women’s rights, protest law, discrimination and coronial law.