R v. Reeves Taylor (U.K. Sup. Ct.)

On November 13, 2019, the U.K. Supreme Court issued a judgment in R v. Reeves Taylor, holding that members of non-state armed groups may, under certain circumstances, qualify as “officials” for purposes of § 134(1) of the Criminal Justice Act of 1988 (CJA). The Court's decision and reasoning represent an important contribution to case law interpreting the scope of the UN Convention against Torture and other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (CAT) as concerns conduct by individuals who are not public officials at the time of the alleged abuse.