The Northern Ireland Director of Public Prosecutions must not be allowed to duck a European Court ruling that his office breached the human rights of the family of murdered solicitor Pat Finucane, the SDLP warned tonight.
Party leader Mr Mark Durkan said the SDLP had long argued that the decisions of the DPP in relation to the murder of Mr Finucane were "unexplained and inexplicable". "Last week the European Court of Human Rights, in a landmark ruling, vindicated our view," he said.
"The Court criticised the DPP for failing to give the Finucane family reasons for his decisions related to the Finucane murder.
"For example, he never explained why in 1991 he decided to drop charges against informer Billy Stobie - despite strong evidence against him.
"The SDLP is clear on this. The DPP cannot duck this ruling. He has to come out and explain all his decisions in the Finucane case. It is long past time that the Finucane family got the explanations that they deserve."
Mr Finucane was shot dead in front of his family by Ulster Defence Association gunmen in February 1989 as he ate Sunday dinner at his north Belfast home.
His wife, Geraldine, won a case in the European Court of Human Rights last week which also ruled the police investigation into the murder was a breach of human rights.
Mr Durkan said an SDLP delegation had already met the British Attorney General and the Director of Public Prosecutions to express the party's "grave concerns" about the Finucane case.
"We are now requesting another meeting to demand that the DPP complies with human rights law," he said.
"For too long, there has been a culture of secrecy and an avoidance of accountability at the office of the DPP.
"That has fuelled public concerns that human rights have not been protected and collusion has gone undetected. The SDLP's message is clear: this must end.
"The Criminal Justice Review promised a new prosecution service, with a new leadership.
"The fact that the DPP has been found to have breached human rights law underlines the urgent need for the Review to be fully implemented."