100 Iraqi civilians have won a UK Court of Appeal battle in their bid for a new public inquiry into allegations of torture against British soldiers. The High Court had previously backed government claims that an inquiry into whether abuse was systematic was not needed as a team had already been set up to look into the allegations. But three appeal judges ruled ordered the Ministry of Defence to reconsider. The MoD said it would examine the judgment "very carefully". Some 128 Iraqis complain of torture and inhuman and degrading treatment by British soldiers and interrogators in Iraq between March 2003 and December 2008. Last December the High Court ruled an inquiry into whether abuse was systematic was unnecessary as the government had set up the Iraq Historic Allegations Team to investigate. But appeal judges ruled that the IHAT "lacks independence" and ordered the defence secretary to reconsider. They also found that other inquiries had failed to fully meet Article 3 of the European Convention on Human Rights, which protects against inhuman and degrading treatment. A Ministry of Defence spokesman said: "We note that the Court of Appeal has not ordered a public inquiry but has asked the defence secretary to reconsider how to meet the investigative obligations.
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