Lawless v Ireland (1957–1961) was the first international court case decision that involved the interpretation of international human rights law and the first one filed against a country. It was referred to the European Court of Human Rights and the judgement by that court was its first.
The case was filed by Gerard Richard Lawless, who had been an IRA member, although he claimed to have left the IRA. He was arrested on 11 July 1957, as he was about to travel to Great Britain from Ireland, and subsequently detained under the special powers of indefinite detention without trial under the Offences against the State (Amendment) Act 1940. The case was filed by Lawless for violation, by the Irish Government, of Articles 5, 6 and 7 of the European Convention of Human Rights, providing rights to liberty and security, fair trial and the principle of "no punishment without law".
