Letters: Right of dissent

Sir Jane Jakeman ("Daggers drawn", 8 April) alleges that I "tried to interrupt" a speech by Michael Mansfield at the last Crime Writers Association dinner "on the seemingly inflammatory subject of human rights". I neither tried to nor interrupted Mr Mansfield. I did, however, after his harangue about General Pinochet, politely inquire if he would be in favour of extraditing a particular IRA leader to a foreign country whose citizens had been murdered by terrorists under his control.

Like Mr Mansfield I care a great deal about human rights. That is why I spend much of my time championing the cause of frightened people in Northern Ireland who are beaten, tortured and mutilated by loyalist and republican terrorists.

RUTH DUDLEY EDWARDS

London NW5