London Guantanamo protest - MEP support

4.53.07pm UTC (GMT +0000) Tue 9th Jan 2007

The vice-chair of the European Parliament committee investigating CIA 'torture flights' and secret jails in Europe will tomorrow participate in a vigil opposite Downing Street for at least 9 British residents incarcerated in Guantanamo Bay and to mark the five year anniversary of the prison.

London Liberal Democrat MEP Baroness Sarah Ludford will in particular join her LibDem MP colleagues Ed Davey and Sarah Teather to campaign for the release of their and her constituents Bisher al-Rawi and Jamil el-Banna.

These men owe their last 4 years' suffering in the illegal prison and torture camp in large part to the complicity of the British government.

Baroness Ludford commented:

"Guantanamo Bay, ghost detention and torture represent an open sore on the human rights record of the US and a blatant act of defiance of the rule of law."

"Their existence and continuation also reflect a massive failure by the EU to stand up for the human rights agenda it is supposed to embody."

"In particular the Blair government has betrayed every notion of decency by delivering Bisher and Jamil into George Bush's nightmare and then refusing to exert real effort to get them out."

Baroness Ludford led a delegation from the MEP 'extraordinary rendition' committee which last October quizzed Europe minister Geoff Hoon over alleged UK complicity. The committee's draft report confirms the likely awareness of some EU Member States of rendition activities in Europe, deplores UK government non-cooperation with the inquiry and notes that in certain cases including Bisher and Jamil, the UK government facilitated their rendition.

Note

Baroness Ludford will participate in a vigil on Wednesday 10th January at Richmond Terrace SW1 (opposite Downing Street). Protestors will meet at 6pm for a 6.30pm start.