Britain’s Guantanamo: Campaign Launched Against the Use of Secret Evidence In British Courts
On Monday Diane Abbott MP organised a meeting in Parliament to discuss the use of secret evidence in UK courts. This is evidence that the government brings forward in court which the defendant is not allowed to see. It is widely used in court cases concerning alleged terrorism. Some of it is evidence gained by phone-tapping and there are also suspicions that some of has been extracted by foreign governments through the use of torture. Around 55 people are detained or under virtual house arrest because of secret evidence against them. Because they have never seen this evidence it is impossible for them to have a fair trial.
Speakers at the meeting included: Diane Abbott MP; top human rights lawyers Gareth Peirce who represents some of the detained men; Dinah Rose QC who has also acted for some of the detainees and the Director of Liberty Shami Chakrabati.
Actors and performers including: Andi Osho, Derek Parry, Tom Peters, Kate Dyson and Honor Blackman delivered monologues based on the words of five detainees.
All the speakers condemned the use of secret evidence Shami Chakrabati said: “This policy is as dangerous and ineffective as it is wrong...Secret evidence is an abuse of secret intelligence…Control orders are cruel to the most innocent and ineffective to the most dangerous.” Gareth Peirce said: “This is a time of national emergency…Here today we have something extremely ugly and dangerous – two evils coming together in secrecy and torture.” Dinah Rose QC described a “deep sense of personal shame” at sitting in the Special Immigration Appeals Commission and realising that the appellants were being denied a fair trial.
Speaking after the meeting Diane Abbott MP said:
“When “secret” evidence is used against someone they can be detained or placed under effective house arrest for years without knowing why. They never get the chance to hear the evidence against them, and they do not have the opportunity to prove their innocence. This might sound like Guantanamo Bay but it is going on right now, in the UK, right under our noses. Amongst those detained are Hackney residents. Britain is rightly proud of its legal reputation. Our legal tradition is almost 800 years old and is based on the fundamental right to a fair trial. To detain people in prison, or in their own homes, when they have not had that trial is indefensible. I will continue campaigning for an end to the use of secret evidence.”
Ends
For more information please call Caitlin Farrow on
020 7219 4426 or email farrowc@parliament.uk
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