HOON MUST RESIGN OVER TORTURE SCANDAL - Green MEPs
Green MEPs | 18.05.2004 05:35 | Anti-militarism | Anti-racism | Repression
DEFENCE Secretary Geoff Hoon must resign over the unfolding torture scandal
and the rapidly deteriorating situation in Iraq, MEPs demanded today.
and the rapidly deteriorating situation in Iraq, MEPs demanded today.
NEWS RELEASE
>From the office of the Green MEPs
May 13th, 2004
HOON MUST RESIGN OVER TORTURE SCANDAL: MEPs
EU MUST HOLD MEMBER STATES TO ACCOUNT OVER RIGHTS VIOLATIONS
DEFENCE Secretary Geoff Hoon must resign over the unfolding torture scandal
and the rapidly deteriorating situation in Iraq, MEPs demanded today.
In a statement issued today by MEPs and candidates in the forthcoming
European elections from across the EU, Euro-MPs Caroline Lucas and Jean
Lambert call for the UN and Red Cross to be given full access to Iraqi
prisons to investigate allegations of torture, for the International
Criminal Court to fully investigate all allegations of crimes against
humanity committed by allied forces in Iraq - and for both Hoon and his US
counterpart Donald Rumsfeld to resign.
Mrs Lambert, London's Green Party MEP and a member of the European
Parliament's Civil Liberties Committee, said: "The photos and the Red Cross
report have brought about a complete breakdown of trust in the ability of
the US and UK to deal with the current situation in Iraq.
"The allegations need to be brought out into the open at the International
Criminal Court with the likes of Donald Rumsfeld and Geoff Hoon in the
dock - not a handful of scapegoated soldiers paying the penalty. Only then
can legitimacy be gained in the eyes of the world and rid us of the idea
that war crimes prosecutions are only for the less powerful countries."
South-East England's Green Party MEP and vice-president of the Parliament's
cross-party group on peace issues Caroline Lucas added: "The images we see
coming out of Iraq daily are horrific - there can now be no doubt that Iraqi
prisoners are being abused and civilians are being killed by allied forces
with apparent impunity.
"The European Council has a responsibility to ensure all EU members uphold
international humanitarian and human rights law - and this issue must be a
focal point of its next meeting."
ENDS
For more information please contact
press@greenmeps.org.uk
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>From the office of the Green MEPs
May 13th, 2004
HOON MUST RESIGN OVER TORTURE SCANDAL: MEPs
EU MUST HOLD MEMBER STATES TO ACCOUNT OVER RIGHTS VIOLATIONS
DEFENCE Secretary Geoff Hoon must resign over the unfolding torture scandal
and the rapidly deteriorating situation in Iraq, MEPs demanded today.
In a statement issued today by MEPs and candidates in the forthcoming
European elections from across the EU, Euro-MPs Caroline Lucas and Jean
Lambert call for the UN and Red Cross to be given full access to Iraqi
prisons to investigate allegations of torture, for the International
Criminal Court to fully investigate all allegations of crimes against
humanity committed by allied forces in Iraq - and for both Hoon and his US
counterpart Donald Rumsfeld to resign.
Mrs Lambert, London's Green Party MEP and a member of the European
Parliament's Civil Liberties Committee, said: "The photos and the Red Cross
report have brought about a complete breakdown of trust in the ability of
the US and UK to deal with the current situation in Iraq.
"The allegations need to be brought out into the open at the International
Criminal Court with the likes of Donald Rumsfeld and Geoff Hoon in the
dock - not a handful of scapegoated soldiers paying the penalty. Only then
can legitimacy be gained in the eyes of the world and rid us of the idea
that war crimes prosecutions are only for the less powerful countries."
South-East England's Green Party MEP and vice-president of the Parliament's
cross-party group on peace issues Caroline Lucas added: "The images we see
coming out of Iraq daily are horrific - there can now be no doubt that Iraqi
prisoners are being abused and civilians are being killed by allied forces
with apparent impunity.
"The European Council has a responsibility to ensure all EU members uphold
international humanitarian and human rights law - and this issue must be a
focal point of its next meeting."
ENDS
For more information please contact
press@greenmeps.org.uk _______________________________________________
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