Guantanamo Bay announcement begs further questions

12.00.00am GMT Sun 11th Jan 2004

Regarding Jack Straw's announcement on the release of 4 British prisoners from Guantanamo Bay, Liberal Democrat MEP for London and European justice spokeswoman, Sarah Ludford said:

"With three out of the four releases coming from London, as London MEP I welcome this development. But it begs the question as to why they've spent up to 3 years without evidence, charge or trial. Why has the British government and the EU for so long tolerated this abuse of their citizens?

"Apart from the legal black hole that Guantanamo and its offshoot Belmarsh represent, another highly disturbing aspect is the slide towards not only ill-treatment but actually torture. This Anglo-American degradation and defiance of safeguards built up since the second World War is shameful."

Ends

Notes:

Baroness Sarah Ludford MEP is patron of the Guantanamo Human Rights Commission.

The three prisoners from London that are being released are Ferroz Abbasi from Croydon, Martin Mubanga from Wembley and Richard Belmar from St. John's Wood.