JUSTICE FOR DETAINEES NOW!

Sign the petition
Read press releases - 10 December 2003, 12 December 2003
See news reports of the protest: Reuters, BBC on-line
See pictures and a report from the protest
Download a PDF file (345kb) of the publicity leaflet

Public Rally
This event is sponsored by: Campaign Against Criminalising Communities (CAMPACC),
Haldane Society of Socialist Lawyers, Peace and Justice in East London, Pax Christi,
Voices UK, City Circle, JustPeace, The Muslim Parliament of Great Britain, Association
of Muslim Lawyers, The Green Party of England and Wales, Peace and Progress, Stop the War Coalition

Saturday 13 December 2003
From 1-4pm, Downing Street, London.

Guantanamo Bay
Afghanistan...Iraq...
Belmarsh prison in the U.K...
Prisons all over the U.S...

END THIS CRUEL AND INHUMAN TREATMENT

NO JUSTICE: In the ‘war on terror’, many hundreds of people have been imprisoned without charge or trial by the US and UK governments.

These people can be held indefinitely without trial, in conditions amounting to torture. Most are not allowed access to families or lawyers. The detainees at Guantanamo face a closed military tribunal, with prosecution, defence and judge appointed by the US military. In the UK 16 detainees have been held without charge in Belmarsh Prison since December 2001. They do not know the allegations - made by secret police in closed sessions - against them. Rejection of recent appeals means that detainees now face indefinite imprisonment. More generally, UK anti-terrorism legislation is being used to harass migrant and refugee communities and suppress dissent, fan the flames of racial hatred and restrict the right of free speech.

Speakers include:

Azmat Begg (father of Moazzam Begg), Gareth Peirce, Louise Christian (Haldane Society), Jasmine Kureshi (Association of Muslim Lawyers), Naima Bouteldja (Just Peace), Mark Jennings (representing Bishar Al-Raw’s family), Jean Lambert MEP, Jeremy Corbyn MP, Tim Gopsill (editor, The Journalist), Mike Marqusee, Bruce Kent, Hugo Charlton (Chair, Green Party & CAMPACC), Stewart Hemsley (Chair, Pax Christi), Liz Fekete (Campaign against Racism & Fascism), Paul Donovan (journalist), Jaffer Clarke (Muslim Parliament of Great Britain), Mark Thomas, Mark Littlewood (Liberty) Sarah Ludford (Liberal Democrat MEP) Dr Daud Abdullah (Muslim Council of Britain), Gareth Evans (Voices UK) and a representative from Prisoners of West.

A petition calling for an end to imprisonment without trial will be handed into Downing St.

Throughout the rally, a Guantanamo street action will be performed - if you are interested in taking part, please contact us.

For information contact: Campaign Against Criminalising Communities (CAMPACC)
Estella tel. 020 7586 589 fax 020 7483 2531 e-mail: estella24@tiscali.co.uk

Pictures and reports from the protest

Up to 300 people joined the protest in Whitehall on a wet Saturday afternoon of 13 December to protest against injustice for detainees.

The performance of 'What's really going on in Guantanamo' on the steps of Trafalgar Square. It was also performed opposite Downing Street. Thanks to Romany from Clear Air Turbulence for organising and writing the performance and to the actors for taking part.

Mark Thomas (above) and Mark Littlewood (below) were two of the many who spoke of the injustices for those detained at Guantanamo, in the UK, and elsewhere, and of the long road ahead in securing justice for them and the importance of protesting against legislation and policies which victimise communities and suppress dissent.

A delegation of 6 of the speakers gave in the first 2500 signatures to the petition, to 10 Downing Street.