REDRESS AND VICTIMS OF TORTURE..
On Friday, an important bill comes before parliament so please read the following from the organisation Redress –
"Justice is a torture survivor's right. Public acknowledgement of thewrong committed and compensation for the physical and psychologicalconsequences of torture are not only the rights of torture survivors butan essential part of the healing process. They also send a clear signalto perpetrators that torture will not be tolerated, wherever it takesplace. Yet, torture survivors in the UK are currently unable to seekjustice in the UK courts for torture they endured overseas.
REDRESS is supporting the Torture (Damages) Bill, a Private Member'sBill that proposes an exception to the State Immunity Act 1978, underwhich foreign states are immune from the jurisdiction of the UK courts.If enacted, the Bill will allow torture survivors to seek justicethrough the UK courts, where no adequate and effective remedy isavailable in the courts of the State in which the torture is alleged tohave taken place.
The Bill will have its second reading in the House ofLords on Friday 16th May. This is a unique and timely opportunity tobring the importance of enforcing the absolute prohibition of torture tothe attention of the UK Government. Redress has produced a short 5-minute film about the Bill, which featurestwo torture survivors.
You can watch the film at
http://www.youtube.com/user/theredresstrust.
Further information on the Bill, including evidence and statements fromsurvivors and other human rights organizations, can be found at
http://www.redress.org/torture_bill.html.
We are also asking people to write to their MP
http://voiceyourviews.net/eactivist/vyv.v?v=2121:983:15487:"
Thanks for your time. Billy Briggs.
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