-----Original Message-----
From: Statewatch
To: [log in to unmask]
Sent: 15/12/2005 15:14
Subject: Statewatch News Online, 15 December 2005 (42/05)
Statewatch News Online, 15 December 2005 (42/05)
Full contents see: http://www.statewatch.org/news
1. EU-USA: Rendition and removing refugees raise the same issue -
transit
flights
2. EU: European Parliament votes in favour of "deal" on mandatory data
retention
3. EU Presidencies of the Council of the European Union: 2006-2018
4. Northern Ireland (Offences) Bill
5. Council of Europe report on CIA detention centres
6. EU: Opinion of the Meijers Committee on the asylum procedure
directive
7. UK: Armed Forces Bill
8. UK: Lords of Appeal:reject the use of evidence obtained through the
use of torture
9. EU: "Terrorist" list updated 29 November 2005
10. UK: Joint Human Rights Committee issues damning report on UK
terrorism
Bill
11. EU-US: "Torture By Proxy....Extraordinary Renditions"
12, European Civil Liberties Network (ECLN)
1. EU-USA: Rendition and removing refugees raise the same issue:
Censored
document reveals increased transit facilities for the USA to use EU
airports to move people around the world:
http://www.statewatch.org/news/2005/dec/05eu-usa-flights.htm
This article includes the full-text of the Minutes of a high-level EU-US
meeting - in censored and uncensored versions.
Tony Bunyan, Statewatch editor, comments: "Whether these US transit
flights
are for "criminals", "inadmissible aliens" or for rendition the same
questions arise. Do EU governments know how many times their airports
have
been used for "transit" by US government flights? Which airports are
used?
How many people have been moved in this way? How many "criminals" and
how
many "inadmissible aliens"? If they do then why are the facts and
figures
not available? And if they do not know, why not?
If EU governments do not know who is being moved and where by foreign
agencies using their airports then they are grossly irresponsible. To
"aid
and abet" the movement of people in an inhuman or degrading way or to be
tortured is a crime."
2. EU: European Parliament, 14 December 2005: The EP today voted in
favour
of "deal" on mandatory data retention agreed in secret meetings between
the
Council (EU governments) and the "grand coalition" of the PPE
(conservative
group) and the PSE (socialist group). The measure was "fast-tracked"
through the parliament on 1st reading. The vote was 378 votes in favour,
197 against and 30 abstentions. The GUE, Greens and UEN groups and some
members from the ALDE group voted against the directive in the final
vote.
The rapporteur, Alexander Nuno Alvaro (ALDE, DE) withdrew his name from
the
report.
a. Amendments adopted by EP:
http://www.statewatch.org/news/2005/dec/eu-dat-ret-ep.pdf
b. Statewatch analysis: "The European Parliament and data retention:
Chronicle of a 'sell-out' foretold?" by Professor Steve Peers:
http://www.statewatch.org/news/2005/dec/sp_dataret_dec05.pdf
c. Open Letter from civil society groups to the European Parliament
calling
on MEPs to reject Data Retention:
http://www.statewatch.org/news/2005/dec/ep-let-dat-ret.htm
d. UK-EU: Data retention and police access in the UK - a warning for
Europe:
http://www.statewatch.org/news/2005/nov/01uk-eu-police-access-to-data.ht
m
e. For full background, see Statewatch's Observatory on the surveillance
of
telecommunications in the EU:
http://www.statewatch.org/eu-data-retention.htm
3. EU Presidencies of the Council of the European Union: 2006-2018:
http://www.statewatch.org/news/2005/dec/07eu-presidencies-2006-2018.htm
4. Northern Ireland (Offences) Bill:
http://www.statewatch.org/news/2005/dec/ni-offences-bill.pdf
Explanatory Note:
http://www.statewatch.org/news/2005/dec/ni-offences-bill-expl-note.pdf
Groups oppose proposed legislation: Joint statement from Justice for the
Forgotten, Relatives for Justice and the Pat Finucane Centre Full-text
of
NI (Offences) Bill:
http://www.serve.com/pfc/policing/niob_pfc.html
5. Europe: Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe's (PACE)
Committee on Legal Affairs and Human Rights, Paris 13 December. The
rapporteur and Chair of the Committee, Dick Marty, Council of Europe
statement on detention centres. "Legal proceedings in progress in
certain
countries seemed to indicate that individuals
had been abducted and transferred to other countries without respect for
any legal standards." Full-text:
http://www.statewatch.org/news/2005/dec/04coe-eu-detention-centres.htm
6. EU: Opinion of the Meijers Committee on the recently adopted asylum
procedure directive:
http://www.statewatch.org/news/2005/dec/meijers-comm-asylum-procedures.p
df
This has been sent to the members of the Committee on Civil Liberties
(LIBE) in the European Parliament, requesting them to start a 230
annulment
procedure.
Aslyum Procedures Directive (OJ, pdf):
http://www.statewatch.org/news/2005/dec/asylum-procedures-directive-OJ.p
df
7. UK: Armed Forces Bill (full-text) - including discipline and charges:
http://www.statewatch.org/news/2005/dec/armed-forces-bill.pdf
House of Commons Research Library:
Background to the Bill:
http://www.statewatch.org/news/2005/dec/rp05-075-armed-forces-bill.pdf
Analysis of the Bill:
http://www.statewatch.org/news/2005/dec/rp05-075-armed-forces-bill-2.pdf
The Constitutional Affairs Committee has also pprodcued a report on the
role of the Advocate-General:
http://www.statewatch.org/news/2005/dec/rep-on-role-of-miltary-advocate-
general.pdf
8. UK: House of Lords - the Lords of Appeal unanimously reject the use
of
evidence obtained through the use of torture. Full text of judgment:
http://www.statewatch.org/news/2005/dec/hol-torture-judgment-05.pdf
"Complicity with torture: Why is the US flying terror suspects to secret
camps if it has nothing to hide? We must halt our collusion" Richard
Norton-Taylor, 8 December 2005 (Guardian, link):
http://www.guardian.co.uk/print/0%2C3858%2C5350769-103677%2C00.html
9. EU: "Terrorist" list updated 29 November 2005 - see latest news on
Statewatch's Observatory on the terrorist lists:
http://www.statewatch.org/terrorlists/terrorlists.html
10. UK: Joint Human Rights Committee issues damning report on UK
terrorism
Bill (pdf):
http://www.statewatch.org/news/2005/dec/JCreport.pdf
The Committee considers that the definition of "terrorism" needs to be
changed for the purposes of many of these measures if they are to comply
with the European Convention on Human Rights. See also evidence
submitted
to the joint Committee:
http://www.statewatch.org/news/2005/dec/JCevidence.pdf
11. EU-US: "Torture By Proxy, International and Domestic Law Applicable
to
Extraordinary Renditions" (report by Center for Human Rights and Global
Justice, New York University, pdf):
http://www.statewatch.org/news/2005/dec/CHRGJ_rendition.pdf
Outlines how Extraordinary Rendition violates international human
rights,
humanitarian, refugee and criminal law. It also identifies the
responsibilities of States to not collude in the practice of
Extraordinary
Rendition by other States. "States are on notice that Extraordinary
Renditions have been carried out in Europe," warns Professor Meg
Satterthwaite, Director of CHRGJ. "Under human rights law, they must now
take steps to end cooperation with these wrongful acts."
12. European Civil Liberties Network (ECLN): http://www.ecln.org
See "Noticeboard" plus "Newsfeeds"
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http://www.statewatch.org/whatsnew.htm
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http://www.statewatch.org/monitor/monitor.html
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