Communities targeted for harassment and prosecutions
News about how anti-terror laws affect communities
(London) CAGE is outraged by the arrest of our Outreach Director, Moazzam Begg. A former Guantanamo Bay detainee, he has been campaigning for due process and the human rights of victims, despite suffering over three years of torture and abuse by the US government with the complicity of the British security services.
We wanted to remind you of this ongoing joint appeal from CAMPACC and Peace in Kurdistan campaign to finally remove the PKK from the terrorism list as a means of giving peace negotiations between Turkey and the Kurdish movement the best possible chance.
Press Release 21 January 2013 - On 18 January a public meeting opposed MI5’s widespread practice of blackmail. MI5 has been pressurising people under various threats so that they become informers on political views of Muslim and migrant communities. The meeting focused especially on the case of the former Camden resident Mahdi Hashi, whose UK citizenship was revoked last year as punishment for refusing to become an informer.
26th January 2013 - The Day of the Endangered Lawyers on 24 January 2013 was marked by simultaneous actions by lawyers taking place in major cities across Europe. The day of action was organized this year by three European European lawyers’ associations: the European Democratic Lawyers (AED-EDL, www.aed-edl.net), the European Lawyers for Democracy and Human Rights (ELDH, www.eldh.eu) and the European Bar Human Rights Institute (IDHAE, www.idhae.org). Together they represent lawyers all over Europe.
Statement in defence of Roj TV 28, October 2012 - In January this year, the City Court of Copenhagen ruled that Kurdish satellite station Roj TV was promoting terrorism through its coverage. An appeal has been made against the decision and this will be heard on 29 October. Furthermore, eight people have been arrested during police investigations into Roj TV for allegedly providing financial assistance to the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK). Meanwhile, the Danish Radio and Television Board cancelled Roj TV’s broadcasting licence in September for two months, claiming that documents and videos requested from Roj TV for the board's own investigation were not provided.
Anti-terror laws used against Tamils
The UK Terrorism Act 2000 is the basis for banning the Liberation Tigers of the Tamil Eelam (LTTE) as a ‘terrorist’ organisation.
Anti-terror laws used against Kurds
The UK Terrorism Act 2000 is the basis for banning the Kurdish organisations as ‘terrorist’. In 2006 Britain banned Kongra-Gel (People’s Congress of Kurdistan) as an organisation that ‘glorifies terrorism’.
Anti-terror laws used against the Baloch
Under the Terrorism Act 2000, two Baloch human rights activists were prosecuted for supposedly supporting terrorism in Balochistan. The trial revealed joint efforts by 'security' agencies in the UK and Pakistan to silence dissent against Pakistani state terrorism. The defendants were acquitted in early 2009.
New CAMPACC briefings (Dec 2010)
CAMPACC has produced 4 new briefings on how different communities are affected by anti-terror laws, available to download (pdf format):
Baluchistan under state terror: The UK ban on the Baluchistan Liberation Army
Euskal Herria: The struggle for independence in the Basque Country and the impact of ‘terrorist’bans
The UK ban on the PKK: Persecuting the Kurds
The Tamils of Sri Lanka - oppressed at home and persecuted in the UK