Author: welland2

Human Rights report


New report the group is launching

April 2025

Amnesty began by focusing on human rights in other countries. This was probably based on the belief that rights in the UK were secure, we had after all, the Magna Carta, a justice system and things like torture ended several centuries ago. The UK was a key player in introducing the Universal Declaration in 1948. With the arrival of the European Court, it soon became clear that not everything in the UK human rights garden was rosy. The Birmingham Six case was a classic example of a failure to treat the six defendants fairly. The police fabricated evidence, the six were badly beaten in custody, the courts and judges manifestly failed, the forensic evidence was a nonsense. Eventually they were released – not because the justice system worked to correct its mistakes – but because of the dogged work of Chris Mullins, an MP and journalist.

In the recent decade and a half, there has been a long-lasting campaign, largely led by some newspaper groups, to denigrate the Human Rights Act and to claim that it is a ‘terrorist’s charter’ and allows serious criminals to escape justice because of allegedly spurious arguments provided by their human rights. This has been echoed by the Conservative party who have variously claimed to want to abolish or reform the act. We can remember the nonsense claim by Theresa May that a Chilean man could not be deported because of his cat.

Human rights therefore are by no means secure in the UK. Legislation introduced by the last Conservative government limiting the right to protest and increasing police powers, together with the remorseless increase in the use of surveillance technology, shows no sign of being annulled by the current Labour government.

Hence we feel the need to focus on our rights here in the UK and the slow but steady attempts to limit or curtail them.

Funding for victims of trafficking

The High Court has declared that denial of Exceptional Case Funding to four victims of trafficking to access legal advice to prepare an application for criminal injuries compensation breached their rights under Article 6 ECHR.

Military Misogyny 

A coroner has concluded that the UK government may have breached a young soldier’s right to life by failing to protect Jaysley Beck from a sexual assault by a more senior colleague and from sustained unwelcome sexual attention from her line manager.

Deaths in custody

More than 100 relatives of people who have died after contact with the police in the UK since 1971 have joined plans for a class action lawsuit in pursuit of compensation and justice.  At the People’s Tribunal on Police Killings, bereaved families presented evidence to a panel of international experts on how their relatives died and the long-term impact this has had on them.  The findings and conclusions of the event will form the basis of a first-of-its-kind legal action directed at police officers, police chiefs and government departments involved in the deaths.         

Economic, Social, Cultural Rights

Claims by Amnesty and Human Rights Watch state that the UK faces a cost-of-living crisis which has yet to be addressed by policies that safeguard the economic, social and cultural rights of people from low-income households, particularly their rights to food, housing and social security.

Freedom of Expression 

Following last year’s criticism of the UK by the UN special rapporteur on environmental defenders, the High Court concluded that anti-protest measures introduced in 2023 – allowing authorities to clamp down on any protests deemed ‘more than minor’ disruptions – unlawfully restricted protest.  The Labour Government has yet to repeal these repressive laws and is choosing to continue the legal challenge against the High Court ruling brought by the previous government.

Environmental Protest Sentencing 

Gaie Delap (pictured), retired teacher, Quaker and climate protester has finally finished her sentence. 

Her detention was notoriously extended when prison authorities could not equip her with a curfew tag bracelet.  She said: “I think around 80% of the women I met should not have been in prison.  Help with problems such as mental health, addiction and housing would have been more useful.” 

This week the Court announced its ruling to uphold most of the harsh sentences of the ‘Walney 16’, jailing the group for a combined total of 35 years (originally 41) for peaceful protest.  Global Witness say that the UK is at risk of becoming one of the world’s most repressive governments when it comes to policing climate protest, arresting campaigners at three times the global average. Lawyers for the protesters, backed by campaign groups Greenpeace and Friends of the Earth, argued that the sentences were disproportionate and violate the UK’s obligations under human rights law, including articles 10 and 11 of the European Convention on Human Rights and article 3(8) of the Aarhus Convention.

On 25 March prescriptive policing led to the arrest of six Youth Demand members as they met in a London Quaker House.  The civil disobedience group has protested new oil expansion and UK arms to Israel.  Quakers (not allied with the group) have protested at the police raid on their premises. 

Open Justice 

Apple is taking the unprecedented step of removing its highest level data security tool from customers in the UK, after the government demanded access to user data, citing powers given to it under the Investigatory Powers Act.  After reluctantly pulling ADP from the UK, Apple has now launched legal proceedings against the government who argued it would damage national security if the nature of the legal action and the parties to it were made public.  However a judge has sided with a coalition of civil liberties groups and news organisations – including the BBC – and ruled a legal row between the UK government and Apple over data privacy cannot be held in secret. 

Sources: BBC News; The Guardian; Global Witness News; Doughty Street Chambers; Human Rights Watch; Amnesty.

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Amnesty publishes Death Penalty report


Report for 2024 published

April 2025

The report highlights a sharp increase in numbers executed – the highest level since 2015 – but the number of countries holds steady. Amnesty has recorded 1,518 executions in 2024 a 32% increase over the previous year. A problem with producing statistics of this nature is that countries who are major users of the penalty, keep their figures a secret. China for example, believed to be the world’s largest executioner with thousands of its citizens executed each year – does not publish figures regarding them as a state secret. Another secretive nation is Vietnam where, similarly, the numbers are a state secret, and Belarus and Laos who release limited information. The figures are accordingly a minimum estimate of the actual numbers executed. The full report can be accessed here (pdf).

The penalty is not solely used to put to death people who have committed serious crime, but is used as a repressive tool. Saudi Arabia (image), and Iran, for example use the penalty to stifle dissent, targeting human rights defenders, protestors, dissidents and political opponents. There is also a disproportionate use of the penalty against minorities particularly religious minorities. Iran, which executed no less than 972 individuals last year, uses the penalty to execute those who challenge, or who are perceived to challenge, the Islamic Republic. It is also noted that these regimes have poor levels of justice. Defendants are often tortured to secure confessions and are denied access to lawyers. It is highly likely, not to say probable, that many wholly innocent people lose their lives.

Another trend is the use of the penalty as part of drugs programmes against dealers and users.

There is little sign, and very little evidence, that the penalty is some kind of deterrent, an argument frequently put forward for its retention or return. The leader of UK’s Reform party for example recently called for its reintroduction following the dreadful murder of three little girls which took place in Southport*. YouGov surveys show mixed views among Britons about the penalty. Generally, people are opposed but there is more support for its use among Conservative voters. The strongest support comes from the 65+ age group. Attitudes do change however, following a particularly unpleasant murder of a child, a policeman or as a result of terrorist activity. It was last used in 1964, suspended in 1965, abolished in 1969 and completely abolished in 1998 when treason was removed (different dates in Northern Ireland).

The group publishes a report on its use each month and last month’s report is available here.

*Town in northern England

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70th Vigil


Gaza: ‘These atrocities were committed in our name’ Haaretz

April 2025

It seems almost unbelievable that a group of people come together every Saturday to stand in a vigil for half an hour on behalf of peace in the Middle East. The horror of October 7th 2023 brought us together but this has been superseded by Israel’s response involving around 50,000 deaths – including many women and children – and the massive destruction of large parts of Gaza. However, things may have changed this week.

There was initially, a large measure of sympathy for Israel and the death of around 1,200 of its people and the taking of 251 hostages. Retaliation was expected but the scale of it has exceeded anything imaginable and is now regarded as a war crime.

Deliberate destruction?

The bombing seemed indiscriminate which is probably a mistaken description. There seems to have been a deliberate attempt to destroy community facilities of one sort or another: schools, hospitals, clinics, water plants and places of worship were all targeted. The reason given in each case was that they were places where Hamas were operating and were often said to be ‘control centres’. Since independent journalists are not allowed in, Israeli claims could not be verified. All aid and electricity has been cut off.

Western media has solemnly reported after a bombing of a hospital say, that Israel had targeted the building because Hamas was using it as a human shield or that it was a control centre. Little or no evidence was ever produced. Thus media have been complicit in their quest for ‘balance’ by reporting the reason for the death of women and children was because of Hamas were somehow involved or were hidden in the hospital.

This week has seen the discovery of a grave in which the decaying bodies of 15 Palestinian medical staff from Red Crescent, and one UN member, were discovered. They were all shot one by one, one man had his hands tied. It looked like an execution in other words. We initially had the usual story that the vehicles were approaching ‘suspiciously’ and without lights. Footage has now appeared to show the vehicles did have lights on and flashing lights. One man was led away blindfolded and his whereabouts is unknown. No weapons were found so claims that they were Hamas were untrue. This incident has shown the standard response by the IDF to killings is unreliable and untrustworthy. It is probable that without independent verification of claims made by IDF, which are reported as fact by western media, it has led to a degree of cavalier carelessness with the truth. Such is the accumulation of evidence about this incident, that Israel has said it will mount an investigation.

Haaretz reports (April 6th) that the 15 dead join around a thousand other medical and aid workers killed in the conflict. It says that the IDF is ignoring both its own and international rules of conflict in the area. The other worrying trend – the undisciplined behaviour of Israeli forces – has spilled over into the West Bank the paper reports where violence against Palestinians has increased markedly. In an editorial they say: “Even though this government would like the war to continue forever, it will end someday. And on that day, the IDF and Israeli society as a whole will be forced to look in the mirror and deal with the knowledge that these atrocities were committed in our name”.

A video of the 70th vigil is available here.

Link to the website of Salisbury Concern for Israel Palestine (SCIP)

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Jagtar Singh Johal in solitary


British subject Jagtar is now confined to solitary despite being innocent

April 2025

Some of you will remember we have campaigned for Jagtar, and he was the subject of our World Day Against the Death Penalty action in 2021, when we wrote to Liz Truss, who was then the Home Secretary. He has now been confined to solitary confinement in India subject to 24 hour guard despite being found innocent of concocted terrorism charges. No evidence was produced and it is alleged he was tortured. He has spent 7 years in gaol already. This new action is double jeopardy.

Jagtar is a British subject and the response of the British government has been weak to say the least. His brother is due to have a meeting with the Foreign Secretary, David Lammy, but will have to wait 7 weeks for the privilege.

His brother said: “I fear for his physical and mental welfare since he is being excluded from contact with all other prisoners. He has been in jail for seven years, acquitted and now he is being further punished. He is being mentally tortured and I am concerned something is going to happen to him. The aim is to break him.”

Recent posts:

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Vigil number 70


We hold our seventieth vigil today, Saturday 5th April

April 2025

POST AMENDED

The 70th vigil was held in Salisbury on Saturday 5th April in the market place. We none of us thought when we started over a year ago that we would still be holding these every Saturday come rain or shine.

This week’s news is especially awful with yet more Palestinian medical staff found dead and buried in a shallow grave in southern Gaza, at least one with his hands tied. They were in clearly marked Red Crescent medical vehicles entering what was supposed to be a safe zone. It made the lead news item in today’s World at One (BBC Radio 4 programme 2 April). The IDF responded in the usual way that the vehicles were coming towards a checkpoint and there were no lights on. The story seems to be falling apart however. The usual Hamas terrorist arguments were trotted out but it now appears there were no weapons. Fortunately there is a survivor to explain what happened. There is evidence that two of the men were murdered after being detained. The use of bulldozers to bury the evidence indicates that this is a war crime. [Text amended 2 April]. We may return to this topic if more information comes to hand.

The programme about the West Bank on ITV the other evening was unpleasant viewing. It showed a settler gradually invading Palestinian land. What was shocking was his contempt for them and spoke in terms of clearing them away. He stopped next to some newly planted olive trees on their land and said he wasn’t going to clear them away now because the camera was on but it was obvious he would be back later.

It does appear that some of our broadcasters are beginning to report on what is happening in the West Bank and Gaza more fully despite reporting restrictions imposed by Israel and to give it due prominence. It puts the pusillanimous response by the UK government in the spotlight and their continuing failure to stop arms shipments is shocking. The obsession with ‘growth’ should not mean growth at all costs if genocide is at the end of it.

West Bank violence is increasing, Haaretz has reported on a large number of attacks, with livestock killed or stolen and a boy in charge of a flock was recently murdered by settlers they believe. IDF soldiers are seen standing by while settlers throw stones and carry out their attacks.

Here is a video of No 69 courtesy of Peter Gloyns.

Link to Salisbury Concern for Israel Palestine

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Japanese man released after 46 years


Hakamada Iwao released after serving 46 years on death row

March 2025

Hakamada Iwao has been released after spending a record 46 years on death row which is believed to be the longest such case in the world. He has been given $1.4m in compensation which hardly compensates for a lifetime of privation. He is now 89.

It has to be remembered that the Japanese system is particularly barbaric since there is no warning when the execution will actually take place. It means he has spent those years in prison awaiting an execution which could have happened at any moment.

Another factor is that he was never guilty. It is yet another example of police interrogation methods at the time. He was intensively interrogated and abused over a period of 20 days with no lawyer present. He was coerced into signing a confession – later withdrawn – and other documents were forged by the police. It is also probable that bloodstained clothing was tampered with by them as well.

People who argue for the death penalty have to face the fact of mistakes which cannot be rectified. People sometimes argue that why would someone sign a confession if they weren’t guilty? They forget that isolation, bad treatment, psychological pressure and constant interrogation can break most people.

It is disappointing to note that 83% of Japanese still support the penalty and increase of 2.3 percentage points from the last survey according to an article in the Asahi Shimbun. It does point out however that many people are unaware of the facts surrounding the penalty.

Amnesty opposes the death penalty in all circumstances.

Sources: Asahi Shimbun, Guardian, Amnesty International

[Some spellings are Hakamata]

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Exeter Conference


March 2025

Members from groups in the South West gathered in Exeter last Saturday for an interesting day on human rights issues. All credit to the Exeter group who have organised this for several years now enabling us to meet other groups in the region. We held our usual photo opportunity in front of the fine Exeter Cathedral (almost as fine as Salisbury’s!), and this picture was to highlight the problems of being a woman in Afghanistan.

You can read a post on the issue of the UK’s support for cricket in Afghanistan particularly as women are not allowed to play it. There is a post on one of the speakers who discussed the current situation in Somalia.

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Gaza: don’t say you don’t know


Vigil number 68

March 2025

The violence continues. Israel has ended the ceasefire and over a hundred have been killed in the recent bombing in Gaza. Encouraged by President Trump and his desire to see some kind of Riviera on the Mediterranean coast, the IDF has restarted its bombing campaign. There can be little pretence that peace and a two state solution is anywhere present in current thinking.

To criticise Israel is to court being called ‘antisemitic’ a kneejerk reaction which has been immensely powerful. Many publications are wary of inviting this slur. It is very encouraging therefore to read of criticisms coming from within Israel itself and in particular in the Haaretz newspaper. A recent article by its editor Aluf Benn, is testimony to this [registration may be needed].

The images on our screens are truly horrific. A landscape of demolished buildings; mountains of rubble; hoards of people moving from one ‘safe zone’ to the next; rows of corpses and parents clutching dead infants. The scale of the response, with Netanyahu promising even worse to come, is demonstrably a crime against humanity. All supported by the United States and now Donald Trump with vague notions of moving 2 million Palestinians out of the territory to some other country.

Britain continues to support Israel and the RAF are reported to be overflying Gaza a largely unreported fact. And of course we are still selling them arms. We are thus complicit in these terrible events.

The 68th Vigil was held yesterday in the Market Place in Salisbury with around 35 in attendance. We are grateful to Peter Gloyns for a moving video.

Latest posts:

SCIP

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Somalia – a forgotten conflict


Terrible abuses take place in Somalia with little attention paid by the media

March 2025

The news is filled with the terrible events in Gaza and the resumption of bombing there, the war in Ukraine which, following President Trump’s activities and support for Russia, shows no sign of an equitable or fair resolution, and a possible resumption of hostilities in Lebanon means other conflicts receive little attention. This is true of Somalia on the horn of Africa where corruption and lawlessness are rife.

At South West conference in Exeter of Amnesty groups organised by the City’s Amnesty group, we heard first hand from a Somalian human rights defender Abdalle Mumin (pictured). Entitled Human Rights in Somalia: the Struggle of Defenders in a Dangerous Environment, he gave a detailed description of the severe problems being experienced in that country but which remain largely unreported. His descriptions of being held in an underground cell was chilling.

He explained the power set up in the country which provides valuable background to understanding the politics of repression. There are three centres of power: 1. Al-Shebaab a terrorist organisation with close links to Al-Qaeda 2. the government and 3. the clans of which there seem to be three. All are male dominated and the role of women in the political process is much reduced he said.

Corruption is rife and there is no independent judiciary. Women who are not wanted for some reason or complain too much can be murdered with impunity as there are no investigations carried out. Femicide is frequently practised. There is considerable sexual and gender based violence. The corruption starts with the business of getting into government for which a bribe of around $1m dollars is required. This has to be paid back of course which is done by purloining food aid and selling it off, accepting bribes for favours, money laundering and rewarding friends and family.

‘Terrorism and corruption are like brother and sister‘

This corrupt state of affairs can be kept going because attempts to publish stories is difficult. Many journalists are murdered: 85 in the period 1991 – 2024. There is also straightforward intimidation of news outlets by all the parties with many being closed. There are heavy restriction on human rights groups. This has now become the standard playbook for authoritarian and dictatorial regimes.

Foreign interventions he described as ‘confused’. Much aid in recent times is tied to resource extraction and there is an emphasis on security over human rights. Different agencies have different agendas making offering concerted help difficult.

There has been a huge displacement of population with around 2.9m affected. 80% of children do not receive an education and girls none at all in the rural areas because of the influence of Al-Shabaab.

Altogether a grim tale and finding hope is difficult. The problem in Somalia and in much of sub-Saharan Africa is the battle for resources. Countries desperate for minerals, oil and rare earth metals are concerned only to extract what they can and they show little regard for human rights. Their activities fuel the corruption since mining is impossible without the say so and bribes of one or all the various powers in the country. Abdalle Mumin himself was some kind of inspiration however. Despite the difficulties and the risks he faces – which include death from people unconstrained by law or justice – he was both inspiring and uplifting not to say humbling. Amnesty members present in Exeter were grateful for his talk.

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Death penalty action


New trial for Richard Glossip in Oklahoma

March 2025

One of the issues with the death penalty is that mistakes cannot be rectified. Once someone has been executed, they cannot be brought back to life. The case of Richard Glossip has shown that flaws in the legal process can deliver poor justice. The Supreme Court’s decision to vacate his death sentence is welcome news and the change of heart of some of the people involved is welcome.

Mr Glossip was convicted and sentenced to death in the 1997 killing in Oklahoma City of his former boss, motel owner Barry Van Treese, in what prosecutors have alleged was a murder-for-hire scheme.

The prosecution’s star witness was Glossip’s co-defendant, Justin Sneed, who admitted to robbing and killing Van Treese but testified he only did so after Glossip promised to pay him $10,000.  Mr Sneed was given a life sentence in exchange for testifying against Mr Glossip.  He had been diagnosed with bipolar disorder, and had been taking medication, but denied it during the trial.  Mr Glossip’s prosecutors knew the truth but did not correct the false evidence in the course of the trial. Mr Sneed later recanted his claim, Mr Glossip has always maintained his innocence and there was no physical evidence.

The US Supreme Court Ruling

On 25th February, in a 5:3 decision, the US Supreme Court ordered a new trial for Mr Glossip because errors committed by prosecutors violated his constitutional rights, invoking the 14th Amendment’s right to due process.

Response of Attorney General Gentner Drummond to US Supreme Court’s overturning of Richard Glossip’s Conviction

In the wake of the U.S. Supreme Court’s deci­sion to vacate Richard Glossip’s 2004 death sen­tence, pub­lic offi­cials and advo­cates have expressed strong reac­tions. Oklahoma Attorney General Gentner Drummond acknowl­edged the sig­nif­i­cance of the rul­ing, stat­ing, ​“Our jus­tice sys­tem is great­ly dimin­ished when an indi­vid­ual is con­vict­ed with­out a fair tri­al, but today we can cel­e­brate that a great injus­tice has been swept away.”

While main­tain­ing his belief that Mr. Glossip is not inno­cent, AG Drummond empha­sized that ​“it is now an unde­ni­able fact that he did not receive a fair trial.”  He com­mit­ted to review­ing the high court’s rul­ing and deter­min­ing ​“the most appro­pri­ate course of action to ensure jus­tice is secured for all involved” and that he would work with Oklahoma County District Attorney Vicki Behenna to deter­mine the next steps in Mr. Glossip’s case. ​“She and I will col­lab­o­rate togeth­er with our staffs and will review the evi­dence with fresh eyes and inter­view those wit­ness­es that would be avail­able to us to make a deter­mi­na­tion whether we should pro­ceed seek­ing again the death penal­ty, whether we should pro­ceed seek­ing life with­out the oppor­tu­ni­ty for parole, or if we should pro­ceed with a less­er charged crime.”

“Our jus­tice sys­tem is great­ly dimin­ished when an indi­vid­ual is con­vict­ed with­out a fair tri­al, but today we can cel­e­brate that a great injus­tice has been swept away.” (Source: Death Penalty Information Center)

Response of Don Knight, Mr Glossip’s Attorney

“We are thankful that a clear majority of the Court supports long-standing precedent that prosecutors cannot hide critical evidence from defense lawyers and cannot stand by while their witnesses knowingly lie to the jury.  Today was a victory for justice and fairness in our judicial system.  Rich Glossip, who has maintained his innocence for 27 years, will now be given the chance to have the fair trial that he has always been denied”.

Chair of Pardon & Parole Board speaking out against death penalty and the system in Oklahoma

Adam Luck, the for­mer Chairman of Oklahoma’s Board of Pardons and Parole and for­mer mem­ber of the Oklahoma Board of Corrections, is now speak­ing out against the death penal­ty in Oklahoma.  Explaining his change of heart, Mr. Luck cites to his first-hand expe­ri­ence with flaws in Oklahoma’s cap­i­tal pun­ish­ment sys­tem, includ­ing botched exe­cu­tions, and his deep Christian faith. ​“Having the unique expe­ri­ence of vot­ing on the life of anoth­er human being forced me to con­sid­er the impli­ca­tions of my faith in ways I nev­er had before,” Mr. Luck said.

During his time as Chairman, Mr. Luck presided over clemen­cy hear­ings for five death row pris­on­ers, includ­ing Julius Jones and Bigler Stouffer, and sup­port­ed clemen­cy in each case.  He also points to the alarm­ing num­ber of death row exon­er­a­tions — at least 200 nation­al­ly, with 11 in Oklahoma alone — as evi­dence that the jus­tice sys­tem con­demns inno­cent peo­ple to death. ​“For a place that has more church­es per capi­ta than almost any oth­er place in the world, to also have a greater per­cent­age of its pop­u­la­tion behind prison walls than almost any place in the world inher­ent­ly holds some contradictions.”

“I am con­vinced that the death penal­ty is deeply flawed, I am com­mit­ted to work­ing towards end­ing it wher­ev­er it is still prac­ticed, and I believe con­ver­sa­tions with­in the Christian faith prac­tice will be crit­i­cal in mak­ing progress towards that end.”  

Action

Please write to Governor J Kevin Stitt expressing your delight at the good news that the US Supreme Court has ordered a new trial for Richard Glossip, and the hope that he will now receive justice.

Please also express concern at the miscarriage of justice which has resulted in his spending over 20 years on death row, highlighting in addition the recent statement by the former Chair of the Pardon & Parole Board regarding the death penalty itself and the serious problems with its use in Oklahoma.

You may like to include the hope that the investigations that will now be conducted might result in the conclusion that Richard Glossip is innocent and should be exonerated, with no further trial necessary.

Please send a copy of your letter to Attorney General Gentner Drummond. 

Contact details:

The Honorable J Kevin Stitt

Governor of the State of Oklahoma

Oklahoma State Capitol

2300 N. Lincoln Blvd; Suite 212

Oklahoma City

OK 73105

USA.

Emails can be tried at:   https://oklahoma.gov/governor/contact/general-information/contact-the-governor.html which gives access to a form.

Attorney General Gentner Drummond

Office of the Attorney General

313 NE 21st Street

Oklahoma City

OK 73105

USA

Emails can be tried at: contact@oag.ok.gov  

Sources:  Death Penalty Information Center; The Hill; ABC News. Thanks also to group member Lesley for putting the elements of this post together.

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