jchrpn13_100209
Press Notice No. 13, Session 2008-09, 10 February 2009
HUMAN RIGHTS COMMITTEE CHALLENGES MINISTERS OVER TORTURE ALLEGATIONS
Andrew Dismore MP, Chairman of the Joint Select Committee on Human Rights has written to the Home Secretary, the Foreign Secretary and the Attorney General on behalf of the Committee raising the Committee's serious concerns over the recent allegations of complicity of UK agents in torture overseas (letters attached).
Andrew Dismore said:
"Last week, we received evidence from Human Rights Watch and Ian Cobain, Guardian investigative journalist, of the alleged complicity of British agents in torture in Pakistan. Last Thursday, the Foreign Secretary made a statement in the House of Commons about the Binyam Mohamed case, which also raises questions about complicity in torture. My Committee intends to do all it can to get to the bottom of these serious allegations."
We are inviting the Home Secretary and Foreign Secretary to give evidence to the Committee in public as soon as possible to hear what they have to say in response; and we are urgently asking the Attorney General what progress she has made in her investigations into the cases, too.
THE MEMBERS OF THE COMMITTEE ARE:
Mr Andrew Dismore MP (Labour, Hendon) (Chairman)
Lord Bowness (Conservative)
John Austin MP (Labour, Erith & Thamesmead)
Lord Dubs (Labour)
Dr Evan Harris MP (Liberal Democrat, Oxford West & Abingdon)
Lord Lester of Herne Hill (Liberal Democrat)
Mr Virendra Sharma MP (Labour, Ealing, Southall)
Lord Morris of Handsworth (Labour)
Mr Richard Shepherd MP (Conservative, Aldridge-Brownhills)
The Earl of Onslow (Conservative)
Mr Edward Timpson MP (Conservative, Crewe and Nantwich)
Baroness Prashar (Cross-Bencher)
Clerks of the Committee: Dr Mark Egan (House of Commons) 020 7219 2797 and Rebecca Neal (House of Lords) 020 7219 6772
ENQUIRIES: 020 7219 2797/2467 FAX: 020 7219 8393 E-MAIL: jchr@parliament.uk
HOMEPAGE: http://www.parliament.uk/jchr
MEDIA INQUIRIES: Ms Jessica Bridges-Palmer: 020 7219 0724
