15th December 2005

The revelation that four men have been deprived of their liberty for four years in Britain on suspicion of being international terrorists is shocking. It is deeply disturbing to hear that they have not once been questioned by police or security services since being arrested!

In interviews with Amnesty International, the four - three Algerians and a Palestinian - say understandably that their physical and mental health has been harmed by their detentions in Belmarsh jail - dubbed by some as 'Britain's Guantanamo Bay'.

Their detentions have been ruled illegal by the law lords, but it is astonishing that we've come to a place where British officials think such detentions are justified. The UK is demanding high standards of Human Rights from other countries but every time we hear of treatment such as this, the UK loses credibility on the subject.

The UK Government have had to opt out of part of the EU Human Rights act to justify some of this treatment. We are also hearing further criticism of the act because of its ‘inconvenient’ clause preventing the deportation of those likely to suffer torture. It is of grave concern to all UK citizens that the Government, who are meant to be protecting our rights, and us, think this is acceptable behaviour.

Philip Booth, Press Officer, Stroud District Green Party.