UN attacks Britain over torture claims

[Solly Mack]

Investigator raises 'very clear allegations' that MI5 broke international law


"It is the first time the UN's senior torture investigator has directly criticised a British government. Human rights groups said it was highly significant. Clare Algar, executive director of legal charity Reprieve, said: "This is a further significant embarrassment for the British government and reinforces the fact that we really need an independent review into what has been going on."

Nowak appeared to criticise the foreign secretary, David Miliband, for blocking the release of US files allegedly confirming MI5 involvement in the torture of British resident Binyam Mohamed. Miliband said releasing the documents could do "real and significant damage" to British national security.

Nowak, who reports to the UN's human rights council and the general assembly, said: "I am very concerned about the fact that allegations of torture actually cannot be really investigated because of the state secrecy privilege.

"We must get away from the use of the state secrecy privilege as a way of quashing court cases and litigation from victims of torture being heard in public."

[G_j]

1. Straw vetoes publication of cabinet Iraq war minutes

(there seems to be theme here)

http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2009/feb/24/iraq-freedom-of-information

Straw vetoes publication of cabinet Iraq war minutes

Justice secretary refuses to comply with information tribunal's order to release minutes of two meetings
Andrew Sparrow, senior political correspondent, and Katherine Baldwin
guardian.co.uk, Tuesday 24 February 2009 16.39 GMT

Jack Straw today said he would take the unprecedented step of vetoing the release of cabinet minutes relating to the decision to invade Iraq.

The justice secretary made his announcement in response to a decision from the information tribunal, which last month ordered the publication of the minutes of two cabinet meetings, held on 13 and 17 March 2003.

It is the first time the government has used its power to veto the release of documents under the Freedom of Information (FoI) Act .

In a statement to MPs, Straw said he had not taken the decision "lightly".

He added that the public interest in disclosure of the minutes could not "supplant the public interest in maintaining the integrity of our system of government".

..more..

[Solly Mack]

2. Gotta love the thinking

"supplant the public interest in maintaining the integrity of our system of government".

Never mind that the criminal actions by government already has corrupted the integrity of their system of government (same for America)

[spanone]

3. blair & bu$h* need to answer many questions....doubt they will