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Thursday, December 16, 2004
Thank goodness at least one court in the world feels like upholding what should be a fundamental human right. From the article: "Lord Nicholls of Birkenhead called such detention policies 'anathema in any country that observes the rule of law'." Amen to that. Of course, on the other hand, the suspected terrorists, who still haven't been charged with anything, will remain in prison until "Parliament figures out how to strike the right balance between protecting the country and protecting human rights". Need I remind people yet again that such actions violate five articles of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights? A declaration which countries like the US and Britain apparently agreed to?
Moreover, there is very good reason for such rights as "No one shall be subjected to arbitrary arrest, detention or exile". The simplest reason is that it makes the government unaccountable. If someone is bothering those in power, all they have to do is call him or her a terrorist, lock them up, and throw away the key. No one can do anything, because that person is a "terrorist". Has this actually happened? Well, there's no way to know because these people have not had a chance to defend themselves. Will people in Guantanemo Bay ever have a chance to defend themselves?
Actually, I have heard of at least one such serious abuse. A person in America was being held trial on terrorism charges. The court found him innocent. The US government then, using the Patriot Act, overturned the judge's decision and continued to hold the person in prison. This was someone who has found to be innocent, and yet the government decided to continue holding him anyways. I cannot think of a more blatant disregard for human rights in the country which is supposedly the champion of freedom and democracy.
Moreover, there is very good reason for such rights as "No one shall be subjected to arbitrary arrest, detention or exile". The simplest reason is that it makes the government unaccountable. If someone is bothering those in power, all they have to do is call him or her a terrorist, lock them up, and throw away the key. No one can do anything, because that person is a "terrorist". Has this actually happened? Well, there's no way to know because these people have not had a chance to defend themselves. Will people in Guantanemo Bay ever have a chance to defend themselves?
Actually, I have heard of at least one such serious abuse. A person in America was being held trial on terrorism charges. The court found him innocent. The US government then, using the Patriot Act, overturned the judge's decision and continued to hold the person in prison. This was someone who has found to be innocent, and yet the government decided to continue holding him anyways. I cannot think of a more blatant disregard for human rights in the country which is supposedly the champion of freedom and democracy.
