By IRNA,
London : Amnesty International Tuesday accused European governments of complicity and inaction over US-led rendition and secret detentions.
In new report, the London-based human rights organization criticised European nations for providing a “helping hand” in the detention of individuals who were then transferred without due process into the hands of the CIA or other US agents.
Alongside cases involving Sweden, Germany, Italy, Macedonia and Bosnia, the report raised questions about the UK’s role in the detention and later transfer of some British nationals and residents.
“European governments have played a disreputable role in rendition and they are still in a state of denial about this. It’s time for proper investigations and for the full renditions story to come out,” Amnesty International UK Director Kate Allen said.
The report was particularly scathing about the lack of action taken by European governments since the issue of renditions has been made public.
To bridge what it sees as an “accountability gap”, it said it was urging all European countries to adopt a Six-point Plan on renditions.
These included the need for any aircraft seeking permission to travel across or land in European territory to indicate whether it is carrying any passengers who are deprived of their liberty, giving their status and the legal basis for their transfer.
The report highlighted the cases of UK national Martin Mubanga and UK residents Bisher al-Rawi, Jamil el-Banna and Binyam Mohamed, who were all handed over to the US in third countries and
subsequently taken to Guantanamo Bay.
Amnesty said it was writing to Foreign Secretary David Miliband about Mohamed’s physical and mental health after being detained without trial for more than fours years, calling for his immediate transfer from the harsh environment of “Camp 5.”
“From all accounts Binyam Mohamed is in a desperate state and we’re asking Mr Miliband to use his influence with the American authorities to seek Binyam’s immediate transfer to a less harsh environment,” Allen said.
The human rights group said it was also calling on the UK government to sign and ratify the UN Convention on Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance.
This would provide important protections against some of the worst abuses of rendition and secret detention, it said, while expressing concern that the UK is fast being left behind by other European states that have already taken this important step.