Amnesty refuses involvement in UK deportations

[struggle4progress]

James Sturcke
Friday August 26, 2005

<snip> The home secretary, Charles Clarke, said earlier this month he would deport foreign nationals whose presence was "not conducive to the public good", despite concerns that they might be tortured overseas. Under Home Office proposals, deportees' welfare would be ensured by an "independent monitoring mechanism" but the government has yet to reveal by whom, saying today that details would be announced "shortly".

Amnesty, which monitors human rights records in 150 countries, said it would not participate in any scheme which rank the human rights of one prisoner over those of another. <snip>

"We are not going to see our job as being one where we are effectively endorsing or propping up the deportation route. That would not be something we are willing to take part in." <snip>

The International Red Cross also expressed doubts that the government's deportation policy could prevent deportees being mistreated if returned to countries with questionable human rights practices. <snip>

http://politics.guardian.co.uk/terrorism/story/0,15935,1557267,00.html