Thursday, 8 November 2007

Release all defendants now, repeal terrorism law – GPJA

Global Peace and Justice Auckland and the Civil Rights Defence Committee is calling for the immediate bail of the 10 remaining defendants and the immediate repeal of the Terrorism Suppression Act and its amendments.

Veteran activist and Global Peace and Justice Spokesperson John Minto says that New Zealand doesn’t need George Bush’s laws.

“The Solicitor General has called the validity of the Terrorism Suppression Act into question and any continuance with amendments is an absurdity,” says Mr Minto. “We should repeal the act now and have a national dialogue about what laws we really need to deal with these issue, if we need them at all, rather than simply adopting laws written in the US and UK.”

Mr Minto says that the accused activists and their whanau will carry the stigma of these charges for the rest of their lives.

Global Peace and Justice Auckland and the Civil Rights Defence Committee created to support the accused and their whanau are calling on:

· All remaining incarcerated defendants to be released immediately

· The Terrorism Suppression Act should to be repealed immediately

· The Government to drop the Terrorism Suppression Act Amendment bill immediately

· The Government to give an immediate apology and compensation to the people of Tuhoe who have been terrorized by para-military police

· “Conspiracy fantasist” chief of Police Howard Broad to resign immediately

· Helen Clark to give an immediate apology to all the defendants for convicting them without trial

ENDS

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