Motion of Support For Torture Truth Formally Tabled in Scottish Parliament 11

 in Rendition by

SCOTTISH PARLIAMENT

MOTION

Date of Lodging: 18 March 2009

Short Title: University Rector’s Torture Evidence

S3M-03730 Bill Wilson (West of Scotland) (SNP): That the Parliament

supports the request by the rector of the University of Dundee, Craig Murray, to give evidence to the Westminster Parliament’s Joint Committee on Human Rights on the subject of the UK Government’s policy on receiving intelligence obtained by torture abroad and considers that Mr Murray is offering first-hand eye-witness testimony with documentary proof of a secret and reprehensible policy of attempting to benefit from torture, endorsed and directed by UK ministers.

Bill Wilson MSP has also put out this press release:

University Rector Must Present Torture Evidence, says MSP

Dr Bill Wilson, SNP MSP for the West of Scotland, announced today that he had just lodged a motion calling for the Rector of the University of Dundee, Craig Murray, to be allowed to present evidence of the UK Government’s involvement in torture to Westminster’s Joint Committee on Human Rights.

Dr Wilson commented, “I have long admired Mr Murray’s principled stand against UK complicity in human rights abuses, a stand that lost him his job as British Ambassador to Uzbekistan. He has clear evidence of the fact that the UK Government is prepared on a regular basis to receive intelligence from torture.

“I agree with the suggestion by commentators on Mr Murray’s website that the fact that he is not being allowed to present his evidence to the Joint Committee on Human Rights strongly suggests that the purpose of this committee is not to uncover the truth but to bury it, to ‘prove’ that the government isn’t involved.”

Mr Murray commented on Dr Wilson’s Motion: “It is essential that people are told the truth about some of the terrible things that have been done in their name, if we are to avoid such outrages in future. There is a degree of integrity on this issue being shown in Holyrood that appears so far lacking in Westminster.”

I can make contact details for Bill Wilson available to anyone who wants them. I am very grateful for this support, which makes it still more difficult for the government to pretend that my evidence does not exist.

UPDATE

MSPs Robin Harper, Dr Christopher Harvie, Christina McKelvie, Stuart McMillan, Joe FitzPatrick, and Bill Kidd have now added their names to Dr Bill Wilson’s motion calling for my evidence to be heard.

http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/Apps2/business/motions/Default.aspx?motionid=16106

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11 thoughts on “Motion of Support For Torture Truth Formally Tabled in Scottish Parliament”

  • Andrew

    Excellent development. I have just written to my Westminster MP to ask that he supports your request to the JHRC.

  • wh00ps

    glad to hear you are finally getting somewhere! does the scottish parliament have any weight with what goes on at westminster?

  • Chuck Unsworth

    Nice to see that Bill Wilson has the courage of his convictions. All too rare amongst politicians these days, I’m afraid. But well done him!

  • Michael Bentley

    That’s great news. I hope that the Scottish Parliament’s stand will make some difference to decisions at Westminster. what is really needed is national publicity in the mainstream media. Too often you seem like a lone voice in the wilderness in your attempts to reveal the truth about UK complicity in torture. There are planety of us who agree with you and want your voice to be heard, but our concerns don’t seem to be reflected in the media.

    Along with several friends, I have been publicising your request to the JCHR in blogs, emails, Facebook etc. Torture is such a serious issue and I dearly hope you succeed and that pressure will finally force the government to come clean.

    I know you will keep persistently trying to keep the issue on the agenda. Thanks so much for everything you are doing, and all best wishes.

  • Jon

    I’ve just made it even more difficult for the government to pretend that this evidence does not exist – I have sent the details of this ongoing battle with the JCHR to my MP, who is one of the rare members who are quite good on this sort of thing. Hopefully she will make a representation to the JCHR herself.

    As ever, best of luck, Craig!

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