Simultaneous vigils are to be held at Prestwick, Glasgow and Edinburgh airports this Sunday (18 December) in protest at the suspected use of these airports by US aircraft involved in the obscene practice called "extraordinary rendition" - a euphemism for the transport of prisoners to torture centres around the world. Complicity in torture is a crime under international law.
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Press Releases from 2005
Press Releases and public statements by Scotland Against Criminalising Communities
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16 December 2005
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09 November 2005Finally, Blair's game's up. In a country still grieving from the London bombings, he staked his credibility on a law that he said would protect us, and he lost. It was his first defeat ever.
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09 November 2005The July 2005 Solidarity Group, a support group for people arrested at the G8, denounces the police publication of 'Wanted' photos of anti G8 demonstrators. We support all facing charges arising from the G8 demonstrations, and call for all charges to be dropped. More groups, such as Scotland against Criminalising Communities and the Industrial Workers of the World, support this stand.
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04 November 2005
The parliamentary rebellion over the government's Terrorism Bill is a welcome sign that Labour backbenchers may be rediscovering their backbones. But it's a pity that many of the rebels seem willing to settle for concessions that do no more than pull some of the rottenest teeth from this vicious piece of legislation.
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04 September 2005Letters From Belmarsh was a Radio 4 commissioned documentary originally scheduled for transmission on 28th July. The cancellation of the programme raises grave concerns about editorial practices at the BBC
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20 August 2005The Scottish Daily Mail's attack last Thursday on solicitor Mudassar Arani and on an advice leaflet circulated by SACC is a disgrace.
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20 August 2005
Armed police officers in Scotland appear to be operating under the same guidelines that led to the tragic death of Jean Charles de Menezes in London on 22 July. Their firearms policy is urgently in need of overhaul following revelations earlier this week that Jean Charles de Menezes was acting in an entirely innocent manner when he was assassinated by police officers on the London underground.
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06 August 2005
Following a surge in racist crime, SACC calls on Scottish police forces to tackle the crisis of confidence by building a culture of solidarity instead of suspicion, and by dissociating themselves from the Met's shoot-to-kill policy. SACC is also asking members of the public, whatever their faith, to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with Muslims and to make it clear that they will not tolerate racist harassment and Islamophobia.
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24 July 2005
We share the nation's shock at the news that Jean Charles de Menezes - an innocent Brazilian man - has been brutally killed by police on London's Underground. Our thoughts are with his family, and we offer our support to them in the vigil they have been holding today.
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22 July 2005
We are filled with sorrow and concern at the news that a man has been shot dead by police on London's underground. We do not know yet whether the man was carrying a bomb. But initial reports suggest that police had been following him for some time without attempting to stop him, so we must suppose that they themselves were far from sure that he presented a threat to life.
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07 July 2005SACC is appalled at Thursday's muderous attacks on the people of London. We whole-heartedly endorse the statement released by our friends and colleagues in the Stop Political Terror Campaign calling for restraint and unity at this crucial time.
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06 July 2005Babar Ahmad is a British citizen who was first arrested under Anti-Terrorism Laws in December 2003. He was left with 50 injuries, two of which were life threatening. He was released without charge after a week. He was re-arrested on 5th August 2004 on an Extradition Warrant by the USA. Babar has been fighting this extradition. In a message to the audience at the G8 Alternatives Summit, Babar Ahmad wrote: "Today it is my turn. Tomorrow it will be your turn and anyone else identified as Anti-Establishment. Act now before it is too late. "
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24 May 2005Press release from the Islamic Society of Britain (endorsed by SACC) in response to the announcement that Babar Ahmad, a British Citizen, could be handed over to the US authorities. ISB and SACC urge the Home Secretary to allow Babar to remain in his country and agree with the Muslim Council of Britain that the terms of the Extradition Treaty 2003 are imbalanced and should be re-negotiated.
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25 January 2005
The men coming home from Guantanamo Bay deserve all the support this country can give them. They should be treated as torture victims, not as terrorism suspects
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23 January 2005
SACC welcomes the news that the remaining four British citizens held at Guantanamo Bay , but is concerned at suggestions that the men may be arrested and questioned by police on their arrival.