The programme explores questions at the at the heart of British identity: what it means to be a British citizen , the erosion of civil liberties, human rights in a post-9/11 era, British Sovereignty and its big brother relations with America. The event brings together many of the guests of the UK-wide 14 date film, poetry and speakers tour in a single night. The treaty  was creation of Blair-Bush partnership that allows British citizens to be spirited away to the US — and its out-of-control judicial system — without the US having to provide any evidence, even if the alleged crimes took place in the UK, and even if the alleged crimes are not crimes in the UK. The event takes its name from a T-shirt by the Arts Against Extraditions collective.

Guests include:

A.L Kennedy – awarding winning novelist, author of article “Solitary Confinement is no place for a Poet” in Guardian

David Bermingham - one of the “Natwest Three”, expert witness against Extradition treaty, author of “Price to Pay” must-read book about Extradition ordeal

Moazzam Begg – CagePrisoners Director, former Guatanamo Detainee, author of “Enemy Combatant”

Victoria Brittain – journalist & author of plays “Guatanamo” & “Meaning of Waiting”

Talha Ahsan – poetry & letters written in prison whilst detained without trial or evidence ( freetalha.org )

Arts Against Extraditions – collective of artists & creatives fighting against extraditions & for civil liberties

Screening of “Extradition” -a 30 minute film about Talha Ahsan & Babar Ahmad featuring Gareth Peirce & poet Avaes Mohammad, framed around Talha Ahsan prison poetry & other acts to be announced.

www.freetalha.org
www.youtube.com/freetalha
http://www.facebook.com/pages/FreeTalha-Ahsan/
Twitter hashtag: #ExtraditeNight