Living in the western world, we sometimes fall into the trap of thinking of rights and due process only within the context of an international framework established through key documents such as the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Often by doing so, we miss the history and importance that other cultures, communities and societies have brought to these modern day formulations. 

After months of dignified silence while their father has been repeatedly publicly vilified in an unprecedented high-level political and media campaign, the children of Mohammed Othman (Abu Qatada) have now written an open letter on Twitter refuting some of the press misinformation about them, and detailing what they describe as escalating oppressive practices of the British government. They reveal too some of the extreme difficulties of their young lives in recent weeks and months, and the fact that threatening messages have become something they have learned to live with.

A week ago, French President François Hollande announced in a statement the creation in 2013 of a National authority to monitor and regulate religions in France. This new agency will be established to ensure the nation’s secularism is protected from religious extremism. Hollande said the new observatory - a public agency to monitor policy issues and propose solutions - would also study ways to introduce classes on secular morality in state schools but that is all we know about its future mandate.

The Justice and Security Bill has just gone through a second debate in the House of Commons.  This bill has been introduced on the basis that at present, during trials involving the government, some material cannot be made public on “national security grounds” therefore the government is at a disadvantage to lawsuits brought against them.  With this bill, the government is at no obligation to reveal such evidence and a case can be brought against an individual without he/she being aware of the details of case, limiting their ability to produce a sufficient defence or even attempt to challenge the evidence. This bill is incredibly detrimental to the human rights system of this country and if it is passed, any sense of justice in fair trials that existed previously will be lost.  But unfortunately, it remains that not enough people have even heard of this bill and the dangers that it poses to us all. 

Nearly a decade after his abduction, the ECHR finally gave Mr El Masri the justice he deserved.  

 In  mid-November, four California residents were arrested and charged with conspiracy to provide material support and resources to terrorists.  You can read mainstream coverage of the case here, here, here and elsewhere.  It’s been covered as America’s latest successful terrorism bust, the latest round of arrests necessary to safeguard America’s soldiers and their soil.

Frances Webber assesses how Yasser al-Sirri’s refugee appeal in the UK has resulted in a strange decision where despite never having been convicted of an offence in the UK, the evidence in accusations has been used to deny him refugee status.

This past Wednesday at Garden Court Chambers, CagePrisoners attended an important event about the Justice and Security Bill; in a timely coincidence, the Bill was being debated on the same evening in the House of Lords. The event was organized by CAMPACC, Haldane Society of Socialist Lawyers and the Coalition Against Secret Evidence (CASE), and chaired by Louise Christian, the Vice-President of the Haldane Society of Socialist Lawyers.   

"I spent one year with my baby before he was taken away. It is the most difficult thing that happened to me Alhamdulillah (Praise to God). I am grateful to Allah for allowing me to spend that little time with my son." - Proscovia Nzabanita