Ten NGOs Withdraw from UK Torture Inquiry, Citing Lack of Credibility and Transparency. These include Amnesty International, Liberty and Reprieve, who've announced their intention to boycott the government’s proposed inquiry into UK complicity in torture following the 9/11 attacks, on the first anniversary of Prime Minister David Cameron’s announcement that an inquiry would take place. Although the inquiry was initially greeted with guarded optimism, it rapidly became apparent that it was intended to be a whitewash.
Human rights groups and lawyers intend to pull out of the inquiry into British complicity in allegations of torture because it does not have ''credibility or transparency'', they said today.
Human rights group claim suspects were tortured with the knowlege of British security services
...This follows the publication of the inquiry's protocols which show the final decision on whether material uncovered by the inquiry, led by Sir Peter Gibson, can be made public will rest with the Cabinet Secretary.
The protocols also stated that former detainees and their lawyers will not be able to question intelligence officials and all evidence from current or former members of the security and intelligence agencies, below the level of head, will be heard in private.
In the letter, the campaigners wrote: ''Plainly an inquiry conducted in the way that you describe and in accordance with the protocol would not comply with Article Three of the European Convention on Human Rights.
''We are particularly disappointed that the issue of what material may be disclosed to the public will not be determined independently of Government and, further, that there will be no meaningful participation of the former and current detainees and other interested third parties.
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