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Jean Lambert London's Green MEP

Member States Continue To Stick Heads In Sand Despite EP Findings

UK Euro MP Jean Lambert has today welcomed the European Parliament’s report following the investigation into the CIA extraordinary rendition flights, and urged member states to continue with their own inquiries.

Jean, who sits on the European Parliament’s Temporary Committee Of Inquiry into the CIA abuses, today said that despite the efforts of some member states to soften the report, it had sent a strong message that EU Government’s could no longer ‘stick their heads in the sand’ and ignore the problem.

Jean commented; “The so-called ‘war’ on terror has been used by some to rework international law and defy international conventions on human rights and the treatment of those detained (on suspicion, not proof) without trial or any due process. Human rights are universal and indivisible and the EU is committed to upholding these rights.

“This report confronts us with an uncomfortable reality, that the CIA did both abduct and transport civilians in EU countries, a practice that many EU governments and key officials in the EU institutions were aware of. We now urge Member State Parliaments and Governments to investigate fully what may have been happening on their territory.

“This must not be the end of the Parliament’s involvement in this issue and we must be vigilant to ensure that its recommendations are acted on. As a member of the European Parliament’s Human Rights and Civil Liberties Committees I will ensure that we re-evaluate our findings in the coming months. We need clear rules to prevent external secret services from carrying out human rights violations with impunity in EU territory again.”