EU must act as Bush steamrolls Supreme Court ruling on Guantánamo military tribunals

3.31.26pm BST (GMT +0100) Thu 7th Sep 2006

As US President George W Bush unveils new plans tonight to side-step the Supreme Court's ruling on his Guantanamo Bay military tribunals, long-time human rights campaigner Liz Lynne MEP is demanding the EU Presidency does more to put pressure on the American administration.

Questioning the Finnish EU Presidency this evening, the Lib Dem Euro-MP and member of the subcommittee of human rights said:

"With George W Bush set to steam-roller his way over even his own judicial system, it is essential that the EU steps up its efforts to put an end to this terrible abuse of human rights.

"We have had reassurances from the Finnish Presidency that it is putting pressure on the United States, it is now clear that much more is required.

"The European Parliament was united in backing the resolution I co-authored condemning the detention camps so why is our message not getting across.

"George W Bush must be made to listen and to realise that this situation is simply not acceptable. He obviously believes he is so supreme that he is above international law"

ENDS

Notes to Editors

At the European Parliament in Strasbourg this evening Liz will ask the Finnish EU Presidency:

"The US supreme court ruled on the 29th June that military tribunals were illegal under the US constitution, this evening President Bush is due to make an announcement that he seeks to change the law to make it possible to try Guantanamo Bay prisoners, including EU citizens ,by military tribunals. Can the council protest in the strongest terms possible about this travesty of justice?

• In our SubCommittee on Human Rights meeting on July 10, MEPs heard from the Finnish Presidency that it would continue to put pressure on the United States to end its human rights abuses at Guantanamo Bay and take steps to close the camp.

• George W Bush is set to unveil a new plan to change the law so that 'unlawful combatants' held at Guantanamo Bay can be tried for crime before military tribunals. This follows a ruling by the US Supreme Court in June which deemed his plans to try the detainees in a military tribunal illegal.

• In May, 2006 Liz co-authored an all-party European Parliament resolution demanding the Guantanamo Bay camps be close and the US government either release its prisoners or have them tried under international law.