Serious human rights violations have occurred as a consequence of the UK authorities' response to the 11 September attacks in the USA, states Amnesty International's report "Rights denied: the UK's response to 11 September 2001" released today.
The report denounces the treatment and conditions of detention of those detained in the aftermath of the events of 11 September. Detainees have been subjected to "small-group isolation"; and continue to be held in 22-hour-a-day lock-up. They have not received adequate health care and their right to religious exercise was limited.
"The regime under which detainees are held can lead to a serious physical and mental deterioration of their health which, in turn, could undermine their capacity to prepare their defence," said Livio Zilli, Amnesty International's researcher on the UK.
Detainees were denied prompt access to a solicitor. Upon their arrest and detention at Belmarsh Prison all of them were refused permission to make telephone calls to solicitors (lawyers), whether they had pre-existing solicitors or not.
The report denounces the treatment and conditions of detention of those detained in the aftermath of the events of 11 September. Detainees have been subjected to "small-group isolation"; and continue to be held in 22-hour-a-day lock-up. They have not received adequate health care and their right to religious exercise was limited.
"The regime under which detainees are held can lead to a serious physical and mental deterioration of their health which, in turn, could undermine their capacity to prepare their defence," said Livio Zilli, Amnesty International's researcher on the UK.
Detainees were denied prompt access to a solicitor. Upon their arrest and detention at Belmarsh Prison all of them were refused permission to make telephone calls to solicitors (lawyers), whether they had pre-existing solicitors or not.