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----- Original Message -----
Sent: Friday, April 06, 2001 7:01 AM
Subject: Laos' Human Rights abuse of jailing Australian couple for 3
months without a trial is an everyday event in Australia! Open Letter
The
Hon
Alexander John Gosse
Downer
Minister for Foreign Affairs
The House of
Representatives
Parliament
House
CANBERRA ACT 2600
Dear Sir
In
publicly condemning Laos for keeping an Australian couple jailed for 3 months
without a trial the Australian Government again prove its hypocritical double
standards. In Australia people are imprisoned for 10 month without a
trial.
An
Australian Farmer was kept in jail for 10 month without a
trial in 1988. And again he has been locked up
for 5 months without a trial. We have attached again for your
information e-mails sent to you, to every member of the Senate and to the
Parliament in Canberra and the State of Victoria. On hearing the plight of an
Australian framer in an Australian prison there was no outcry from any
politician, just silence.
Please explain why other countries should listen to
the Australian Government's complaints and screaming about human rights abuse
when Australia itself does not offer any protection of rights? This "human rights game" played
by the Australian Government against other countries only impresses the ignorant
Australian but not those that have eyes to
see.
“Every
democratic, industrialised country except Australia has legal protection of
rights, including the right to equality, of one kind or
another”.
This statement was made by a knowledgeable man, the
previous
Chief Justice of the High Court of Australia, Sir Anthony
Mason.
But
there is also the international community who is not blind. The
UNHRC Summary record of the 1856th meeting: Australia. 28/07/2000.
CCPR/C/SR.1856. (Summary Record) says that:
“........A large number of cases in Australia had demonstrated that the law did
not provide for the protection of positive rights, as opposed to the protection
of freedoms..."
"......the ..... sheer volume of the material supplied by Australia made it
impossible for the Committee to address matters other than those of
urgent concern. Accordingly, ... would confine .... comments and questions to
the situation of Australia's indigenous people..."
Taking
into account these findings by the UN Human Rights Committee (UNHRC) is it
not correct to say that Australia has the same human rights standards than Laos
and other third world countries?
Brigitte
Straulino
President
ONE
VOICE – ONE PEOPLE, Human Rights Defenders
Sent: Friday, March 09, 2001 6:00 AM
Subject: Urgent Attention: Brian Fyffe threatened by Legal Aid
should he insist on a trial by jury
To All Elected Representatives of the
People
Cc: UN
Human Rights Committee (UNHRC)
Secretary-General
Kofi Annan, UN New York
ONE VOICE -
ONE PEOPLE Human Rights Defenders (OVOP) herewith ask you again for
urgent help
for Brian Fyffe.
You all are aware of the history of
this appalling case o human rights abuse in Australia:
Brian
Fyffe, a 62-year-old man, has been kept for 4 months in prison because
of allegations of threats to a police officer. In order to gain access to Brian
Fyffe's home, the police obtained a search warrant for illegal possession
of firearms and on 10 October 2000 a 60 men armed force invaded Brian
Fyffe's home. He was jailed for having an Israeli Uzi machine gun mounted to his
front door. In the following bail hearings the police admitted that they
had not found any machine guns. This "revelation" however did not result in a
release of Brian Fyffe from jail but he was kept jailed because a magistrate
said that he was a danger to the public. To date Brian Fyffe has not been
provided with any evidence of a crime.
Finally,
after 4 months in jail and the denial of legal aid and medical attention and
care, Brian Fyffe has now been granted legal aid, however ……..
please see the attached e-mail, which is self-explanatory!
OVOP
herewith demand that you personally take all measures necessary in this very
serious case of human rights abuse to ensure that Brian Fyffe will have proper
legal representation on Tuesday 13 March 2001 and a trial by jury accordingly to
the rule of law
Please
note: Brian Fyffe has
the following rights under article 14 of the
International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and
by Australian Law
·
The right to be
presumed innocent until proven guilty
·
The right of legal
representation also confirmed in a decision of the High
Court of Australia
·
The right to a
fair and impartial trial. To
ensure a fair trial the Australian Constitution demands a trial by jury for all
criminal offences
Further, article 26 of the international covenant
says that Brian Fyffe is equal before the law and is entitled to equal
protection by the law.
Taking into
account that any civilised and democratic country in the world is governed by
these human right standards consequently a
country, which does not adhere to the principles of human rights, is not in a
status of civilisation! This must apply in Australia because there has not been
any action to protect this man’s right’s nor have we heard any noises and
concerns from any of you other than deadly silence and complacency…
Awaiting
your urgently confirmation of the receipt of
this message and your
advice about the action you as representative of the people have taken to
protect this man's rights,
Yours
faithfully
Brigitte
Straulino
President
ONE
VOICE – ONE PEOPLE, Human Rights Defenders
E-
Mail addresses:
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
Web
address:
http://onevoice.freeservers.com/
-----Original
Message-----
From: judy mastwyk [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]] Sent: Thursday, 8 March 2001 08:31 To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subject: Re: Brian Fyffe Dear Brigitte,
Dad has not been able to secure legal
rep. for the committal hearing on Tuesday. ……. I believe they
will move dad on Friday...tomorrow...up to Bairnsdale. I am not sure what
we are going to do.....legal aid are being difficult...first they said yes, they
will fund the case, then Greg Thomas from legal aid said that after looking at
the case he is of the opinion that dad should go before a judge alone in the
magistrates court to have the charges heard. Dad has a legal right to
choose how he wishes his case to be heard and he wants a trial by judge and
jury. Mr. Thomas said that if dad wishes to go before a judge and jury
legal aid will not fund the case. So, does dad really have much
choice???? l think not when it comes to legal aid. How many millions
of dollars have the Victorian government spent on this stupid inquiry into
Intergraph, the ambulance service which the kennet government awarded a contract
to???? something like $60m when it is finally finished!!!!! The
labor gov. initiated an inquiry into the tendering process which the Liberal
gov. gave to this organization. It is a blatant waste, utter waste, of
legal aid funds!!!!!!! Gotta go now...l will get back to you
tonight with more info....
Yours sincerely,
Judy Mastwyk
Contact
details for Judy Mastwyk
E-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
PH: 03 5465
8566
Address:
Wild Dog
Valley
Road |
Fw: Laos' Human Rights abuse of jailing Australian couple for 3 months without a trial is an everyday event in Australia!
One Voice - One People, Human Rights Defenders Thu, 05 Apr 2001 13:51:47 -0700
