In Germany, an anti-racist academic faces prosecution for questioning whether court negligence could have been a contributory factor in the case of Marwa al-Sherbini, who was stabbed to death in a Dresden courtroom in July 2009. Some of Germany’s foremost academics, journalists, peace campaigners, trades unionists and politicians have formed the Action Group Against Racism
Theme: Health
Notes on the new Conservative Traveller policy
Four leading campaigners on Gypsies and Travellers respond to the recently published Tory policy on Traveller accommodation. On 12 February 2010 the Conservatives launched their new policies on Gypsy and Traveller accommodation: ‘Conservatives pledge to tackle trespass’. It seeks to: 1. Create a new criminal offence of intentional trespass, as already in place in the
Five years of control orders
Frances Webber, human rights lawyer, examines Lord Carliles’ report on five years operation of the Prevention of Terrorism Act. Next month sees the fifth anniversary of the control order regime, introduced in haste in March 2005 after the strategy of internment, which applied only to foreign terror suspects, was declared unlawful and discriminatory. Now, control
Book now for places on IRR’s training workshops
The Institute of Race Relations (IRR) is running a series of training workshops during March, April and May for voluntary sector organisations working on race/refugee or migrant issues. The free half-day practical workshops on fundraising, the media, immigration and racial violence will allow for the exchange of information and provide practical suggestions for effective campaigning.
Seven paragraphs which tell a sorry tale
The story of the seven paragraphs reveals just how far the ‘war on terror’ has corrupted and distorted ministers’ perception of the public interest. On 10 February 2010, the Court of Appeal overruled the Foreign Secretary’s attempt to keep secret seven paragraphs summarising the British authorities’ awareness of a UK-resident Muslim’s subjection to cruel and
Section 44 stop and search ruled illegal
A recent landmark ruling at the European Court of Human Rights found that stop-and-search powers under the Terrorism Act 2000 were illegal. Last month, Kevin Gillan and Pennie Quinton won their case at the European Court, after the judges ruled in their favour, concluding that the stop-and-search powers[1] violated the right to respect for private
How the extreme Right hijacks direct democracy
The IRR European Race Audit (ERA) publishes today two briefing papers on the Swiss referendum against minarets and the ways in which direct democracy can be hijacked by the extreme Right. On 29 November 2009, Switzerland became the first country in Europe to vote to curb the religious practices of Muslims when a referendum, banning
Peaceful hunger strikers speak of mistreatment
Four women, who were taking part in a peaceful hunger strike against the conditions of their immigration detention, have been moved to prison following scenes of alleged chaos and mistreatment. Aminata Camara, from Guinea, Gladys Obiyan, from Nigeria, and Sheree Wilson and Shellyann Stupart, both from Jamaica, were moved from Yarl’s Wood immigration removal centre
Is it a criminal offence to offer a cup of tea?
On 6 February, French riot police raided a warehouse in Calais and arrested activists who had been providing humanitarian assistance to destitute migrants in the area. Just days before the raid, campaigners held a press conference in London to announce the new space in Calais. The project, organised by local activists and housed in a
Belgium: arbitrary state power checked in prison teacher case
A Belgian court has condemned the government for the way it barred prisoners’ teacher Luk Vervaet from all Belgian prisons in August 2009. In August 2009, Luk Vervaet, a 57-year-old teacher of Dutch in Belgian prisons and activist campaigning against prison racism, poor prison conditions and double punishment, was unceremoniously barred from entering prisons, with