|
Government admits Australian left to languish in US prison in Iraq
Senator Nettle
06/23/05 - - In question time today Greens Senator Kerry Nettle raised the plight of Australian and Adelaide resident Ahmed Aziz Rafiq who has been imprisoned without charge by US forces in Iraq for over a year.
Senator Nettle asked what the government was doing to arrange his release and why he has had no consular visits for 11 months only to be told by the Minster for Defence that "I'll have to seek further advice...when we all come back in August I'll able to provide the Senator with an answer."
"Mr Aziz is an Australian and has been detained by the US forces in Iraq without charge for 12 months but astonishingly the Minister appears to have only the sketchiest knowledge of his plight," Senator Nettle said.
"Once again it appears that the government is happy to leave this matter in the hands of the US military.
"In answer to previous questions the Minister has said that consular access is hampered by security problems when travelling in Iraq. Today I asked what our ADF security detachment is for if not escorting consular officials when travelling in Iraq.
"If the ADF cannot protect our consular officials on a trip to Camp Bucca to visit Mr Rafiq then why doesn't the government insist that the US forces facilitate such a visit.
"The Minister today could not recall whether Mr Rafiq had been visited recently which is symptomatic of a disregard this government has of the welfare of Australians who have the misfortune of being detained by the US military.
"While the Minister gives me an undertaking to find out the answer to my question by August Mr Rafiq will languish for another two months in Iraq imprisoned by our so called allies."
"Mr Rafiq should be charged or released so he can have a chance to return home to his family in Australia."
Contact - Jon Edwards 0428 213 146 - http://www.greens.org.au
Translate
this page
(In accordance with Title 17
U.S.C. Section 107, this material is distributed without profit to
those who have expressed a prior interest in receiving the
included information for research and educational purposes.
Information Clearing House has no affiliation whatsoever with the
originator of this article nor is Information Clearing House
endorsed or sponsored by the originator.) |
