Authorities should not be torturers (From York Press)
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Authorities should not be torturers
10:17am Saturday 19th January 2013 in Letters By Reader's letter
I WOULD like to comment on the conditions in which Abu Hamza and others are held in the US while they are being tried.
I am not opposed to the death penalty being carried out if it is proven that innocent life was taken as a direct result of a criminal’s activities, but I am opposed to the authorities acting like torturers.
For example, Second World War criminals were tried and hanged, for revolting crimes against humanity, but the Allies did not in any way deliberately inflict other suffering on the camp commandants and Gestapo leaders they had before them.
In Hamza’s case, he is being held in solitary with deprivation of any human contact, other than speaking to his lawyers whom he is not allowed to see.
Any reader can find out about supermax conditions in the US. These conditions amount to barbaric mental suffering which can be described fairly as torture. In the Second World War, the Allies did not lower themselves to the same level as the Japanese doctors who did unspeakable things to their captives. Neither should we condone barbaric US practices by allowing extradition where supermax conditions are to be expected.
It makes us worse than executioners.
Chris Clayton, Hempland Drive, York.
Comments(9)
jorvik
says...
11:06am Sat 19 Jan 13
Buzz Light-year
says...
11:46am Sat 19 Jan 13
sensationalism
says...
12:39pm Sat 19 Jan 13
/kev/null
says...
12:45pm Sat 19 Jan 13
Even if you believe Abu Hamza is deserving of inhuman treatment (and you should take a long hard look at yourself if you do) it's worth considering detainees like Shaker Aamer who's been in Guantanamo Bay for over 10 years now despite there being no evidence against him, and he will likely never get a trial.
As soon as you concede that these measures are appropriate for one prisoner you open the possibility of them being used on everybody else. I hope they don't come for your family in the night.
Seadog
says...
7:47pm Sat 19 Jan 13
As my old headmaster used to reiterate, there are "Standards! Standards! Standards!" which we have to maintain come what may. We laughed at him at the time of course ... but he was right.
capt spaulding
says...
9:54am Sun 20 Jan 13
Scarlet Pimpernel
says...
1:13pm Sun 20 Jan 13
I hope he can now reflect on what it feels like to be on the receiving end. i hope he rots !
ColdAsChristmas
says...
2:33pm Sun 20 Jan 13
And seadog, you dare to mention 'Brits in Kenya and Castlereagh.' If you are to do that then tell the whole truth like: Mau Mau and IRA ! Being soft on terrorism is why we are lumbered with the sick likes of Hamza for so long.
Good point sensationalism. Not that long since one of Hamza's Son's was involved in an armed robery. Shoot and loot? Like Father, like Son in this case.
ColdAsChristmas says...
10:39am Sat 19 Jan 13
I'm actually against a death penalty but thankfully the days of Hamza sponging off the UK tax payer are gone.
As well as in-sighting young Muslims to commit terrorism, he also preached that it was fair game to 'shoot and loot' Jewish and christian owned businesses.
Then consider his hatred for this country that gave him sanctuary.
On BBC News night, Jeremy Paxman asked Hamza that; if he hated this country so much, why didn't he just leave?
Hamza's answer was: 'I am like in toilet, surrounded by minefield.'
I never forgot that.
Hamza deserves all he gets and let that be a warning to others of his like!