STATEMENT REGARDING THE ABUSE OF PRISONERS IN IRAQ

Steve Hucklesby, Secretary for International Affairs, commentedtoday on the situation of Iraqi detainees:

"Although the Methodist Church welcomes today's news about therelease of some of the people held in Abu Ghraib, the accounts andimages of abuse of prisoners in Iraq have shocked and concernedmany around the world.  It adds to concern regarding theUS-dominated administration in Iraq and the moves towards the 30June handover of power.

"It is thought that 10,000 prisoners have been detained bycoalition forces during the past year.  According to theinformation received by the UN Commission on Human Rights WorkingGroup on Arbitrary Detention, the majority of persons in detentionin Iraq have been arrested during public demonstrations, atcheckpoints and in house raids. They are being considered 'securitydetainees' or 'suspected of anti-Coalition activities'. LeilaZerrougiu, the Working Group's Chairperson-Rapporteur, is seriouslydisturbed by the fact that these persons have not been grantedaccess to a court to be able to challenge the lawfulness of theirdetention, as required by the International Covenant on Civil andPolitical Rights (Article 9).

"If coalition forces are to contribute to the establishment lawand order Iraq they must themselves be seen to be abiding by a setof just rules otherwise the task of establishing a wider justicewill surely fail.  The Methodist Church continues to press thegovernment to work closely with the UN in Iraq in advance ofhandover to an Iraqi Provisional Administration at the end ofJune."

The Revd Jake Watson, Secretary to the Forces Board, has spokenhighly of the behaviour of the vast majority of British servicemenand women who operate in a difficult, dangerous and confusedenvironment.  He stated:

"The nine Methodist chaplains who served during the fighting didexcellent work in supporting and complementing the work of ourtroops. At least three of these are now back in Iraq or about toreturn to support the forces in their peace-keepingoperation."