Comments on: David Hicks the political pawn - Toying with the bug collection. http://blog.donnawilliams.net/2007/02/04/toying-with-the-bug-collection/ Ever the arty Autie Sun, 12 Oct 2008 08:20:53 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.3.3 By: donna http://blog.donnawilliams.net/2007/02/04/toying-with-the-bug-collection/#comment-4647 donna Mon, 05 Mar 2007 01:41:59 +0000 http://blog.donnawilliams.net/2007/02/04/toying-with-the-bug-collection/#comment-4647 Thank you for saying what many are saying in Australia now and it is the truth. It has been sad and disappointing for an aussie like myself to see our government persist with such a policy. David Hicks has been held for over five years without trial and the proposed military court is, without doubt, a kangaroo court where there cannot be justice. Rules of evidence alone will allow hearsay evidence and evidence obtained under torture where his defence lawyers will not be able to cross examine or understand fully where and how evidence was obtained. It is a debasement of both US and Australian legal standards. This morning on the news I see that Hicks US army lawyer Major Michael Mori is being threatened with being charged under the US code of military justice. What a way to silence an excellent man who as I see it has done his absolute best to defend his appointed client! This is a shameful tactic and, while he has been somewhat outspoken, it is part of his job representing a client held in solitary confinement for two years and who has endured mistreatment and probably torture from the US army (no doubt under instruction from the CIA). My own government's inaction on this makes us a party to it. I have more confidence in your own Supreme Court and Major Mori than my own government. In a court case which commenced in Australia recently, where the Howard government is being charged with having an obligation to ensure fair treatment of an aussie overseas (specifically, David Hicks), our government is arguing it has no such obligation! I find this amazing and I am certain that it would be a foreign concept to most Americans. I am not defending Hicks per se but his rights to a fair trial, reasonable and humane treatment and fair representation before any properly constituted court. I am ashamed of our government and any pressure you can apply can only help. Tom Parkhouse 61 439 446646 tom.parkhouse@mac.com Thank you for saying what many are saying in Australia now and it is the truth. It has been sad and disappointing for an aussie like myself to see our government persist with such a policy. David Hicks has been held for over five years without trial and the proposed military court is, without doubt, a kangaroo court where there cannot be justice. Rules of evidence alone will allow hearsay evidence and evidence obtained under torture where his defence lawyers will not be able to cross examine or understand fully where and how evidence was obtained. It is a debasement of both US and Australian legal standards.

This morning on the news I see that Hicks US army lawyer Major Michael Mori is being threatened with being charged under the US code of military justice. What a way to silence an excellent man who as I see it has done his absolute best to defend his appointed client! This is a shameful tactic and, while he has been somewhat outspoken, it is part of his job representing a client held in solitary confinement for two years and who has endured mistreatment and probably torture from the US army (no doubt under instruction from the CIA). My own government’s inaction on this makes us a party to it. I have more confidence in your own Supreme Court and Major Mori than my own government.

In a court case which commenced in Australia recently, where the Howard government is being charged with having an obligation to ensure fair treatment of an aussie overseas (specifically, David Hicks), our government is arguing it has no such obligation! I find this amazing and I am certain that it would be a foreign concept to most Americans.

I am not defending Hicks per se but his rights to a fair trial, reasonable and humane treatment and fair representation before any properly constituted court.

I am ashamed of our government and any pressure you can apply can only help.

Tom Parkhouse
61 439 446646
tom.parkhouse@mac.com

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