Government Authorises More Death Penalty Cooperation |
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Sunday, 12 August 2007 |
NSWCCL media release: 7/2007
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The federal government admitted this week that it has, on at least three occasions, authorised the use of Australian resources in cases involving the death penalty overseas.
In a letter to the New South Wales Council for Civil Liberties (CCL) from the Justice Minister David Johnston, the Justice Minister has confirmed that the federal government authorised the Australian Federal Police (AFP) to cooperate in three cases after capital charges were laid.
The cases were in Indonesia, Malaysia and Tonga.
According to the Justice Minister, in none of these cases did the Australian government obtain a guarantee that the death penalty would not apply.
“This is contrary to Australia's obligations under international law”, said Mr Cameron Murphy, president of the NSW Council for Civil Liberties.
“Australia has signed on to an international treaty against the death penalty. As a signatory, Australia is obliged to ensure that it does not expose anyone to the risk of the death penalty”, Mr Murphy said. The treaty to which Mr Murphy refers is the Second Optional Protocol to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights aiming at the abolition of the death penalty.
“The Indonesian incident is likely to relate to the Bali bombings. But we have never heard of these other incidents in Malaysia and Tonga”, Mr Murphy said.
“CCL is emphatically opposed to the use of Australian resources to place people at the risk of execution. This is contrary to Australia's international obligations.
“This demonstrates, once again, the government's willingness to ignore its international obligations with respect to the death penalty.
“The government should obtain a guarantee that the death penalty is off the table before it gives the green light to the AFP to cooperate in these cases.
"Of course, Australian police should cooperate with foreign police to fight crime, but only when the death penalty is off the table,” Mr Murphy said. For more information contact: Cameron Murphy, NSWCCL President, 0411-769-769
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