Newsletter October, 2009 |
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Our Mission: To work for fair trials based on international standards of justice and defend the rights of those facing charges in a country other than their own. Our Work: We campaign for fairer cross-border justice by assisting individuals in their fight for justice, making expert policy interventions, conducting innovative research and providing training and networking opportunities for human rights defenders from all over the world. In this issue
Case Spotlight: Paco Larrañaga transferred to SpainEarlier this month, Francisco Juan Larrañaga (Paco) was moved from the Philippine’s notorious Bilibid prison to a prison in Madrid. In 1999 Paco, a dual Spanish and Filipino citizen, was convicted of the kidnap, rape and murder of two young women in Cebu City despite fourteen witnesses testifying that he was on a different island, 500km away from Cebu city, when the crimes were committed. Paco was sentenced to death in 2004, later commuted to life imprisonment. Fair Trials International has been working on Paco’s case since 2004, helping to take the case to the United Nations Human Rights Committee (UNHRC). In 2006 the UNHRC concluded that Paco’s trial had violated the most fundamental fair trial standards including the right to be presumed innocent, the right to effective defence counsel, equality of arms and the right to have your case heard before an independent court. The UNHRC’s findings were ignored and Paco remained in prison in Manila until his prison transfer earlier this month. Paco’s UK lawyer (Faisal Saifee) said, “Since Paco is now in Spain, he is their responsibility. The UNHRC recommended that Paco’s death penalty be commuted and that he be given early parole. His death sentence was commuted in the Philippines, but he still has not been released. Spain has to do something”. Read more about Paco Larrañaga's case Policy & Campaigns: Justice in Europe campaign launched in Brussels
Fair Trials International’s Justice in Europe campaign aims to ensure that respect for fundamental rights and the rule of law are at the heart of European justice initiatives. We were therefore delighted to launch our campaign in the European Parliament (Brussels) on 7 October. The meeting was chaired by Baroness Sarah Ludford MEP (a long-standing patron of FTI) and attended by MEPs, European Commission officials and NGO representatives. It provided an opportunity for FTI to demonstrate the need to improve the European Arrest Warrant system and better protect suspects’ right to translation and interpretation within Europe. Examples from FTI’s own casework were used to illustrate the importance of these reforms. Deborah Dark and the mother of Andrew Symeou outlined the devastating effect the European Arrest Warrant has had on their lives and the lives of their families, via pre-recorded video statements. Read more about Fair Trials International's Justice in Europe campaign Events: Chief Executive of Fair Trials International gives talk on fair trial issues at Chatham HouseAt the end of last month, Fair Trials International gave a talk at Chatham House’s International Law Discussion Group. The talk and following discussion focused on the right to a fair trial outside one’s own country. The right to a fair trial is, of course, universal but non-national defendants are particularly vulnerable and face extra challenges.The Group discussed some of the many obstacles to justice: language barriers, ignorance of the legal system, no access to legal advice or translation and distance from family and friends. Chatham House (the Royal Institute of International Affairs) is an independent international affairs think-tank. This year it was named top non-US think tank by Foreign Policy magazine. Read a transcript of Jago's talk at Chatham House Read more at www.fairtrials.net |
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