NEWS RELEASE
From the office of the Green MEPs


May 21st, 2004

Photocall. Photocall. Photocall. Photocall. Photocall.

MEP CALLS FOR HOON'S HEAD AT IRAQ ABUSE RALLY: ALLIES MUST FACE WAR CRIMES TRIBUNAL OVER 'CRIMINAL ABUSES'

Event: Green Euro-MP Jean Lambert addresses emergency Iraq protest
Place: Trafalgar Square, London
Time: TOMORROW, Saturday May 22nd, 12 noon

GREEN Party Euro-MP Jean Lambert will call for Geoff Hoon and Donald Rumsfeld to resign - or be sacked - at an emergency rally against the abuse of Iraqi prisoners in allied custody tomorrow.

Allied leaders should face a war crimes tribunal - similar to those set up after the disintegration of Yugoslavia and the Rwandan Genocide in the 1990s - to answer charges of systematic violations of humanitarian and human rights law in the ongoing occupation of Iraq, Mrs Lambert will tell
protestors.

Mrs Lambert, a member of the European Parliament's Civil Liberties Committee, said today: "The photos and the Red Cross report have brought about a complete breakdown of trust in the ability of the US and UK to deal with the current situation in Iraq.

"The images we see coming out of Iraq daily are horrific - there can now be no doubt that Iraqi prisoners are being abused and civilians are being killed by allied forces with apparent impunity."

The London MEP added: "The UN and ICRC must be given immediate access to all prisoners held in Iraq and the allegations must be brought out into the open at an appropriate war crimes tribunal with the likes of Donald Rumsfeld and Geoff Hoon in the dock - not a handful of scapegoated soldiers paying the penalty.

"Only then can legitimacy be gained in the eyes of the world and rid us of the idea that war crimes prosecutions are only for the less powerful countries."

The demonstration, which kicks off with a march from London Embankment at 11am, has been organised by CND, Stop the War Coalition and the Muslim Association of Great Britain.

ENDS

For more information please contact Ben or Katy on 020 7407 6280, 07973 823358 or press@greenmeps.org.uk