More than 12,000 people have signed the e-petition urging the UK government to stop the extradition of British detainee Babar Ahmad to the U.S and put him on trial in the U.K instead. It is currently the highest ranked e-petition about a single person.
Supporters of the Free Babar Ahmad campaign have today released a 3 minute song video on You Tube about his case titled ‘Life is One Big Road,’ encouraging people to sign the e-petition.
They hope to get over 100,000 signatures by 10 November 2011 to force parliament to respond to their demand of putting him on trial in the UK.
Ashfaq Ahmad, Babar Ahmad’s father said:
‘As a result of the UK’s extradition laws, Babar has been imprisoned without trial since the 5th of August 2004. Over twelve thousand people have recently signed the e-petition for him to be tried in the UK. All of these people believe that our extradition laws should be amended to prevent bundling my son, Gary Mckinnon and others like them onto a plane to America.
“The Government has undertaken its extradition review – the time for action is now.” said a spokesperson for the campaign.
Live TV Show pulled
Further contoversy occured when a live TV show highlighting the Babar Ahmad case was pulled from a local TV station, causing confusion and frustration to the viewers. Although a formal apology was given by the show presenters via social media, questions still remain as to why the network decided to pull the very popular programme.
Basic Facts:
- Babar Ahmad is the UK’s longest detained without charge British Citizen having been in prison since 05 August 2004- (over 7 years). He is held under the UK’s controversial Extradition Act 2003 which allows British Citizens to be extradited to the U.S for alleged offences that took place in Britain. The CPS has repeatedly declared that there is ‘insufficient evidence’ to charge Babar Ahmad with any criminal offence whatsoever.
- During his arrest in London in 2003, Babar Ahmad was violently abused by Metropolitan Police Officers. He sustained over 73 injuries. In March 2009, the Metropolitan Police admitted carrying out this abuse and paid him £60,000 compensation. The 4 police officers responsible were later found not guilty of this abuse in June 2011, following a 5 week trial at Southwark Crown Court. At the conclusion of that trial, the Recorder of Westminster, Judge Geoffrey Rivlin QC, said about Babar Ahmad’s case, “I express the hope that the ordeal of a man in detention in this country for a number of years without trial is brought to an end as soon as possible…”
- On 22 June 2011, the Parliamentary Joint Committee on Human Rights explicitly raised concerns over Babar Ahmad’s case in its report in ‘The Human Rights Implications of U.K extradition policy,’ and recommended that the government urgently re-negotiate the UK- US extradition of individuals in Babar Ahmad’s position.
- The Free Babar Ahmad campaign continues to await the outcome of the Home Office’s review into the UK’s extradition laws, the release of which is said to be “imminent”.
- Babar Ahmad’s final appeal is still being deliberated by the European Court of Human Rights which is to deliver judgment by the end of 2011.
- For further information visit www.freebabarahmad.com or email info@freebabarahmad.com or telephone 07585355581.