Update — David Hicks home!
David has arrived back home in Adelaide, and will be held in Yatala Prison until shortly after the federal election later this year. While his long-overdue return is welcome, it shouldn’t mask the fact that his experience demonstrated the fragility of our fundamental legal and human rights. His homecoming has brought with it some bigger home truths about our Government’s priorities, and they must now face some tough questions about their handling of his case.
After languishing in detention in Guantanamo Bay for more than five years without trial and pleading guilty to one element of the single charge remaining against him, David Hicks struck a deal that will see him locked up in an Australian prison until just after this year’s federal election. David will serve nine months of his seven year sentence in Adelaide’s Yatala Prison, and must arrive there before May 29. The deal also gagged him from talking about his experience – experts question the legality of such an order.
Because the evidence against David Hicks will never really be tested in a proper court, we will never feel certain whether five years plus of punishment was given to an innocent or guilty man. Unlike other governments, ours has failed to stand up for its citizen’s basic human and legal rights – and that matters more than what kind of man David Hicks is or isn’t.
That’s why your petition has been delivered to the Prime Minister’s office, along with 10,143 messages from voters in his very own electorate, in support of our call for justice.
The campaign to Bring David Hicks home all started with the petition you see below, and grew with your actions and support to include a Newspoll survey, billboards, full-page advertisements in major newspapers, a candlelight vigil in Adelaide, and a packed lecture by David’s US military lawyer, Major Mori.
Our television ad and carbon-offset mobile billboards have also received widespread attention, as together, we helped ramp up the pressure up on the Government to act.
Now, while the Prime Minister may have forfeited his duty to defend Australian rights, we still believe in the bedrock values of our democracy: including the right to a fair trial, freedom of speech and the prohibition against torture. And we will not let our Government forget.
“Dear Mr Downer
All Australians have the right to receive a fair trial.
The British, Spanish, and French Governments have all refused to allow their citizens to be tried in Guantanamo Bay. Even the Americans have removed their citizens from Guantanamo Bay and ensured they face a fair trial at home. As Australian Foreign Minister you should have the courage to do the same.
We demand that you act immediately to bring David Hicks back here to face an Australian court.”