§ Mr. Harry Cohen (Leyton)With your permission, Mr. Speaker, and that of the House, I wish to present a petition to Parliament that supports Amnesty International's Campaign Against Torture. It contains 1,300 signatures, which were collected by Amnesty International's Epping Forest adoption group. It has handed similar petitions to all Members of Parliament in the locality.
The petition states:To the Honourable The Commons of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland in Parliament Assembled The Humble Petition of the People of the United Kingdom showeth:I share the views expressed in the petition and commend it to Parliament.Wherefore your petitioners pray that your honourable House urges Her Majesty's Government
- 1) That we wish to register strong support for Amnesty International's Campaign Against Torture and declare our wish to see torture totally eradicated from the world.
- 2) That we believe that this end would be significantly advanced if all Governments implemented Amnesty International's 12-point programme for the prevention of torture.
And your petitioners, as in duty bound, will ever pray, etc.
- 1) To support an effective United Nations Convention Against Torture and in particular compensation for torture victims to include anyone who has been the victim of cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment.
- 2) To support proposals both at the United Nations and at the Council of Europe to create an international commission to make unannounced visits to any place of detention.
- 3) To intercede whenever and wherever possible on behalf of prisoners being tortured.
§ To lie upon the Table.