Support Public Interest Lawyers (PIL) and Al Haq in their challenge of the UKis sale of arms-related equipment to Israel on Wednesday 10th October, 9:30am to 11:30am, at Royal Court of Justice, The Strand, London WC2
A full public hearing will be held before the UK High Court of Justice in London on 10 -11 October 2007 in the case of R (Saleh Hasan) v Secretary of State for Trade and Industry. Following the blanket refusal by the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry to respond to the claimantis request for a justification of UK policy on arms-related sales to Israel, the High Court will hear arguments in a claim filed on 15 November 2006 by UK Solicitor Phil Shiner of Public Interest Lawyers (PIL), in cooperation with Al-Haq.
PIL will argue that the UKis sale of arms-related equipment to Israel is in breach of UK obligations under international law as well as UK statutory law, specifically, the UK Export Control Act of 2002, which incorporates the iconsolidated criteriai governing the export of military equipment. According to these criteria, the UK government may not issue export licenses to countries where there is a clear risk that the export might be used for i[i]internal repressionOin violation of human rights and fundamental freedoms as set out in relevant international human rights instrumentsi or where export would be iinconsistent withOthe UKis international obligationsi. The iconsolidated criteriai also makes clear that ispecial caution and vigilancei should be exercised in the case of prospective arms-related sales to countries where serious human rights violations have been established by competent bodies.
For more information please visit: www.alhaq.org