Responding to today's ruling by the Law Lords that protestors who tried to stop the invasion of Iraq had no right to argue in court that they were opposing an illegal war, Greenpeace anti-war campaigner Ben Ayliffe said:
"We are very disappointed by the Lords verdict. It is bizarre that people who followed their conscience to prevent an illegal war are penalised while the architects of that war get away scot free."
He continued, "Invading Iraq was has led directly to the death of over 100,000 Iraqi citizens (1) and has propelled the country into civil war. Beyond the country's borders it has pushed another generation of young people into the arms of terrorism. We still strongly believe we did the right thing in opposing the invasion and would do it again tomorrow if necessary regardless of the legal consequences."
Greenpeace are calling on parliamentarians to act now to ensure that the crime of aggression is included in UK national law.
The Law Lords ruled:
- That the crime of aggression, as defined and used by the International Military War crimes Tribunal at Nuremberg in 1945-6, is still part of international law
- That despite a crime of aggression being illegal under international law, it is not a crime under UK law. Therefore denying the Greenpeace defendants the right to argue issues relating to the legality of the war did not constitute a denial of their right to a fair trial.
The ruling follows a four day hearing by the Law Lords earlier this year (20th-24th February 2006) which considered the appeals of 19 people who took direct action to try and prevent the Iraq war, including:
- The 'Marchwood 14' - Greenpeace volunteers who took part in a week of action at Southampton docks in an attempt to stop or delay military hardware leaving the country for Iraq, so that the all important 'weather window' for the invasion would be missed.
- Margaret Jones & Paul Milling, Toby Olditch and Philip Pritchard and Josh Richards - five people who entered the RAF Fairford base and attempted to damage and immobilise American B52 bombers which were later involved in the 'shock and awe' assault on Baghdad. Their trials are expected to be heard at Bristol Crown Court later this year.
- Valerie Swain - convicted for trying to enter the RAF Fairford base.
Editor's notes: For more information call Greenpeace press office on 020 7865 8255.
(1) Source: Harvard epidemiological study published in The Lancet October 29th 2004.
Background notes:
'The Marchwood 14' - In February 2003 14 Greenpeace volunteers occupied tanks at Marchwood military base in Southampton, from where hardware and supplies were being sent to Iraq. The occupation was part of a wider week of actions at Marchwood, involving many other volunteers, which aimed to stop the build up to war. Other actions included using the Greenpeace flagship the Rainbow Warrior to blockade Marchwood military port and stop military hardware leaving for the Gulf and boarding and conducting a 'sit in' on a military supply ship bound for the Gulf with a cargo of military hardware.
The 14 Greenpeace protestors were convicted of aggravated trespass on 16th February 2004. The Marchwood 14 are: Oliver Knowles of Stamford Hill, London; Ashby Smith of San Francisco, USA; Laura Yates of London; Natalie Duck of Peckham, London; Graham Thompson of Romford, Essex; Helen Wallace of Buxton, Derbyshire; Janice Harron of Donegal; Jim Footner of Shropshire; Rachel Murray of Glasgow; Richard Watson of Burnley; Robin Oakley of Lancashire; Belinda Fletcher; Ben Ayliffe of Highbury, London; Jens Loewe of Germany.
