The Quotation Of The Day Mailing List
Quotation of the Day for December 7, 2003
"The purpose of holding the prisoners at Guantánamo Bay was and is to put them beyond the rule of law, beyond the protection of any courts, and at the mercy of victors.
"The procedural rules do not prohibit the use of force to coerce prisoners to confess. On the contrary, the rules expressly provide that statements made by a prisoner under physical and mental duress are admissible 'if the evidence would have value to a reasonable person', i.e. military officers trying enemy soldiers.
"The blanket presidential order deprives them all of any rights whatsoever. As a lawyer brought up to admire the ideals of American democracy and justice, I would have to say that I regard this as a monstrous failure of justice.
"The question is whether the quality of justice envisaged for the prisoners at Guantánamo Bay complies with the minimum international standards for the conduct of fair trials. The answer can be given quite shortly: It is a resounding No."
- Law Lord Johan Steyn, the third most senior judge in the United Kingdom, giving a speech in London, Nov. 25, 2003. (Sources: BBC News Online, The Daily Telegraph, The Guardian, Nov. 26, 2003)
Submitted by: Manavendra Thakur
Nov. 27, 2003