The Arab Organisation for Human Rights UK (AOHR-UK) invites you to a timely press conference and discussion concerning UK’s arms exports to repressive Arab regimes with appalling human rights records, namely Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates (UAE). According to international law and UN reports, these, among other states, are committing war crimes and by doing so they threaten international peace and security.
Addressing the subject from different perspectives, leading law firms, experts and campaigners will call on the UK and European governments to stop the export of arms to these repressive regimes.
Tuesday 27 June 2017
4:00pm-6:00pm
The Wesley London Euston Hotel
Asbury Space, 81-103 Euston Street, London NW1 2EZ
Nearest stations: Euston or Euston Square
Speakers:
Andrew Smith is a spokesperson for Campaign Against Arms Trade (CAAT). He has written and researched extensively on human rights and UK military relations with dictatorships in the Gulf. CAAT has taken a legal action to stop UK arms exports to Saudi Arabia for use in Yemen. The case was heard in February 2017, with a verdict still pending.
Carol Turner is a longstanding CND activist, and author of Corbyn and Trident: Labour’s continuing controversy, where she tries to map the debate surrounding the UK nuclear weapons system within the Labour party. She serves the chair of the London Region of CND as well as a Vice-Chair of the organisation.
Georges-Henri Beauthier is a Belgian lawyer; he was president of the French-speaking section of the Belgian Human Rights League from 1998 to 2000. He brought a case against the former Israeli Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni who cancelled a visit to Belgium in January 2017 over fears she may be arrested over war crimes allegations.
SUE WILLMAN is a partner at the Deighton Pierce Glynn, which she joined in 2003, after 14 years of high profile litigation and campaigning in the non-profit sector. She is one of the few top ranked lawyers for civil liberties and human rights, and administrative and public law in both the Legal 500 and Chambers directories. Using UK law to tackle torture, Willman is currently focusing on using universal jurisdiction to seek prosecutions in the UK of those who commit acts of torture abroad. Repressive Gulf states like Bahrain have been a target for this work.
HAYDEE DIJKSTAL is an attorney, practicing international criminal law and human rights law before international and regional courts including the International Criminal Court, International Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia, Special Court for Sierra Leone and the African Commission and African Court on Human and Peoples’ Rights.
Toby Cadman QC is a leading lawyer in international criminal law, international humanitarian law, international terrorism, maritime security, extradition, and human rights law. He has represented governments, opposition political parties, international organisations, military leaders and civilians in many high profile international trials and investigations.
Gilles Devers is a French lawyer and academic. He is a spokesman for a group of 350 NGOs represented by 40 lawyers responsible for handling an application to the International Criminal Court for war crimes during the Gaza war of 2008-2009. He also represented the Palestinian Authority to file a complaint to the same court on 22 January 2009.
Registration
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