28 April 2007

What's a country to do?

A state that takes human rights seriously in the 21st century (sorry for eliminating the US from the discussion straightaway) clearly has a difficult path to follow. Imagine that your country is host to some individuals that you seriously believe have strong associations with terrorism but you have insufficient evidence to charge and try them. Normally you would deport them to their country of origin but in this case their home state is suspected of abusing and torturing suspects and depriving them of other human rights such as the presumption of innocence and access to a fair trial. (No - they are not Americans!) Then someone in the government comes up with a bright idea. You will deport them to their homes but before you do you will get their government to sign a little letter promising not to torture the deportees. After all there is no reason to distrust a country that abuses its own citizens is there?

But then your damned activist judiciary gets in the way and says: "Sorry mate. We can't trust these geezers and you've got to set the men free." I can't wait to see the next idea they come up with.

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