To my astonishment, the FCO Official Spokesman has just confirmed to me that the FCO stands by Phillip Hammond’s statement that the members of the UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention are lay persons, and not lawyers. Even though every single one of them is an extremely distinguished lawyer.
I confess I am utterly astonished. I know there is nothing more dull than an old buffer like me droning on about falling standards in public life. But when I was in the FCO, the vast majority of colleagues would have refused to advance what is a total and outright lie, about which it cannot be argued there is an area of interpretation, doubt or nuance.
The Foreign and Commonwealth Office officially states that the members of the UN Working Group are all lay people, and not lawyers. Given a chance to retract, they confirm to me that this is their official position.
I repeat again the cvs of all the Working Group.
Sètondji Adjovi (Benin, Second Vice-Chair) Adjovi, an academic and practitioner specialising in international criminal procedure and judicial reform, worked at the International Criminal Court and at the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda before his appointment to the UN WGAD.
Mads Andenas (Norway, Chair and member until mid-2015) Chair of UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention until mid-2015. Has previously held positions as Director of the Centre of European Law at King’s College, University of London and Director of the British Institute of International and Comparative Law, London. Professor at the Faculty of Law of the University of Oslo.
Mr. José Guevara (Mexico, First Vice-Chair) Guevara is a legal academic and practitioner who focuses on Human Rights Protection and International Criminal Law. Prior to joining the WGAD, worked in the NGO sector, Mexico City’s Ombudsman’s office and in government in the area of human rights. Guevara is the recipient of the Open Society Foundation’s New Executives Fund leading the Mexican Commission for the Defense and Promotion of Human Rights.
Seong-Phil Hong (Chair-Rapporteur, Republic of Korea) An expert member of the Asian Council of Jurists of the Asia Pacific Forum and legal academic, Seong-Phil Hong has specialised in the case for reparations regarding Japan’s Enforced Sex Slavery during the Second World War and accountability for human rights violations by the North Korean regime.
Vladimir Tochilovsky (Ukraine) A legal academic and practitioner whose expertise lies in international criminal justice and procedure. Tochilovsky was part of the Preparatory Committee and Commission that drafted the guidelines on criminal procedure for the International Criminal Court.
I honestly don’t know what to say, or to think, any more. When you have a government which believes it does not even have to pretend that its words and actions have even the remotest relationship to truth, I cannot conceive how society can continue to function in any direction other than fascist.
Yes I think historically Civil Servants were of a better quality.
I’m old enough to remember Clive Ponting and Sarah Tisdall.
They both felt lines had been crossed – like Craig!
The simple fact is that the law can be selectively applied and appeals ignored. That is power. First draft a broad catch-all law and choose which offender to prosecute based on political expediencies.
When a dissident is attacked by the legal system, a little bit of PR spin and some oily lawyer talk smoothes over any lingering doubts about government malfeasance. So most people will not bother protesting or factoring their misgivings into their future voting intentions.
So really, Assange is as much a victim of voter apathy as he is of Machiavellian politics. The non-voter is the parasite I have in mind.
John Goss 6 Feb, 2016 – 6:07 pm : Thanks Macky. Yes, I asked for the other one, the leading racist, religionist, anti-Muslim to be given a red card, but was ignored.
John, if you were in charge of moderation, how would you enforce a ban?
“John, if you were in charge of moderation, how would you enforce a ban?”
It is difficult because there is the possibility of offenders coming back in other forms by creating a new identity. However, if I had the expertise, and continual offending took place I would ban the offender for a week, allowing him/her to come back on condition that his/her behaviour and respect for other users and those previously offended against. Should the behaviour persist to expand the ban to two weeks. Persistent offenders would eventually be stopped from commenting (if I knew how to do it).
Julian Assange can stay round my house if he wants. I have made this offer before. I knew he was innocent – and he would get on Really Well with my Son (though he ain’t politically interested) at The Technical Level they would both inspire each other…I didn’t know..he chose a Mansion in Suffolk instead..but the offer is still open..
No one will know he is…in fact sneak him out tonight..My Daughter will cut his hair and pretty him up..and he can meet her boyfriend…
Well there is one spare bedroom left…the other one has been prepared as a nursery..
But he can’t do any Press conferences on our front lawn…
We have a back garden too – and its quite big…get all you fuckin’ journalists in – no problem…
We are sufficiently Close…that The Ripple Effect worked Live…
The Bombs Going Off in Central London spooked The Birds – and they Produced a Ripple Effect..and I was just working with The Bedroom Window wide Open (in my computer room) and The Birds just Went Fucking Crazy…
So I turned on the Radio and The TV and heard and then saw Peter Power (I think he is innocent by the way).
You judge posted by “Anything that defies my sense of reason…..”
Uploaded on Sep 11, 2006
Live ITV News interview with Peter Power, the Managing Director of Crisis Management firm Visor Consultants who was ‘actually running an exercise… based on simultaneous bombs going off precisely at the railway stations that happened’.
Recorded at 8:20pm on the evening of the London Bombings.
For more information on the events of 7th July 2005, please see:
http://julyseventh.co.uk/july-7-terror-rehearsal.html
“Peter Power 7/7 Terror Rehearsal”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JKvkhe3rqtc
(I was worried about my wife – one of the bombs went off very close to where she used to work – I couldn’t contact her – cos they took down the mobile phone communications) She was O.K. – but I didn’t know.
Pure Terror – even affected The Birds and Me.
That is what we are up against. These are not nice people.
“Red Ice Radio – John Anthony Hill – 7/7 Ripple Effect, The Arrest, Trial & Verdict”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x-tVEZIe5kY
Tony
3Esclavo” thunders:
““Where is Mary when we need her?”
Where you might expect, Craig, when you have allowed the execrable bully and his entourage to get away with the bile they poured on her.”
___________________
The “where you might expect, Craig” appears to be a forum where every one of the commenters is singing from the same song sheet and where no dissenting voice ever appears.
Now I understand that that is a very comfortable position for the vociferous ones to be in but it does not appear to be in line with Craig’s outlook (as sometimes stated here) that dissent is to be welcomed – even as far as his own opinions are concerned.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
““Is Mary the only contributor to this blog capable of doing that research? What about one of the other prolific commenters volonteering for the task?”
What about you volunteering for it, Hasbarakuk, since you are also one of the prolific commenters?”
___________________
It is surely for one of the vociferous Excellences to do the job? In other words, one of those who are seeking to demonstrate whatever it is they are seeking to demonstrate?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
“Difficult though it might be for you, since, having once been told that you could be traced by giving links, you do not give them.”
____________________
You appear to be interested in tracing me. To save us the trouble of tracing you, would you perhaps like to tell us who YOU are? To set a good example, so to speak.
No, thought not! 🙂
BBC in Scotland’s radio station, 10am this morning, Shareen Nanjiani’s show Paul MacNamee editor of Big Issue Scotland & Wales) referred to Assange & Snowden as “Clowns” really put the Establishment’s boot into Snowden. He’s a trendy guy with a mod haircut Editor of the Big Issue, but he ALWAYS pushes the Establishments line.
“all those that gave & still give succour to this odious troll by treating him/it with respect not due, as if he/it was a regular normal Poster, are just as much to blame for driving Mary away.”
Thirded Ben, although I did get very good at ignoring entire paragraphs when I saw those few malicious avatars.
If the Excellences and their hangers on are unwilling or unable to contain their anger at reading dissident points of view on here, or seeing what they say contested or contradicted – thereby turning this blog into some kind of jungle of insults and irrelevance – then surely the solution is for the Moderators to ban the Excellences and not the dissenters?
Or, of course, the essential point of this blog could be preserved by simply closing the comments section. No great harm would be done for I imagine most readers are here for Craig’s thoughts ande not those of mere the dozen or so Excellences and their hangers-on who account for 80%-90% of the comments.
Canexpat
“Thirded Ben, although I did get very good at ignoring entire paragraphs when I saw those few malicious avatars.”
___________________
Have you tried Habbabreak? You know it makes sense for someone like you8 🙂
The Dirty War on Syria: Washington, Regime Change and Resistance
The tide started turning the day Putin decided he had, had enough of the sabre rattling of the neoconartists, and since then the facts singularly point to a renewed vigour for independence in the Mid east! Syria is at the vanguard of the resistance and soon it will be ridding itself from the exported Wahhabi terrorists which would mean the end days of the current destruction and the beginning of a new era in the Mid east.
I can see the fall of the al Saud as a matter of course, an elegant development that is to follow, despite the constructs of tyranny and oppression at disposal of the bursar of tyranny the al Saud. The writing is on the wall and even those illiterate bursars of tyranny can read the portents conveyed. Those pederasts have learned to beat upon the defenceless citizens of the benighted lands of Hijaz and to suck up to the West in search of legitimacy that their petrodollars can buy.
Notwithstanding the above due to the depressed oil prices and the glut of dollars, time has come for the US to afford the loss of the pederasts and the bursars of tyranny in the al Saud dynasty, as US will not be experiencing a too painful passing of the chief Wahhabi pederasts with an attitude.
However the fact remains that brave Syrians have managed to repel an all out assault on their country’s sovereignty and their lands, by multinational forces. Therefore they have set the stage a better democracy and their hard earned prosperous future. Confident that with their battle hardened army at the ready they can fight and repel any wannabe invader or meddler.
1. Bullying is bullying, not dissent. Chump.
2. “…one of those who are seeking to demonstrate whatever it is they are seeking to demonstrate?” – A Rumsfeldian piece of rubbish.
3. “You appear to be interested in tracing me.” – An utterly ridiculous attempt to turn the focus away from you.
When it comes down to it, you really are a pathetic prick.
Now fuck off.
I know some of my posts have been rather off the wall…but I always had massive Respect for Mary…not least of all because she posted a lot of new stuff I didn’t know – and was obviously so committed in doing so….
I hope she is O.K….I know she was rather ill about a year ago..and some people who post here were not nice at all.
I might not agree with all her political views…but she is obviously a girl with a heart of gold..who really cares…
Come Back Mary and We Will All Tell The Fascist Cunts To Fuck OFF.
But is O.K. if they continue to post…
That is
FREE SPEECH
and it needs to be defended we even have to hear the slugs speak..and defeat them with words…before it gets really NASTY which is their intent.
If the Word ain’t Mightier than The Sword…then We are All Dead.
The Parasites will Devour us Hosts…
They will then have nothing to feed on…but they can’t think that far ahead.
Tony
Regarding moderation, if it were up to me I’d instigate registration. When personal abuse levels became high I’d set the software to permit automatic, instant publication for registered commenters only, all other comments being pre-moderated.
I’ve repeatedly urged Craig to this but he remains opposed to pre-mod because he wishes to encourage first-time commenters. Consequently, it is up to us.
Personal abuse is posted by commenters of all political persuasions. Self-restraint and some humility instead of self-righteousness, particularly from some of the progressives, would improve matters considerably here. Much of the abuse from those that complain of “eminences” is in response to those who complain of “trolls”, and vice-versa – essentially, it’s a slanging-match. Moderators cannot monitor the comments 24/7 so on logging in they encounter a fight already in progress. While attempting to extinguish the flames they are also expected to search back through comments to determine “who started it” – it is simply not humanly possible; I speak from experience.
If progressives want improvement then progressives must lead; this is the same on these threads as it is in the real world. Just as we call for unilateral nuclear disarmament, so must we be first to silence our linguistic weapons. We must turn the other cheek; if a ceasefire is broken we must be sure that it’s the opposition who break it, or they can’t be recognised for what they are.
All the above is summed up in Craig’s rule:
https://www.craigmurray.org.uk/archives/2015/06/some-rules-for-comment-moderation/
All I would add is “no matter what the provocation, refrain from returning abuse”. If everyone would stick to these guidelines, moderation would barely be necessary.
“(I was worried about my wife – one of the bombs went off very close to where she used to work – I couldn’t contact her – cos they took down the mobile phone communications)”
I’ve not heard this before Tony
It is a indicator that news is being managed
Persistent offenders would eventually be stopped from commenting (if I knew how to do it).
There IS no practical way to do it. The Mods would have to screen every comment and check the IP address before it appeared on the page, and even this would be fairly easy to circumvent. Even if registration was required, it would be difficult to enforce a ban with part-time volunteer mods.
The fault, dear John, is not in our mods, but in ourselves.
Esclavo
You may hurt the feelings of the protected ones around here, soon wmay find your comment is removed!
================
Seventy years of occupation of a land, and the slow genocide of the natives of that land has all taken place because of restraint and humility extended to a bunch of mindless supremacist that openly have set out their stall and proceeded to game the system and play the world for chumps!!!!!!
There can be no dialogue with crazed lunatics that hold the world responsible for the treatment of their “ancestors” by the little Austrian painter. The same lunatics that to date insist that events of WWII in the last century are the basis of their decisions, in interaction with the wider world.
There is a systematic push for the protection of the zionist cretins at the expense of all other commenters. Fact that the said zionist miscreants having used various profile management software have set about attacking the “sacred” chosen ones has been the basis of moderation that in turn is a ludicrous and manifest failure of reasoned and passionate debate, whence in a little board there is a need for arbitration, what kind of a society have we manage to make?
The fact that Muslims are not subject to such a protection as anon the racists, along with jemand et al the virulent racists under the tutelage of the acting rabbi assigned to this blog time and again have been attacking others and simply getting away with it, is nothing but a sing of compliance with the current imperatives and genuflection to the sacred cows while reserving denunciation galore for those whom challenge such an arrangement.
Let’s not kid ourselves, will you please?
Here are some principles taught in interpersonal therapy which also might help, as intermediary choices between cheek-turning and all-guns-blazing:
i.e. “you lied there” as opposed to “you’re a liar”,
i.e. “that wasn’t entirely honest”,
i.e. “I’m not sure that was entirely honest”,
i.e. “while I agree that abc I can’t agree xyz”
I know that I sometimes fail to observe these recommendations myself; we’re all only human. If I do so again a gentle reminder would probably be more conducive to peace than “but you said xyz you hypocrite” etc.
Maybe if we all make the effort?
Indeed. It is within the power of each of us not to respond to the odious troll. If all of us were to do that, I wonder how long he would continue posting.
Fedup, your comments read as if Habbabkuk is responsible for the totality of injustice performed by the state of Israel. I’m tempted to ask if you’d like me to crack into Craig’s server, find Habbabkuk’s IP address, search out Habbabkuk and kill him for you. Would that be a satisfactory solution for you?
You really need to ask yourself whether you’d rather have peace, or revenge.
Yes, Fed Up – the fall of Saud. I wonder what a military strategist would think of: struggling to get rid of one Govt (Syria) while starting another war (Yemen). Talk about a catastrophic misjudgement.
Oh dear. How sad. Never mind.
It’s sad for the Yemenis, however, especially the civilians that the US and UK is helping to kill.
Huzzah for those shared values.
As I said before, the real problem here is that some people really don’t understand that comparing or treating as an equal somebody whose sole intention is to disrupt & distract honest debate, is actually aiding & empowering that intention, to the detriment of the Blog & all its commentators who post here in good faith.
Words have power, which is why they are often santised for political reasons, but in any situation, calling something by an accurate noun, or calling somebody out for what they really are all about, is the essential perquisite to understanding & responding effectively to any problem, which is why Esclavo has exactly the right approach, and Clark has totally the wrong approach.
Craig,
Perhaps this merits the “strong hint to research” you were given. Here’s the selection process:
http://www.ohchr.org/EN/HRBodies/SP/Pages/Nominations.aspx
And here’s the nominations committee membership list:
http://www.ohchr.org/Documents/HRBodies/SP/Nominations/MemberCGperCouncilcycle.doc
I see that Peter Gooderham, UK, was part of the nominations cycle 2011-12 so it would be interesting to find out if any of the current UNWGAD panel members – Benin, South Korea, Mexico, Australia and, especially, Ukraine – were selected in that year.
Here’s Peter Gooderham’s wikipedia page: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peter_Gooderham
Does that help?
Well, my shy wife and me..from Lancashire Very Broad Lancashire Accents..well we aren’t exactly shy…
We both love Live music…and when our kids said..We really don’t need a Babysitter any more…
What…She’s Lovely (She used to work across the Road…where The Political Scientist – Teaching it at a London University and His Wife a Professor of Psychology)..she came from Romainia..lovely girl..she worked for them as a Nanny lived with them…but when she came roun our home – we were just so grateful ..such a lovely girl looking after our 13 and 10 year old kids…(She was probably barely 18 herself) and at the time …
Our Kids said we Do Not Need a Babysitter any more…
You too Mum and Dad – go out by yourself…We Seriously do not Need a BabySitter…we will be O.K….we can phone you ..even then…
So we got to know lots of people..just by going down our local pubs to see bands…
And we invited them Back to our home..almost every other Saturday night for a Party for over 10 years…
Everyone has been here Open Door Mate…
And She Says…Who The Fuck are You?
She says No you Can’t come in…
She still let her in after 10 minutes conversation
She was Shagging Our Mate..Total Psycho…She Destroyed his Life..and he is a really nice bloke. She just blew up his entire family
Very good at Yoga – so I heard…
and I said something at our Family Table…when she was Trying To Take control..but just being a control freak wanting all the attention…
About 5 minutes later .. it sunk in…
She said Tony..I think you were Rather Rude To Me…
All I said was that you have taken Yoga to the limit.
You have Got Your Head Completely Stuck Up Your Own Arse.
(We are Still Friends)
Tony
I wonder if Jemand the Aussie would like to comment on this little speech ?;
http://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2016/jan/24/stan-grants-speech-on-racism-and-the-australian-dream-goes-viral?CMP=share_btn_tw
This is of course dependent on the wider participant agreement to boycott certain elements and to discount their “contribution” regardless of the deliberate provocations of the bilge and manure spreaders. How would you propose to bring about such a cohesion?
=============
Clark I don’t want to go toe to toe with you mate! But just a quick point less the high octane stuff in your comment, the notion of the peace without justice is not possible!!!! Human history is replete with thirst for justice, fact that Christianity became to persist is entirely dependent on the unjust murder and punishment of its founder that trouble making chap called Christ*!
* He terrorised the money changers caused alarm and distress in the temple, and hung around with the underclass and had notions way above his station, he would have been tried in secret if he made his appearance now, and probably DM would have been celebrating his incarceration, rendition to gitmo.
===============
Very true the huge numbers of the causalities of the Yemeni and the destruction of their already impoverished towns and cites at the behest of the great pederasts and bursars of tyranny aka al saud.
The oligarch owned media, and the state ran Bunkum Bullshit Corporation are pretty much quiet about the huge loss of life and the suffering that is being inflicted on the Yemeni.
The beheading of Sheikh Nimr and the propose crucifixion of his nephew (a fifteen year old boy who has been in custody for the last two years for teaching first aid and resuscitation to others) will come back to haunt the al saud, it is only a matter of time.
The odious troll has repeated on this very thread his call for Craig to terminate this forum. He obviously has no desire to make any real contributions to the discussion here.
Lysias, 9:50 pm; if you wish to ignore Habbabkuk that’s your choice, but I think that his political arguments should be engaged with, because they are precisely the arguments that are advanced in public to defend the status quo. This is a popular blog, thousands read the comments; engage with and defeat the arguments here and thousands may learn from and propagate the example.
It generally isn’t terribly hard so long as you aren’t arguing to support an initial exaggeration; take a look at this exchange at squonk.tk:
https://squonk.tk/blog/2015/03/15/the-general-discussion-thread/comment-page-56/#comment-21684
What is difficult is keeping your cool and sticking to factual argument when replies to your comments contain personal barbs and subtle misrepresentations; “If I can make you angry, I have passed your guard”, as the martial-arts master said. A good way to compose effective comments is to take your time and review what you’ve written before submitting it.
Macky, ah yes, so you’re calling for escalation, yes? More “fuck shit bollocks you’re a cunt, you’re a cunt”?
Is that sit with Craig’s moderation rules? It IS Craig’s blog, yes?
The odious troll’s arguments are so weak that there is no need for anyone to refute them. They refute themselves.