STUC - Rendition Flights

A resolution calling for action over rendition flights was passed unanimously at the STUC Congress in Perth in April 2006. The resoution goes well beyond a resolution passed in the Scottish Parliament in December 2005 in demanding concrete action by the Scottish Executive and Scottish police forces to ensure that there are no rendition flights routed through any Scottish Airports

The motion was moved by Community and seconded by Dundee TUC

Text of the Resolution

Rendition

Congress believes that there are sufficient grounds to justify an independent enquiry into the use of Scottish airports by CIA rendition flights and notes decisions already taken by the Governments of Sweden, Spain and Iceland, by the European Union and the Chief Constable of Greater Manchester Police, to undertake similar such enquiries.

Torture is an affront to every principle of human decency and Congress condemns the use of torture wherever and whenever it may occur. It notes that torture constitutes a crime under Scots and International Law and asserts its commitment to Article 4 of the UN Convention Against Torture, noting that this refers not only to acts of torture but to "an attempt to commit torture and to an act by any person which constitutes complicity or participation in torture".

Congress calls upon the Scottish Executive to take any immediate action necessary to stop and ensure that there are no rendition flights routed through any Scottish Airports and calls on Scottish police forces to afford protection to people being held illegally or otherwise ill-treated on these planes.