ILPA to Mr Justice Ouseley, Administrative Court, re Sri Lanka Charter Flight, 23 October 2012, with copies to Mr David Magee, Mr Justice Blake, Ms McMahon of Treasury Solicitors. Updated 25 October 2012 with link to Committee for the Prevention of Torture newsflash.
On 25 October 2012 it was confirmed that representatives from the European Committee for the Prevention of Torture were on the flight. The Committee’s newsflash said:
Strasbourg, 25.10.2012 – A delegation of the Council of Europe’s Committee for the Prevention of Torture and Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (CPT) has examined for the first time the treatment of foreign nationals during an operation of deportation by air. The monitoring took place in the context of an ad hoc visit to the United Kingdom from 22 to 24 October and involved the presence of the CPT’s delegation on a charter flight between London and Colombo (Sri Lanka).
The delegation also held consultations with Colin PUNTON, Returns Director at the United Kingdom Border Agency (UKBA), as well as with senior representatives of Reliance, the private security company contracted by the UKBA to provide escorts for deportations by air.
The visit was carried out by two members of the CPT, Jean-Pierre RESTELLINI (Swiss), Head of delegation, and Jari PIRJOLA (Finnish), who were supported by Fabrice KELLENS, Deputy Executive Secretary of the Committee.
- Document Date
- 2012-10-23
- Issue Number
- 12.10.15983