Thomas Hammarberg, commissioner for human rights, says UK coalition government's decision is example to other nations
9 June 2010 The coalition government's decision to hold an inquiry into the UK's involvement in torture and rendition was today hailed by the Council of Europe as "a proper response" which could offer an example to other nations.
The council's commissioner for human rights, Thomas Hammarberg, said the inquiry must be "thorough, comprehensive and as open as possible", but added: "If well done it could set an example for other countries."
Hammarberg singled out Sweden, Poland and the former Yugoslav republic of Macedonia as states that also needed to establish independent inquiries into complicity in human rights abuses since the al-Qaida attacks of September 2001. A recent inquiry in Romania had left questions unanswered, he added.
"Other European governments should also initiate investigations," said Hammarberg. "The time has come to break the conspiracy of silence around the complicity of European governments in the human rights violations which have taken place during the counterterrorism actions since September 2001. Continued
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