The Green Party’s leader, Natalie Bennett has applauded the decision by the parliamentary committees on Arms Export Controls to investigate the behaviour of traders and suppliers at arms fairs in Britain, in the light of last week's judge's ruling that protesters had acted to prevent illegal acts at last year's event.
However, she said: "This investigation should not just be left to MPs. The government now has a duty to launch an immediate investigation - something the judge has clearly identified the necessity for.
"I will be writing to the defence secretary to ask for an investigation into the possibility of illegal weapons, such as torture equipment, cluster bombs and land mines being sold at the arms fair in London last year.”
Natalie Bennett will ask Michael Fallon to clarify which weapons were displayed and made available for sale at the Defence & Security Equipment International arms fair in September 2015. Should any banned weapons be found to be on sale, Bennett will demand prosecutions for the event organisers.
Bennett said:
"Further, we have to question the continuation of this event. Given that a judge has seen clear evidence of unchecked illegality, the government should ensure no such events are allowed in future.
"We need to think about how we can make the world safer and more secure for Britain and the world - the arms fair is clearly not contributing to that, but rather fuelling conflict and human rights abuses."
Bennett added:
“I’m delighted that those protesters who were charged with obstructing access to the event have now been acquitted. Their determination to draw media attention to the shady practices of this event are paying off and I’ll be writing to the defence secretary to find out exactly what was being sold at the London event. [1]
“It would be a national shame if arms that could be used in deadly, criminal and human rights abusing acts around the world were found with receipts that read ‘bought in Britain’.”
ENDS
Notes: