| (Brussels/Vienna, 6 March 2006) In an open letter sent today to the current EU Presidency, Amnesty International expressed its concerns that the EU Counter-Terrorism Coordinator and the Director of Europol seem to be refusing to cooperate with the inquiry of the temporary committee of the European Parliament which meets today. Since the alarming reports on the possible existence of secret CIA detention centres on European ground, abductions and illegal renditions in November, the committee set up by the European Parliament is the only EU institution conducting an inquiry into these charges. However, the EU Counter-Terrorism Coordinator did not comply with the invitation of the committee, claiming other commitments, while the Director of Europol has not even considered it worthwhile to answer the committee’s invitation. | Amnesty International urged Chancellor Schüssel, as the President of the European Union, to promptly make sure that all bodies, institutions and Member States of the EU fully cooperate with the temporary committee of the European Parliament as well as with the Council of Europe and immediately and comprehensively provide these institutions with all required information. For further comment/background and interviews: |
