14 February 2012

Free the Urewera four

Syd Keepa, CTU Maori Vice President, is calling on the Solicitor General to withdraw charges immediately for the four remaining defendants in the Urewera terror trial.

Syd Keepa said “charges against 14 of the accused have already been dropped. Prosecution was initially sought under the Terrorism Suppression Act but the Solicitor General declined permission. Supreme Court ruled that some video surveillance evidence was inadmissible because it was illegally obtained. This case is a waste of tax payer money.”

“Last year, a majority of the CTU affiliates council has supported a resolution calling for the charges to be dropped based on the stress and suffering of the defendants and the Ruatoki community, the delay of over four years in bringing the case to court. We are renewing that call today.”

“These people have already had four years with charges hanging over their head, it’s stressful on them, and for their whanau. It’s unreasonable they have had to wait this long to have their day in court,” said Syd Keepa.

ENDS

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