Reality Check On Operation 8

From: October 15th Solidarity
Date: 8 May 2012

On Wednesday May 9th the 'Urewera 4' case is back in the Auckland

High Court for a call-over date. It is on this day the crown will announce if they will seek a retrial on the failed ‘gang’ charge.

“The Crown and Police need a serious reality check if they seek a retrial of the Urewera 4. They will fail again, and the New Zealand public ought to be outraged by this clearly vindictive prosecution. The actions of the Crown and Police in this case are reprehensible and an outrage to fundamental human rights and due process," said Valerie Morse of the October 15th Solidarity Group.

"What the outcome of the trial proves is that the only serious and repeat criminal activity in Operation 8 was that committed by the police. The Supreme Court acknowledged that the systematic use of video surveillance and trespass onto private land by police was not only illegal but a breach of human rights in their September 2011 decision.”

As a result of the Supreme Court decision, police dropped the charges against those people facing only Arms Act offences. However, for the five charged under section 98A of the Crimes Act – Participation in an Organised Criminal Group, the evidence was admissible, despite its illegality. The result was a six week long High Court case in Auckland this year resulting in a hung jury on the Participation charge and conviction of the defendants on some of the Arms Act charges.

"The trial of the Urewera 4 should never have gone ahead," said Ms Morse.

"No charges should be re-laid. The whole case should be dropped and the Arms Act convictions should be overturned immediately.

"Operation 8 has been a travesty of justice. The police and the state need to be held accountable for once more invading the lands of Tuhoe, illegally surveiling the people, and terrorising the community" concluded Ms Morse.

ENDS

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