Cable in court over death drug export
Wednesday 17 November 2010
Business Secretary Vince Cable was accused at the High Court today of "irrationally" refusing to ban the export of a drug likely to be used in US executions.
A judge was told there were "strong grounds" for believing that shipments of sodium thiopental from Britain had already been used in lethal injection executions.
The case has been brought by Leigh Day Solicitors and legal charity Reprieve who are calling for an export ban on the drug and argue not doing so breaches the government's international human rights obligations.
Nathalie Lieven QC, appearing for death row prisoners Edmund Zagorski and Ralph Baze, said that, unless an export ban was imposed, further supplies from the UK could be used to execute her clients and many other prisoners.
On November 1 Vince Cable declined to place export controls on sodium thiopental, saying that it would place a disproportionate burden on UK businesses wishing to export the drug to the US.
He argued such a step was not justified because US states could always get the drug from elsewhere in the world.
Ms Lieven countered that all Mr Cable's arguments were fatally flawed and urged the judge to rule the minister was acting contrary to the statutory purpose of the export control legislation.
She said it was irrational and unlawful for him to refuse when executions were a clear violation of fundamental human rights the UK says it seeks to protect, especially when the govenrment has reaffirmed its commitment to the global abolition of the death penalty.
"The use of sodium thiopental to execute people is as serious a breach of human rights as it is possible to envisage," Ms Lieven said.
Wednesday, 17 November 2010
Cable in court over death drug export / Britain / Home - Morning Star
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