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TOUR
LOGBOOK
15 May 2000 - Greenpeace protests round the world to free four activists
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Amsterdam - Greenpeace protests today spread around the globe, from
Asia to Europe, and from Middle East to the Americas, demanding
the immediate release of the four activists detained in Japan for
the seventh day without any formal charges being brought against
them. Amnesty International joined Greenpeace in its protest against
the Japanese detention procedures.
Take action to help us free the activists here
View pictures and country updates
of the worldwide protests
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An
International Day of Action was declared by Greenpeace and supporters
in over 15 countries have gathered at Japanese embassies to call
upon the Japanese government to allow freedom of expression as it
is required under international law.
Latest
report from Tokyo on conditions for the
jailed activists |
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At
the Greenpeace protest in the Netherlands, Executive Director of
Greenpeace International, Thilo Bode said: "This is a blatant attempt
to silence legitimate peaceful protest against toxic emissions damaging
the environment. I call on the Japanese authorities to release our
four activists who were simply exercising their international right
to freedom of speech in alerting the world to the dangers of incineration
and dioxin emissions." |
On Friday,
the judge ordered the four Greenpeace activists to be moved to the substitute
prison system "Daiyo Kangoku". In its most recent report on Japan, the
United Nations Human Rights Committee condemned this system as restricting
the fundamental rights of prisoners.
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"The
heavy-handed treatment of these peaceful protesters is an obvious
attempt to silence and intimidate environmental activism. The activists
are being held in continuous detention without charge or trial,
a practice which is unacceptable by international human rights standards,"
Amnesty International said. The four activists, Al Baker (United
Kingdom), Marleen van Poeck (Belgium), Clement Lam (Hong Kong/Canada)
and Paul Schot (the Netherlands) were arrested in Tokyo on Tuesday
after a non violent action highlighting the problems of dioxin emissions
into the environment. |
The
action was intended to highlight both local and global environmental
and health implications of burning waste - particularly in areas
where the incinerators are located. Japan has the highest levels
of dioxin emissions in the world today, as a consequence of having
more waste incinerators than any other country in the world. Dioxins
are toxic substances created during the incineration process and
are linked to liver cancer and other deadly diseases.
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Read about
NGO's and direct action in Japan
For more info on the legal system in Japan visit Amnesty's
page on Japan
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updates from the Tour Logbook
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