Release the Grenada 17
Dear Editor
In recent weeks there has been considerable coverage in the press over the
resumption of hanging in Trinidad. It is particularly appalling that within days on the
ninth hanging evidence came to light that shows that the victim was probably innocent
We would like to bring to the attention of your readers another serious injustice
that is being carried out in the neighbouring island of Grenada. For the last 16 years
17 people, including a former deputy Prime Minister, have languished in prison following a trial
and appeal that can only be described as scandalously unfair. The 17 people were convicted
on the basis of flagrantly unsafe evidence, which includes in some cases confessions extracted
under torture. An official report into allegations of torture prepared in 1984
has been suppressed by the government of Grenada.
Every effort has been made by the authorities to ensure that the original trial, which one British
newspaper described as bordering on the farcical, should not be subject to any proper
legal scrutiny. Although the Constitution was not restored following the unlawful invasion
of the island by United States forces the Government of Grenada waited until their trial
and appeal of the Grenada 17 was over before this portion of the constitution was restored, ensuring
that there could be no appeal to the Privy Council.
An appeal process of sorts was held, but it was an unconstitutional court that employed judges
on a contract specifically to hear this appeal. It is reported that the judges were paid
about £250,000 to hear this appeal, and that negotiations over the size of the payment were
continuing up to the day when the judgement was delivered. The size of the payments were
justified at the time on the complexity of the written judgement that the case required, yet to
this date no written judgement has ever appeared to justify the decision to uphold the
original trial decision.
Many of the documents that were needed by the defence were removed from the island by the
Government of the United States who refused to hand them back for the trial. They are, however
available for the use of academics in the States. In 1996 detailed research was carried out
by Professor Rich Gibson, of Wayne State University, and he concluded that the prosecution
evidence is sufficient only for the charge of manslaughter.
Given the above situation, it is ironic that the current Government, with its ethical foreign policy
is still giving substantial aid to the very prison where the 17 are being kept. We would urge
your readers to raise this situation with their local MPs and to write to the Prime
Minister of Grenada, Dr Keith Mitchell, calling for the release of the prisoners.
Alan Scott
Secretary
Committee for Human Rights in Grenada (UK)
Published in The Weekly Gleaner 1/9/1999
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