| War on terror trampled human rights { May 28 2003 } Original Source Link: (May no longer be active) http://www.guardian.co.uk/usa/story/0,12271,965562,00.htmlhttp://www.guardian.co.uk/usa/story/0,12271,965562,00.html
12.30pm update
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------- War on terror has trampled on human rights, says Amnesty
Press Association Wednesday May 28, 2003
The "war on terror" has left people around the world feeling more scared than at any time since the cold war ended, Amnesty International claimed today. The organisation's annual report also said that the fight against terrorism was being used by countries including the US and Britain as an excuse to trample on human rights.
People around the world were feeling more insecure than they had for decades despite the huge sums being spent to fight terrorism following the September 11 attacks on the US, Amnesty said.
The campaigning group's secretary-general, Irene Khan, said: "What would have been unacceptable on September 10 2001, is now becoming almost the norm."
She added: "In the name of security, politics and profit, human rights were trampled the world over by governments, armed groups and corporate activity."
Ms Khan said that what would have been an outrage in western countries during the cold war - torture, detention without trial, truncated justice - was now readily accepted in some countries today for some people.
Amnesty said the detention by the US of 600 foreign nationals at Guantanamo Bay in Cuba was a "human rights scandal" and called for them to be released or charged.
Britain was criticised by the human rights group for the Anti Terrorism, Crime and Security Act brought in by the home secretary, David Blunkett. Amnesty said the act had allowed 11 foreign nationals to be interned without charge in "inhuman or degrading conditions" in high security prisons.
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