Toute ma solidarité au SSP et à Alan MacCombes. Pour la défense de l'indépendence des organisations ouvrières!
a écrit :CITATION
Saturday, May 27, 2006
Alan McCombes statement
Alan McCombes, press and policy coordinator of the Scottish Socialist
Party made the following statement :
"My decision, which I took with the full support of the SSP, not to
hand over the documents demanded by the court was not one taken
lightly but in the full understanding of the possible serious
consequences that could follow."
"However I took my stand on the clear position that the Scottish
Socialist Party, like all democratic organisations, has the right to
hold private discussions on sensitive matters and for those
discussions to remain confidential."
"That is not only my view but also the view taken by both the SSP's
executive and our National Council composed of rank and file delegates
from across Scotland"
" Scottish Executive has argued precisely this view on such sensitive
matter as the Shirley McKie case, the handling of the scandals around
Hepatitis C and many PFI contracts which are paid for by public money"
"We now face the grotesque position that a small party is being
pressed by the state to hand over its internal records while the
Executive is allowed to keep policy decisions and other matters of
vital public interest under lock and key."
"To comply with the demand to hand over the documents would endanger
the right of free debate inside political parties and mean that out
rights of free association would be threatened."
" In such discussions the keeping of records and minutes is a vital
part of ensuring that elected officers are accountable to their
members and meeting the court's demand to hand over internal records
threatens that right."
"My legal team Paul Cullen and Fred Tyler presented a powerful case
for my position and I pay tribute their skills is so doing and thank
them for their work."
a écrit :
'Fruitless' search of SSP offices
Court officials have failed to find documents at the centre of a legal row during a search of the Scottish Socialist Party's offices on Saturday. SSP official Alan McCombes was jailed on Friday for 12 days for refusing to release minutes on the resignation of former leader Tommy Sheridan in 2004.
Judge Lady Smith said he had put party loyalty "above his duty" to the court.
The News of the World had requested the internal party documents to defend a libel case brought by Mr Sheridan.
Jo Harvie, the editor of the SSP newspaper, said four court officials arrived at the offices at midday and examined paperwork for more than three hours.
"They have been very careful about what they are doing, and very methodical," she said.
"We are obviously not pleased about the situation but are co- operating with the court.
When asked if the messengers-at-arms would find the minutes, she said: "No, they are not here."
Confidentiality plea
The messengers-at-arms refused to comment during their search.
An SSP spokesman later confirmed they had left empty-handed.
During a hearing at the Court of Session in Edinburgh on Thursday, Mr McCombes' lawyer had argued that giving up the documents would breach confidentiality and his human rights.
On Friday, Lady Smith had granted a News of the World motion and ordered Mr McCombes to hand over "all or any" documents.
When he failed to comply, Lady Smith had ordered Mr McCombes to be held in custody until a week on Tuesday.
She warned him that if he did not change his stance it would be "highly likely" she would make a finding of contempt of court and he would be punished accordingly.
Story from BBC NEWS:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/1/hi/scotland/5023794.stm
je pense qu'on peut écrire pour les faire part de notre soutien.