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Babar Ahmed Commons Debate

Anthony J Cohen made this Freedom of Information request to House of Commons

The request was partially successful.

From: Anthony J Cohen

13 November 2011

Dear House of Commons,

You may be aware of the recent campaign to help secure a full
debate on the case of Babar Ahmed.

Mr Ahmed is the longest serving detained without charge British
detainee held since the commencement of the "war on terror".

At present Mr Ahmed has been held for over 7 years.

Campaigners sarted an e-petition to put Babar Ahmad on trial in the
UK, which has now closed, having secured over 140,000 signatures, a
phenomenal response in such a short space of time.

In spite of the enormous public support for the matter, the
Parliamentary Backbench Business Committee has now refused to list
this issue for a full debate in the main chamber of the House of
Commons where it could be voted on by Members of Parliament.

Instead the motion has been relegated to form part of a
pre-existing discussion on extradition, led by Dominic Raab MP, in
Westminster Hall on 24th November 2011.

Discussions in Westminster Hall are not subjected to a vote and
rarely have any practical effect. Other e-petitions which secured
100,000 signatures (including Hillsborough and the EU) have been
subjected to a full debate in the House of Commons with a vote
rather than being sidelined as a Westminster Hall discussion.

It is therefore only fair that the petition to put Babar Ahmad on
trial in the UK, which over 140,000 people have signed, also be
fully debated and voted on.

I kindly request any internal/external correspondence that you hold
detailing who made the decision not to list the issue for a full
debate.

Yours faithfully,

Mr Anthony J Cohen

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From: FOICOMMONS
House of Commons

14 November 2011

Dear Mr Cohen

Thank you for your request for information dated 13 November 2011, received by us on 14 November 2011.

We will endeavour to respond to your request promptly but in any case within 20 working days i.e. on or before 12 December 2011.

If you have any queries about your request, please use the request number quoted in the subject line of this email.

Yours sincerely

Jenny Wormleighton | IRIS Support Officer
Information Rights and Information Security (IRIS) Service | Department of HR and Change

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From: FOICOMMONS
House of Commons

12 December 2011

Dear Mr Cohen,

Thank you for your request for information which is copied below.

The decision was made by the Backbench Business Committee. The Committee’s formal minutes for Tuesday 8 November 2011, which are available on the internet at http://www.parliament.uk/documents/commo... include the following:

2. Business to be taken on 24 November in Westminster Hall
Resolved, That the e-petition entitled Put Babar Ahmed on trial in the UK is relevant to the debate of 24 November in Westminster Hall.
Mr John Hemming MP raised the Babar Ahmed case near the end of the public part of the Committee’s meeting on Tuesday 8 November: the transcript is posted on the internet at http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa...
There is no other material relevant to your request.

You may, if dissatisfied with the treatment of your request, ask the House of Commons to conduct an internal review of this decision. Requests for internal review should be addressed to: Freedom of Information Officer, Department of HR and Change, House of Commons London SW1 0AA or [House of Commons request email]. Please ensure that you specify the nature of your complaint and any arguments or points that you wish to make.

If you remain dissatisfied, you may appeal to the Information Commissioner at Wycliffe House, Water Lane, Wilmslow, Cheshire SK9 5AF.

Yours sincerely

Bob Castle
Head of Information Rights and Information Security

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