Free Riaz And Qayyum Campaign

EDM number 185 in 1994-95, proposed by Max Madden on 05/12/1994.

That this House protests at the continued imprisonment of Abdul Qayyum Raja and Mohammed Riaz, both Pakistan nationals of Azad-Kashmiri origin; notes that they were sentenced in February 1984 to life for the unlawful imprisonment and murder of an Indian diplomat based in Birmingham; further notes the trial judge said Riaz was unlucky to have been involved at all and that there was no hard, clear evidence against Raja; is dismayed that the recommendations made by the trial judge that Riaz should serve 10 years and Raja 15 years were dismissed by then Home Secretary in 1988 who secretly increased the sentences or tariffs to 20 years for Riaz and for Raja to 25 years; believes it wrong for politicians to possess such powers; suspects Riaz and Raja are being victimised for political reasons; applauds those from Bradford and elsewhere who will join a picket outside the High Court on 8th December when the outcome of a judicial review of their case will be known; and urges the early release of Riaz and Qayyum.

This motion has been signed by a total of 32 MPs.