Media

Update – April 2015

An independent film has been released which is now public – documenting the private prosecution and the corruption of the UK arms trade. See: https://vimeo.com/122144971

2014

Tomorrow (Thursday 24 April 2014) two arms companies, Magforce International and Tianjin Myway International Trading will attend Thames Magistrates Court in East London to answer information about alleged crimes that took place in September 2013 at the Defence Security and Equipment International (DSEI) arms fair.

The offence that both companies are accused of is, in plain English, promoting illegal torture weapons (by advertising these weapons in their brochure at the DSEI arms fair). The torture weapons included leg irons, electric stun guns, and electric stun batons.

In legal language, the offence the companies are accused of is promoting Category A goods, where they knew or had reason to believe such goods will be moved to a third country contrary to Article 21 (2) (c) of the Export Control Order 2008. This is an offence under Article 34 of the Export Control Order 2008.

The case is listed to take place at 10am.

This case is unusual as it’s being taken privately by a group of individuals who were charged with obstruction offences related to protests outside the DSEI arms fair in 2013. The CPS dropped our cases a week before our trial. We are opposed to the arms fair and to the logistical, financial and political support given by the UK government to arms companies and the arms industry. We are taking this case because the regulatory authorities with responsibility for arms control, have refused to prosecute, despite clear evidence that crimes have been committed and a statement from the organisers of the arms fair to that effect. Our lawyer Raj Chada of Hodge Jones and Allen has also written to Vince Cable to ask for this case to be prosecuted.

We will be outside the court from 9am to mark this occasion of arms dealers being held to account.

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 dseiprosecution@riseup.net

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