Interim Report - Report No 98, 1967

Case No 421 (United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland) - Complaint date: 23-NOV-64 - Closed

1. 188. The Committee has already submitted interim reports on this case to the Governing Body in paragraphs 194 to 203 of its 81st Report, paragraphs 516 to 524 of its 85th Report, paragraphs 277 to 284 of its 87th Report, paragraphs 255 to 262 of its 90th Report and paragraphs 234 to 242 of its 93rd Report.
2. 189. The United Kingdom has ratified the Right of Association (Non-Metropolitan Territories) Convention, 1947 (No. 84), the Freedom of Association and Protection of the Right to Organise Convention, 1948 (No. 87), and the Right to Organise and Collective Bargaining Convention, 1949 (No. 98), and has declared them to be applicable without modification to Aden.

190. When the Committee last examined the case, at its meeting in November 1966, it had before it a communication dated 23 August 1966 from the Government, in which it was stated that two further persons had been released, so that, of the nine executive members of the Aden Petroleum Workers' Union arrested in 1964, only two still remained in detention: Faruq Mohammed Abdul Rahman Makkawi and Ahmed Haidra, the latter being detained in his home state of Dathina.

1. 191. The Committee, therefore, recommended the Governing Body, in paragraph 242 of its 93rd Report:
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3. (a) to take note of the Government's statement that two of the detained trade unionists, Ali Ahmad Ali Hamami and Taha Ahmad Ghanim, were released in May 1966 but that the situation with regard to Faruq Mohammed Abdul Rahman Makkawi and Ahmed Haidra remains unchanged;
4. (b) to draw the attention of the Government once again to the importance which the Governing Body attaches to the observance of the right of all detained persons to receive a fair trial at the earliest possible moment;
5. (c) to draw attention again to the fact that Faruq Mohammed Abdul Rahman Makkawi has been held without trial since August 1964 and Ahmed Haidra since October 1964, a situation which appears to be incompatible with the generally accepted principle enunciated in subparagraph (b) above;
6. (d) to express the hope that, in accordance with the said principles, the two trade unionists in question will either be released or brought to trial at the earliest possible moment;
7. (e) to request the Government to be good enough to inform the Governing Body as a matter of urgency as to what steps it is intended to take in this connection;
8. (f) to take note of the present interim report, it being understood that the Committee will report further to the Governing Body when the information referred to in subparagraph (e) above has been received.
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10. 192. These recommendations were approved by the Governing Body at its 167th Session (November 1966), and the request for further information contained in paragraph 242 (e) of the Committee's 93rd Report cited above was brought to the notice of the Government by a letter dated 23 November 1966. The Government replied by a communication dated 14 February 1967.
11. 193. In its letter dated 14 February 1967 the Government states that Mr. Ahmed Haidra has been released and that the case of Mr. Faruq Mohammed Abdul Rahman Makkawi continues to receive consideration.

The Committee's recommendations

1. 194. In these circumstances the Committee recommends the Governing Body:
   • (a) to take note of the Government's statement that one of the detained trade unionists, Mr. Ahmed Haidra, has been released, and that the case of the one still remaining in detention, Mr. Faruq Mohammed Abdul Rahman Makkawi, continues to receive consideration;
   • (b) to draw the attention of the Government once again to the importance which the Governing Body attaches to the observance of the right of all detained persons to receive a fair trial at the earliest possible moment;
   • (c) to draw attention again to the fact that Mr. Faruq Mohammed Abdul Rahman Makkawi has been held without trial since August 1964, a situation which appears to be incompatible with the generally accepted principle enunciated in subparagraph (b) above;
   • (d) to express the hope that, in accordance with the said principle, the trade unionist in question will either be released or brought to trial at the earliest possible moment;
   • (e) to request the Government to be good enough to inform the Governing Body, as a matter of urgency, as to what steps it is intended to take in this connection;
   • (f) to take note of the present interim report, it being understood that the Committee will report further to the Governing Body when the information referred to in subparagraph (e) above has been received.