International Law

The arrest of opposition Senator Stuart Syvert in Jersey - another Damian Green MP style scandal ?

The scandalous arrest of Damian Green MP is not the only case of an elected member of Opposition who has been arrested and snooped on by the Police and Government in the British Isles, for doing his job and raising controversial allegations from whistleblowers, actions which should be protected by Parliamentary Privilege.

Senator Stuart Syvert in Jersey, has raised, in good faith, questions about the competences of the Jersey Government authorities in regard to child care abuses and financial irregularities, based on leaks and whistleblowing and reports from members of the public i.e. for doing his job as an elected Senator of the States of Jersey (the local Parliament).

Senator Syvert has also alleged that the personal information seized during the Police raid was used, incompetently, to attempt to log in to his blog, presumably to censor it

The (Tax Haven) Bailiwick of Jersey in the Channel Islands, is supposedly part of the British Isles, but is neither technically part of the United Kingdom, not of the European Union, but it does supposedly uphold the European Convention on Human Rights.

This scandal is destroying the old image of the Channel Islands portrayed in the popular police TV series Bergerac, something that they can ill afford, if they lose business as a Tax Haven, if the G20 summit plans do actually crack down on these.

EMERGENCY STATES ASSEMBLY MEETING

By Senator Stuart Syvret

TUESDAY, 21ST APRIL, 9.30 A.M

Responding to the Assault

On Representative Democracy.

I reproduce below this posting, the proposition and report which has been tabled for the emergency meeting of the States this coming Tuesday.

Fortunately - for the good of Jersey - a number of States members have immediately recognised the very serious implications arising from my unlawful arrest and detention; the searching of my home without a search warrant - and the subsequent theft by the police of a variety of privileged information, including private communications between my constituents and I, and communications with other States members.

[...]

STATES OF JERSEY

ARREST AND DETENTION OF SENATOR STUART SYVRET AND ASSOCIATED MATTERS

Lodged au Greffe on 16th April 2009 by Deputy G.P. Southern of St. Helier.

PROPOSITION

THE STATES are asked to decide whether they are of opinion ?

(a) to express their concern in respect of the apparent interference in the communications between elected representatives and their constituents which arises from the arrest and detention of Senator Stuart Syvret on 6th April 2009;

(b) to further express their concern in respect of the suppressing effect of such actions upon other elected representatives, and members of the public;

(c) to further express their concern in respect of the searching of premises, without a search warrant, and the consequent taking of communications between members of the public and their elected representatives;

(d) to request the Minister for Home Affairs to make an urgent statement concerning the decisions, whether operational or political, taken by the States of Jersey Police and the Minister in relation to the arrest and detention of Senator Stuart Syvret;

(e) to request the Privileges and Procedures Committee to make an urgent statement explaining the extent of the protection offered to States members, and their constituents, by parliamentary privilege.

DEPUTY G.P. SOUTHERN OF ST. HELIER

REPORT

Emergency States Sitting.

This is an urgent proposition, dealing as it does with matters of immense gravity that go to the very heart of free, functioning democracy in Jersey.

Full post as published by Spy Blog on April 17, 2009 (boomark / email).