Thousands rally for David Hicks : Melbourne Indymedia

On Saturday December 9, thousands of people gathered in the centre of Melbourne to call for the immediate release of David Hicks and closure of the Guantanamo prison camp.

The rally was held at Federation Square, and was the largest of several events taking place around Australia as part of a National Day of Action, marking five years that Hicks has spent imprisoned without trial.

Around 5,000 members of the public braved the high temperatures, to express their outrage at the Australian government’s treatment of Hicks. Speeches were given by Nicole Bieske (Amnesty International), Senator Bob Brown (The Greens), Tasneem Chopra (Islamic Women’s Welfare Council of Victoria), Michelle O’Neill (TCFU), Shadow Attorney-General Nicola Roxon MP (Labor), Rob Stary (Robert Stary & Associates), Les Thomas (Civil Rights Defence), and Brian Walters SC (Liberty Victoria).

Since being arrested by the Northern Alliance and sold to the American military, David Hicks has been interned without trial or charge for five years. He has suffered various methods of torture and sensory deprivation, and countless interrogations. He is currently held in solitary confinement, with the lights in his cell turned on 24 hours a day.

The Australian government has been complicit in this gross violation of human rights, refusing to call for Hicks' release, and continuing to express faith in the Bush administration's discredited military commissions, which are condemned by the Australian Law Council, the Red Cross and the British government among many others. PM John Howard, Attorney-General Philip Ruddock, and Foreign Minister Alexander Downer have shown contempt for the rule of law, failed in their duty of care, and have become involved in one of the most disgraceful human rights abuses of our time.