At 1pm on Saturday, 10 December 2005, outside the State Library, thousands of Victorians will come together to demand the federal government stop treating with contempt their basic human rights.

The International Human Rights Day rally has been organised by a broad community coalition that includes refugee, anti-war, civil rights, Indigenous, Muslim and same-sex groups as well as political parties and trade unionists.

These groups believe the passing of the government’s anti-terror and workplace laws provide further evidence that human rights in Australia are under serious attack.

For many years refugees have been locked up without charge and been subjected to the most appalling abuses or released on temporary visas and treated as second-class citizens. These abuses continue however now, other groups in our community face similar treatment.

With extraordinary powers to detain without charge and the ability to place control orders on terrorism suspects ASIO’s powers now resemble those of police states like North Korea and South Africa under apartheid.

New sedition laws mean journalists, publishers or activists can face seven years jail for criticism of the government. Meanwhile, recently passed workplace laws strip away building workers’ right to silence; they must answer Building & Construction Commission questions, under pain of six months jail.

The organisers of Saturday’s rally believe the time has come to stop the rot, to unite and stand up to these attacks on our basic rights before they disappear altogether.

Speakers include:

Ramatullah, a refugee recently released from Baxter Detention Centre after five years in detention.
Gary Foley – (Black GST)
Urfa Masood – (Barrister)
Brian Walters – ( Liberty Victoria)
Richard Franklin
Martin Kingham – (CFMEU)
Islamic Council of Victoria Representative
Aly M – (Equal Love)

Media contact: Tim Petterson (Refugee Action Collective) 0438 399 973