Critic out of jail and speaking at Salford University

Peter Tatchell, the human rights activist who was arrested after ambushing the Olympic torch parade in London this month, is speaking about human rights law at Salford University on Wednesday 23 April starting at 6.00pm.

Peter, who once attempted a citizen's arrest on Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe on charges of torture, will argue that existing international laws are not readily enforced, and fail to deter tyrannical leaders in countries such as Zimbabwe and China.

Peter said: "By ambushing the Olympic torch parade I wanted to highlight both China's reputation in Tibet and the thousands of political prisoners held in Chinese jails. The human rights abuses in countries like Iraq, Zimbabwe, Tibet, China, Iran and Darfur are going unpunished. This gives a green light to tyrants everywhere."

Peter has campaigned for over 40 years on issues of democracy, civil liberties, peace and global justice. He was listed as one of the top 50 'Good' people in Britain in 2006 by The Independent and voted as the sixth greatest 'Hero of our Time' by readers of the New Statesmen in the same year.

He continued: "The main abusers of human rights are heads of state that have been granted sovereign immunity from prosecution. This immunity must be removed if human rights law is to act as a deterrent against such violations and if tyrants like President Mugabe are to be brought to justice.

"One of the great challenges of the 21st century is to secure universal enforcement of the already existing body of international human rights law. What we really need now is a new comprehensive UN human rights convention."

Ends

Notes to Editors

The Peter Tatchell Lecture
'International Human Rights: Using the law to secure justice'
Wednesday 23 April 2008, 6-7pm, University of Salford />Mary Seacole Lecture Theatre, Frederick Road, Salford, M6 6PU
http://www.salford.ac.uk/travel/maps/campus_map.pdf

The lecture is free to attend. Please email Humanrights-Espach@salford.ac.uk
Or leave a message at 0161 295 6794
More info at www.espach.salford.ac.uk/sociology/humanrights/seminars.php

For further information or photographs contact:
Leila Hogarth/Jamie Brown / Rachel Conway
Press and PR
The University of Salford
Room 113, Faraday House
Salford, Greater Manchester
M5 4WT, UK
T +44 (0)161 295 5370
l.hogarth@salford.ac.uk

(Via www.salford.ac.uk)