TRIDENT PLOUGHSHARES

Press Release: 22nd August 2002

Ulla Roder Deportation Threat Evaporates

Today, at the High Court in Edinburgh Scotland's senior judge has accepted

that the question of courts recommending the deportation of Danish peace

activist Ulla Roder is academic after the Home Office confirmed yesterday

that they have no intention of expelling her.

The Lord Justice General, Lord Cullen, was hearing Ulla's appeal against

the recommendation to deport her issued by Sheriff Fitzsimmons in Dumbarton

last year when he sentenced her to three months in Cornton Vale for a

number of anti-Trident actions. Appearing for Ulla was Advocate John Mayer,

who also successfully defended her at Greenock over the Maytime action in

1999. He said that the court had a copy of the letter from the Home Office

to MSP Dennis Canavan in February which indicated that no action would be

taken, after representations from the Danish Embassy. The Home Office had

confirmed that this was still the position so he submitted that the

question of Sheriff Fitzsimmons recommendation was purely academic. The

advocate's submission was accepted by Lord Cullen.

Trident Ploughshares comment: "We are delighted that the Appeal Court has

taken this common sense approach and has accepted that there is no

political will to deport peaceful protesters like Ulla. It also means that

in future magistrates and Sheriffs who are minded to exercise their

prejudice against peaceful protesters from overseas in this way can be

reminded of Lord Cullen's decision and realise that to make such a futile

recommendation will only earn them embarrassment.

We have just had our annual disarmament camp at Coulport at which there

were activists from no less than eleven countries. The non-UK activists,

like Ulla, with their understanding of how Britain's weapons of mass

destruction are a critical threat to the whole world, make a splendid

contribution to the campaign. We are pleased this is no longer under

threat. It is also worth pointing out again that in contrast to the

negative response of the Procurator Fiscal service and the courts, the

popular, civil and political support in Scotland for the campaign is strong."

Ulla continues to be on remand in Cornton Vale until September the 11th and

faces four further trials in Helensburgh District Court for her disarmament

actions.

Contacts: David Mackenzie 0870 458 3117 (07876593016)

Jane Tallents 08454588367

media@tridentploughshares.org

www.tridentploughshares.org

Newsline (recorded) 08454588365

ENDS

David Mackenzie

Trident Ploughshares

3 Park Terrace

Tillicoultry Clackmannanshire

FK13 6BY

Tel: 0845 45 88 366 (from overseas ++44 1259 753815)

Fax: 0845 45 88 364 (from overseas ++44 1259 752929)

mobile: 07876593016

davidmc@enterprise.net

Trident Ploughshares e-mail: tp2000@gn.apc.org

Website: www.tridentploughshares.org

To: tp2000-l@gn.apc.org

Subject: [Tp2000-l] Ulla Roder Deportation Threat Evaporates

From: Trident Ploughshares <davidmc@enterprise.net>

Date: Thu, 22 Aug 2002 15:01:05 +0100

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