M.O.D. FACE WAR CRIME CHARGE AT MERTHYR TYDFIL

Trident Ploughshares

M.O.D. FACE WAR CRIME CHARGE AT MERTHYR TYDFIL

Powys residents go for private prosecution against Defence Minister – 11.30a.m. Wednesday 3^rd February.

A group of Powys residents are aiming to initiate a private prosecution against the Secretary of State for Defence for conspiring to commit a war crime, alleging that deploying Trident, the UK’s nuclear weapon system, is a crime.

In November the group wrote to the Minister asking him to sign a declaration on behalf of the government that it would fully comply with humanitarian law in relation to its nuclear weapons. The group deemed the response to be unsatisfactory and have now prepared a “criminal information” – a collection of witness statements and other prima facie evidence relating to the allegation. On 3^rd February they will hand in these documents to the Merthyr Tydfil court to start the process of issuing the Defence Minister with a summons to answer the charges.

One of the group, Angie Zelter, from Knighton, said,

“The UK’s refusal over the last 45 years to disarm its nuclear arsenal has undermined the Non-proliferation Treaty and encouraged more nations to acquire nuclear weapons. There are now 9 nuclear weapon states and a dangerous new nuclear arms race is under way. The present Trident system – and any replacement – could never be used in accordance with international law, and it is time for our allegations to be judged by an impartial UK court. The lies and obfuscations of the nuclear weapon policies need to be examined and revealed in all their horror. This is why we are going to court.”

Representatives of the Informant Prosecutors will be at the Merthyr Tydfil Combined Law Courts, Giebeland Place, Merthyr Tydfil, South Wales, CF47 8BH at 11.30 a.m. on Wednesday 3^rd February 2016. A demonstration in support of the private prosecutors will take place outside the court at the same time as the documents are handed into the court and will feature a red dragon, symbol of Welsh justice and peace.

For more information please contact Angie Zelter, on 074-565-88943 or Brian Jones on 07765 498072.

See http://tridentploughshares.org/picat-a-public-interest-case-against-trident-co-ordinated-by-trident-ploughshares/

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CND Cymru

Trident Ploughshares

Datganiad i’r Wasg

Ionawr 24 2016 am Chwefror 3 2016

CYHUDDO’R WEINYDDIAETH AMDDIFFYN O DROSEDD RYFEL YM MERTHYR TUDFUL

Gr?p o Bowys yn dwyn erlyniad preifat yn erbyn y Gweinidog Amddiffyn – 11.30 a.m. Dydd Mercher 3^ydd o Chwefror.

Mae gr?p o drigolion Powys yn ceisio dwyn achos preifat yn erbyn yr Ysgrifennydd Gwladol dros Amddiffyn am gynllwynio i gyflawni trosedd ryfel, gan honni bod gweithredu Trident, system arfau niwclear y DU, yn drosedd.

Ym mis Tachwedd, sgrifennodd y gr?p at y Gweinidog yn gofyn iddo arwyddo datganiad ar ran y llywodraeth y byddai’n ufuddhau’n llwyr i gyfraith ddyngarol mewn perthynas â’i harfau niwclear. Roedd yr ymateb yn anfoddhaol, ym marn y gr?p, sydd bellach wedi paratoi “gwybodaeth droseddol” – casgliad o ddatganiadau tystion a thystiolaeth prima facie arall yn ymwneud â’r honiad. Ar y 3^ydd Chwefror, byddant yn cyflwyno’r dogfennau hyn i lys ynadon Merthyr Tudful er mwyn cychwyn y broses o gyhoeddi gw?s yn gofyn i’r Gweinidog Amddiffyn ateb y cyhuddiad.

Meddai un o’r gr?p, Angie Zelter, o Drefyclo,

“Mae’r ffaith fod y DU wedi gwrthod diarfogi ei harfogaeth niwclear ers 45 mlynedd wedi tanseilio’r Cytundeb Atal Ymlediad a sbarduno mwy o wledydd i sicrhau arfau niwclear. Erbyn hyn, mae gan naw o wladwriaethau arfau niwclear ac mae ras arfau niwclear newydd, beryglus ar y gweill. Ni ellid byth defnyddio’r system Trident bresennol – nac unrhyw olynydd iddi – yn unol â’r gyfraith ryngwladol, ac mae’n bryd i’n honiadau gael eu barnu ger bron llys. Mae’n hen bryd archwilio twyll a chelwydd y polisi arfau niwclear a’i ddatgelu yn ei holl erchylltra. Dyna pam rydym yn mynd i gyfraith.”

Bydd cynrychiolwyr yr Erlynwyr Hysbyswyr yn Llysoedd Barn Merthyr Tudful, Glebeland Place, Merthyr Tudful am 11.30 a.m. fore Mercher y 3^ydd o Chwefror 2016. Cynhelir gwrthdystiad y tu allan i’r llys i gefnogi’r erlynwyr preifat ar yr union adeg y bydd y dogfennau yn cael eu cyflwyno i’r llys, a bydd y gwrthdystiad yn cynnwys draig goch, symbol cyfiawnder a heddwch Cymru.

Am wybodaeth bellach, cysyllter ag Angie Zelter ar 074-565-88943 neu Brian Jones ar 07765 498072 t: 01792 830 330.

Gweler http://tridentploughshares.org/picat-a-public-interest-case-against-trident-co-ordinated-by-trident-ploughshares/

Jill Gough
Ysgrifennyddes Genedlaethol
National Secretary
CND Cymru
[email protected]
www.cndcymru.org
www.facebook.com/cndcymru