Subcontracting torture

Subcontracting torture

Channel 4 News | Oct 16 2004

Our former man in Uzbekistan, Craig Murray - removed from his post by the Foreign Office and now threatening to sue, is meeting Whitehall officials next week to discuss his future.

Earlier this week, the Financial Times published a leaked memo in which the outspoken diplomat accused the government of condoning torture by using suspect intelligence from the Uzbek security services:

"Tortured dupes are forced to sign confessions showing what the Uzbek Government wants the US and the UK to believe - that they are fighting the same war against terror…this is morally, legally and practically wrong".

We spoke to Mr Murray in his first television interview since leaving his post.

Channel 4 News: Did you leak the memo yourself?

Craig Murray: “No, it wasn’t leaked by me - I genuinely don’t know who leaked it to the Financial Times”

C4N: Are you glad it was leaked?

Murray: “From a personal point of view I am not at all glad it has led to the end of my posting ..but I can’t pretend I am sorry that the issues it raised have become part of public debate”

C4N: How about the extent of torture in Uzbekistan and the way the information extracted is used by the British security services?

Murray: “"I've dealt with literally hundreds of cases of political and religious detainees in Uzbekistan for the past two years and torture is the rule not the exception."

“What you’re saying is that we are not talking about doing it we are talking about benefiting from it. I am not sure subcontracting torture is anymore morally respectable than doing it yourself”.

Mr Murray caused a stir by speaking out publicly in 2002 about brutality in Uzbek jails, highlighting the case of two men who were boiled to death.

Following his outburst, he was called into the Foreign Office in London last August to face 18 charges of misconduct.

They included allegations of demanding sex from young women in return for British visas and driving an embassy car down some steps, even though he doesn't drive.

He was also accused of turning up for work drunk and of paying too much for a show by Scottish group The Battlefield Band.

C4N: What are you feelings towards the Foreign Office now?

Murray: “I lost my confidence in the Foreign Office last year when they attempted to fit me up with a long list of quite extraordinary disciplinary charges and at the same time asked me to consider resigning within one week, and told me I was not allowed to tell anyone about the disciplinary charges. That was an extraordinary event in my life, it was really very horrible."

The Foreign Office said Mr Murray remained a member of the diplomatic corps and has not been sacked or subjected to any disciplinary procedure.

A spokesman said the British Government does not perpetrate or instigate torture anywhere in the world.

But he added: "Where we receive information that may be of interest and where British lives are at stake that information may prove useful."