CLEMENCY FOR LEONARD PELTIER

Early day motion 460, tabled 22 March 1999 by Tony Benn (Labour). Signed by 29 members.

That this House expresses its concern at the long prison sentence imposed upon Leonard Peltier, a distinguished American Indian leader, for an offence he is alleged to have committed in 1975 by a court in America that withheld vital evidence which would have proved his innocence; notes that the campaign on his behalf has been supported by 20 million people world-wide, including 50 members of the United States Congress, 60 members of the Canadian Parliament, members of the European Parliament, Nelson Mandela, the Dalai Lama, Archbishop Tutu, Mikhail Gorbachov and the Archbishop of Canterbury; and requests the President of the United States to Exercise his powers to grant executive clemency to permit the immediate release of Mr Peltier.

Signatures by party: Labour 22, Liberal Democrat 4, Conservative 1, Labour/Co-operative 1, Plaid Cymru 1.