EU: Professor Sison case on access to documents goes to court

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The Court of First Instance of the European Court of Justice in Luxembourg will hear the case of Professor Sison on Wednesday 17 November. Professor Sison is requesting access to documents of the Council of the European Union (the 25 governments) relating to his name being placed on he EU list of persons and entities "committing or facilitating terrorism". He has lodged a further case with the court appealing against the inclusion of his name of the "terrorism" list.

Professor. Sison is the chief political consultant of the National Democratic Front of the Philippines in the negotiations with the Government of The Republic of the Philippines. He has been living since 1988 in the Netherlands after being released from the prisons of the Marcos dictatorship. Neither in the EU, nor in the US and even in the Philippines is he facing criminal charges.

The results of the inclusion of Professor Sison on the list are dramatic: freezing of his personal bank account, suppression of social aid allowance, impossibility to contract an insurance, suppression of the health insurance and even termination of the rent of the house in which he is living.

Access to the documents was refused by the Council who referred to a threat to the security of the EU and also to its "international relations". Professor Sison's lawyers say that he rejects vehemently all accusations of any form of implication in acts of terrorism.

Professor Sison's application against being included on the "terrorist" list (pdf)
Professor Sison's application against the refusal of access to documents concerning his case (pdf)

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