New collection of rendition data brings together records of hundreds of victims and shows involvement of 45 countries

Madrid/London, 22 May 2012 – A global repository of information on rendition and secret detention was launched yesterday (21 May) with a collection of records concerning hundreds of victims and 6500 rendition flights. Extensive data on rendition flights collected by Access Info Europe forms a substantial part of the information being launched by The Rendition Project.

The project, led by UK academics and human rights organization Reprieve, is the largest of its kind and collates all information about rendition currently in the public domain. All of the flight data released using access to information laws across Europe and North America has been made available on the website in original formats, including information released to Access Info from nine countries in the last six months.

«By bringing all the data into one place, The Rendition Project is uncovering the sheer extent of the global network of secret prisons and torture which grew up after September 2001, and the direct and indirect involvement in this by many countries across the world,” stated Dr Sam Raphael, from Kingston University, UK.

During the next months the teams at Kingston University and Kent University will publish the data in a consolidated data base in an open format, and will be adding further analysis thus enabling researchers and lawyers to link precise flight records and other evidence with the cases of individual victims and countries.

“This investigation includes a crucial information obtained using access to information laws, released to Access Info Europe and other leading human rights organizations. It clearly demonstrates the importance of a strong and functioning right to information for the protection of other human rights,” commented Lydia Medland, Research and Campaigns Coordinator at Access Info Europe.

The launch of this global repository follows the investigative report, Rendition on Record, by Access Info Europe and Reprieve released in December 2011. Since the release of the report, Access Info Europe has received additional flight data from Iceland and Portugal. In both cases the information was released months late and in the case of Portugal it was necessary to turn to the national appeals body before information was finally released. Access Info Europe and Reprieve are continuing to pursue requests and appeals in a number of countries.

For more information – please contact:

Lydia Medland, Research and Campaigns Coordinator, Access Info Europe
Lydia@access-info.org | +34 913 656 558

Helen Darbishire, Executive Director, Access Info Europe
helen@access-info.org | +34 667 685 319