Interim Report - REPORT_NO30, 1960

1. 238. When the Committee examined this case at its 16th, 17th, 18th and 19th Sessions it made a number of recommendations to the Governing Body, in its 25th, 26th, 27th and 28th reports, approved respectively by the Governing Body at its 134th Session (Geneva, March 1957), 135th Session (Geneva, May-June 1957), 137th Session (Geneva, October-November 1957) and 138th Session (Geneva, March 1958).
2. 239. In particular, at its 19th Session, the Committee, after considering the latest information then received from the Government with respect to progress made under the review procedure applicable to detention cases in reducing the numbers of those - trade unionists and others - detained, recommended the Governing Body:
   • to note the Government's statement that under the review procedure applicable to cases of detention, 82 of the 127 trade unionists referred to in the various complaints have now been released, to request the Government to make every endeavour to afford a fair trial at the earliest possible moment to those still detained, and to keep the Governing Body informed as to the legal or other judicial proceedings which may be instituted with regard to them and the results of such proceedings and also as to further releases of detained trade unionists which may take place by virtue of the application of the review procedures

A. A. The complainants' allegations

1. 240. Further information was furnished by the Government of the United Kingdom in a letter addressed to the Director-General of the I.L.O on 3 November 1958.
2. 241. In its latest communication the Government states that the cases of persons still under detention have continued to be reviewed under the procedure instituted for that purpose. By July 1958 only 24 of the 127 trade unionists mentioned in the allegations remained under detention. Owing, however, to the subsequent serious deterioration in the situation in Cyprus, the Government states with regret that it became necessary again to detain 30 of the trade unionists in question, of whom four have since been released. The Government repeats its earlier statements that no trade unionists have been detained at any time on account of legitimate trade union activities. The Government also repeats the statement made on several earlier occasions-and already taken into account by the Committee when formulating recommendations on the case at preceding sessions-that it has not been possible for those detained to be brought to trial in open court in the normal way, because witnesses are unable to give evidence without fear of intimidation and possible assassination. The Government adds that recently several members of the older trade unions have been victims of E.O.K.A, some having been " brutally and savagely battered to death ".