From the Ideas section of the Toronto Star, Thursday, November 29, 2007, an article about questions raised about the safety of the use of tasers by law enforcement officers:
QUESTIONS PERSIST ON USE OF TASERS
Alok Mukherjee
The death of Robert Knipstrom in Chilliwack, B.C., is certain to intensify the public discussion about Tasers that was unleashed by the unnecessary death of Robert Dziekanski.
Let me declare my bias right away. During 2004-05, based on medical and other research into Taser technology. I opposed the Toronto Police Service's proposal to acquire Tasers.
One such study was done in 2003 by Dr. Anthony Bleetman and Dr. Richard Steyn of Birmingham Heartlands Hospital in the U.K. Taser International had engaged them "to draw conclusions on the device's relative safety and to identify potential medical issues in deploying this product." Their pronouncement that "the device is essentially safe on healthy people" clearly begged the question: What if the Taser is used on someone who is not healthy?
Bleetman and Steyn identified "several ways that the Taser might cause injury," including electrical injuries, injuries from barb strikes, burns, indirect injury from falling uncontrollably and spontaneous abortion.
Their carefully worded conclusion was that it was "impossible to accurately calculate how much electrical energy the Advanced Taser delivers into the the human body ... More work is required to record the effects of the Taser on physiological variables and ECG tracings."
An article in The Lancet, the British medical journal, urged further investigation of effects such as ocular- or blood-vessel-related injuries and metabolic acidosis.
Other studies suggested that the Taser had not caused the reported deaths, but other factors, such as drug use, heart condition or excited delirium, were to blame.
After much debate, a majority of my colleagues voted to allow Tasers in the Toronto Police Service. However, it was to be a restricted distribution supported by through training, clear procedures, strict monitoring and regular reporting.
In Toronto, Tasers are provided to front-line supervisors and members of the Emergency Task Force. The weapon has been used more than 200 times, and there have been no deaths and very few injuries that can be called serious.
Today, my position is best described as cautious and evolving.
I am in complete agreement with Toronto Police Chief Bill Blair that good training, strong procedures, good training, strong procedures, close monitoring, regular reporting and public accountability are prerequisites for responsible use of Tasers. I also sympathize with the view of people from the mental health community that Tasers can be useful when dealing with people suffering from such an acute state of mental illness that they can do harm to themselves or others.
Yet I remain uneasy.
I am concerned that we do not have the necessary knowledge to say authoritatively that the Taser is safe in all circumstances and on all persons, regardless of their physiological, neurological, medical or psychological condition, age, ethnicity, ability or gender.
I also worry that the Taser could lead to lazy policing.
The Taser cannot be the first weapon of choice, unless it is absolutely essential. It should not be used, for instance, to control a crowd or to subdue an individual causing a disturbance who does not pose a threat to anyone.
It must be drilled into police officers that the Taser is not a completely harmless weapon. Above all, police organizations must make haste slowly in making the Taser available to their personnel.
Let us keep in mind that the Taser was originally developed as a military weapon. Surely, we owe a very great duty of care when deploying it on the civilian population in our own communities.
Alok Mukherjee is chair of the Toronto Police Services Board.
Thursday, January 17, 2008
Sunday, January 13, 2008
Anti-Violence and Women's Rights
From the Friday, October 5, 2007, page A16, an article about women's rights and wanting the government to take violence against women, sexual harassment and related issues seriously and some recommendations about how to help solve the problem:
'STEP IT UP' CAMPAIGN
Anti-violence pleas ignored
Lobby group laments lack of debate on women's issues - despite action plan
Debra Black
For the past 14 months Eileen Morrow and about 60 other women have been trying to get the provincial political parties to step up to the plate when it comes to violence against women.
When they conceived their Step It Up Campaign in June 2006 they had high hopes provincial politicians would get the relevance of their pleas.
"We want the government and the parties to look at violence against women in all of its aspects," said Morrow, co-ordinator of the Ontario Association of Interval and Transition Houses, who helped run the lobby campaign that has been endorsed by 100 provincial organizations.
"Governments tend to look at what they call domestic violence. There has been good work in this area, but we don't have an overall framework. What we need is a gender-based analysis in government policy, budgeting that looks at the material conditions of women's lives and how that is contributing to violence against women in their relations, sexual violence, sexual harassment in school and the workplace."
With that lofty goal in mind, the women developed a 10-point manifesto for eradicating violence against women in the province against women in the province. They met with representatives of the Liberal Party, Progressive Conservatives, the New Democratic Party and the Green Party to make their case, asking for changes in areas such as poverty, housing, child care, education, access to justice and permanent funding for women's services.
Some of the specific recommendations call for:
* An increase in social assistance rates and indexing them to the cost of living, and an immediate increase in minimum wage to $10.
* More money for affordable housing and child care.
* A $50 million commitment for women's services.
* The establishment of a provincial women's advocacy council on violence - within the Ontario Women's Directorate to guide all policy development, program development and legislation related to women who experience violence.
* A sexual violence action plan, guided by women's advocates from the Ontario Coalition of Rape Crisis Centres and others.
* Amendments by the Occupational Health and Safety Act to include "harassment," including sexual harassment and a province-wide education campaign on sexual harassment in schools, workplaces and in the community.
* $5 million in annual funding for full-time legal support workers.
But with the election only days away, the parties, with the exception of the NDP, have not fully endorsed the campaign, a disappointed Morrow said, "How many years has it been since we've seen a debate on women's issues in an election campaign?" she asked.
The Liberals emphasized their own domestic violence plan, but added a promise to increase money to front-line services such as shelters and sexual assault centres.
The Tories suggested they meet again after the election, Morrow said. As for the Greens, a party spokesman said, they "love" the Step It Up campaign and endorse it. But according to Morrow the party has only incorporated some of the broader issues into its platform. And its position on violence was "disappointing," she said. The NDP were the most enthusiastic, adopting much of it into their platform.
The Liberal Party's Sandra Pupatello, a candidate in Windsor West, doesn't agree that her party has ignored the condition of the lives of women and children, stressing the Liberals recently released a platform designed specifically for women.
It includes promises to build on the government's Domestic Violence Action Plan created in 2005 that offers support for victims, training, prevention education and improvements to the justice system. It also commits to the creation of new child care spaces and the introduction of full-time junior and senior kindergarten.
"Child care, poverty and housing ... we believe that we are addressing all three of these from the Step It Up campaign," said Pupatello, minister responsible for women's issues.
"We are very supportive of the Step It Up platform," said Andrew Horwath, the NDP candidate and current MPP for Hamilton East as well as the NDP Women's Issues critic.
Representatives from the PCs did not return the Star's calls.
Thursday, January 10, 2008
Human Rights in Prisons
From the World section, the Toronto Star, Friday, November 23, 2007, page AA3, an article about a terrible story of human rights abuse in Brazil in a prison involving a teenage girl and rape:
GIRL RAPED AFTER BEING PUT IN CELL FULL OF MEN
Assaulted repeatedly in month-long ordeal
Brasilia - A 15-year-old girl thrown in a jail cell with more than 20 men for a month was raped relentlessly and forced to have sex for food, human rights groups representing the just-released girl said yesterday.
"She was raped from day one," at the jail in Para state, a Children and Adolescent Defence Centre spokesperson said, adding that the number of men in the cell varied from 20 to 34 while the girl, a robbery suspect, was there.
"She was raped innumerable times and forced to exchange sexual relations for food," said Miere Cohen, president of the Order of Brazilian Lawyers Human Rights Commission.
The case has sparked outrage across Brazil, especially since it closely followed an incident involving a 23-year-old woman, also jailed in Para state for on month, who was put in with 70 men.
The teen, whose identity was not disclosed, was arrested in the state capital Abaetetuba Oct. 21 and held at a police station jail until an anonymous caller tipped off the media.
"Nobody really knows what she was charged with. She was a suspect in a robbery but police were unable to tell us which robbery. There was no formal charge," Cohen said.
The girl's lawyers said police at one point said they believed the suspect was not a minor.
"Whether she was 15, 20, 50, 80 or 100 doesn't matter. A woman should not have been kept in a jail cell with men," Para Governor Ana Julia Carepa told reporters, adding she would mete out "exemplary punishment" in the case.
Agence France-Presse
GIRL RAPED AFTER BEING PUT IN CELL FULL OF MEN
Assaulted repeatedly in month-long ordeal
Brasilia - A 15-year-old girl thrown in a jail cell with more than 20 men for a month was raped relentlessly and forced to have sex for food, human rights groups representing the just-released girl said yesterday.
"She was raped from day one," at the jail in Para state, a Children and Adolescent Defence Centre spokesperson said, adding that the number of men in the cell varied from 20 to 34 while the girl, a robbery suspect, was there.
"She was raped innumerable times and forced to exchange sexual relations for food," said Miere Cohen, president of the Order of Brazilian Lawyers Human Rights Commission.
The case has sparked outrage across Brazil, especially since it closely followed an incident involving a 23-year-old woman, also jailed in Para state for on month, who was put in with 70 men.
The teen, whose identity was not disclosed, was arrested in the state capital Abaetetuba Oct. 21 and held at a police station jail until an anonymous caller tipped off the media.
"Nobody really knows what she was charged with. She was a suspect in a robbery but police were unable to tell us which robbery. There was no formal charge," Cohen said.
The girl's lawyers said police at one point said they believed the suspect was not a minor.
"Whether she was 15, 20, 50, 80 or 100 doesn't matter. A woman should not have been kept in a jail cell with men," Para Governor Ana Julia Carepa told reporters, adding she would mete out "exemplary punishment" in the case.
Agence France-Presse
Monday, December 31, 2007
Racial Profiling; Maher Arar and Wife Monia Mazigh
From the Wednesday, October 17, 2007, Toronto Star,Greater Toronto section, page A7, here is an article about racial profiling, featuring the story of Maher Arar and the comments of his wife, Monia Mazigh:
MAHER ARAR'S WIFE CALLS FOR HONEST DEBATE
Racial profiling must be acknowledged before we can eradicate it, Monia Mazigh tells symposium
Debra Black
Staff Reporter
Racial profiling should be acknowledged and discussed so Canadians can actively eliminate it from society, says the wife of Maher Arar, the Canadian who was wrongly arrested by American authorities, interrogated and then sent to Syria where he was tortured.
Sadly, scholars and the media neglect it, Monia Mazigh told a symposium on racial profiling at the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education yesterday. "We should raise it, discuss it, eliminate it from our society. But first we need to acknowledge it."
Police and government authorities often deny it, she said. But she knows first hand that it exists, she told the audience. "I experienced it myself.... Five years ago my husband and myself were labelled 'Islamic extremists' by the RCMP and CSIS."
But neither she nor her husband was ever told why. Perhaps it was because she wore a headscarf, her husband had a beard, or because they prayed five times a day, she speculated at the seminar, which was sponsored by the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives.
As a consequence of that label, Arar was interrogated by U.S. authorities, arrested, imprisoned, sent to Syria, tortured and, about a year later, freed. A federal inquiry recently cleared his name and Ottawa paid him $10.5 million in compensation. He still remains on a U.S. no-fly list. The reason for that is unknown to either Arar or his wife.
The consequences of racial profiling are severe, said Mazigh. Communities feel marginalized and humiliated and the economic consequences can also be devastating with people losing their jobs simply because they've been interviewed by CSIS, she said.
Law enforcement agencies cannot rely simply on religion or appearance to start an investigation, she said.
"I had courage to speak out and denounce the treatment," she said. But not everyone does. She encouraged anyone who has experienced racial profiling to protest loud and long.
Racial profiling is not new to Toronto or, for that matter, Canada, a series of experts told the symposium. Young, black males have been experiencing racial profiling in Toronto for years, experts said. Indeed they said racial profiling has been an ongoing historical problem in Canada - one that has had and will continue to hae grave ramifications for all Canadians.
Five years ago, the Toronto Star published a special investigation into racial profiling by Toronto police, said Carol Tator , an anti-racism and equity teacher at York University's anthropology department. That series sparked a lot of denial and debate, said Tator, who along with colleague Frances Henry wrote a book about racial profiling in Canada.
The book was triggered by the Star series and examined the practice of racial profiling and how police culture reinforces racism.
In the series, the Star found after analyzing hundreds of thousands of criminal charges that blacks charged with simple drug possession were taken to a police station more often than whites facing the same charge. The data also showed a disproportionate number of black motorists in the database were ticketed for offences that routinely would come to light after a traffic stop.
Racial profiling doesn't keep citizens safe from violence, Tatlor said. "It is violence.... It can be argued that racial profiling by the police is the proverbial canary in the coal mine. Racial profiling exists in many of our democratic institutions."
MAHER ARAR'S WIFE CALLS FOR HONEST DEBATE
Racial profiling must be acknowledged before we can eradicate it, Monia Mazigh tells symposium
Debra Black
Staff Reporter
Racial profiling should be acknowledged and discussed so Canadians can actively eliminate it from society, says the wife of Maher Arar, the Canadian who was wrongly arrested by American authorities, interrogated and then sent to Syria where he was tortured.
Sadly, scholars and the media neglect it, Monia Mazigh told a symposium on racial profiling at the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education yesterday. "We should raise it, discuss it, eliminate it from our society. But first we need to acknowledge it."
Police and government authorities often deny it, she said. But she knows first hand that it exists, she told the audience. "I experienced it myself.... Five years ago my husband and myself were labelled 'Islamic extremists' by the RCMP and CSIS."
But neither she nor her husband was ever told why. Perhaps it was because she wore a headscarf, her husband had a beard, or because they prayed five times a day, she speculated at the seminar, which was sponsored by the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives.
As a consequence of that label, Arar was interrogated by U.S. authorities, arrested, imprisoned, sent to Syria, tortured and, about a year later, freed. A federal inquiry recently cleared his name and Ottawa paid him $10.5 million in compensation. He still remains on a U.S. no-fly list. The reason for that is unknown to either Arar or his wife.
The consequences of racial profiling are severe, said Mazigh. Communities feel marginalized and humiliated and the economic consequences can also be devastating with people losing their jobs simply because they've been interviewed by CSIS, she said.
Law enforcement agencies cannot rely simply on religion or appearance to start an investigation, she said.
"I had courage to speak out and denounce the treatment," she said. But not everyone does. She encouraged anyone who has experienced racial profiling to protest loud and long.
Racial profiling is not new to Toronto or, for that matter, Canada, a series of experts told the symposium. Young, black males have been experiencing racial profiling in Toronto for years, experts said. Indeed they said racial profiling has been an ongoing historical problem in Canada - one that has had and will continue to hae grave ramifications for all Canadians.
Five years ago, the Toronto Star published a special investigation into racial profiling by Toronto police, said Carol Tator , an anti-racism and equity teacher at York University's anthropology department. That series sparked a lot of denial and debate, said Tator, who along with colleague Frances Henry wrote a book about racial profiling in Canada.
The book was triggered by the Star series and examined the practice of racial profiling and how police culture reinforces racism.
In the series, the Star found after analyzing hundreds of thousands of criminal charges that blacks charged with simple drug possession were taken to a police station more often than whites facing the same charge. The data also showed a disproportionate number of black motorists in the database were ticketed for offences that routinely would come to light after a traffic stop.
Racial profiling doesn't keep citizens safe from violence, Tatlor said. "It is violence.... It can be argued that racial profiling by the police is the proverbial canary in the coal mine. Racial profiling exists in many of our democratic institutions."
Friday, December 21, 2007
Afghan: No NATO Run Prisons
Human rights organizations and the media have written about the plight of Afghan detainees turned over by NATO forces, such as Canada, Britain and the Netherlands, to Afghan prisons where they face being tortured.
From the Saturday, November 17, 2007, World section of the Toronto Star, page AA2, an article about the dismissal of a possible solution to this problem:
From the Saturday, November 17, 2007, World section of the Toronto Star, page AA2, an article about the dismissal of a possible solution to this problem:
GENERAL RULES OUT NATO-RUN PRISON
Remarks follow claims of abuse in Afghan jails
Allan Woods
Ottawa - Setting up separate NATO-run jails to hold battlefield detainees who might otherwise be tortured is out of the question, the alliance's military chief says.
Gen. Ray Henault, the Canadian chair of NATO's military committee, said creating detention facilities that are run by the International Security Assistance Force, would put too much demand on the already difficult Afghanistan mission and undermine the Afghan government, which has responsibility for its own penal system.
"We consider this to be something done in concert with international standards. That's the way we intend to continue dong business," Henault said.
The Canadian policy of transferring detainees to Afghan prisons is being challenged in court by Amnesty International, which is seeking an end to all handovers until the country's jails are free of abuse.
The federal government released thousands of pages of files this week showing Canadian officials have been aware of the deplorable state of Afghanistan's prisons for some time, and are currently investigating seven allegations that Canadian detainees were tortured in Afghan custody.
The most recent allegation came to light in the first week of November and was verified by local authorities who are now deciding whether to lay criminal charges.
Liberal MP Denis Coderre said the documents prove "Canada has violated the Geneva Convention" and "must stop the transfers, bring back the prisoners and respect this convention."
Henault rejected accusations there is "systematic" torture in Afghan jails, or at the hands of its secret police, and said he is not aware of any individual cases of abuse.
"But it would probably be inappropriate for me to say that there is nothing like that that ever happens in Afghanistan."
An aide to Henault added that probes of torture allegations are "going to put the pressure where it needs to be, which is on the Afghan government." Indeed, Afghan President Hamid Karzai has already warned the country's police against using physical abuse and has launched an inquiry into torture allegations.
In the meantime, Henault said responsibility for improving the country's prisons falls to organizations like the Red Cross. Afghanistan's human rights body and the government, not NATO.
Wednesday, December 19, 2007
Unemployment Insurance Bias Against Women
From the Business section of the Toronto Star, Tuesday, November 22,2007, page B8, an article about the inherent bias against women in Canada's Unemployment Insurance (EI) system:
EI STRUCTURE BIASED AGAINST WOMEN, STUDY FINDS
Canadian women are being unfairly shortchanged by the country's Employment Insurance system, which was made more restrictive a deade ago and now boasts a $51 billon surplus, a recent study concludes.
The study for the left-leaning Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives, to be released today, finds the qualification requirements for EI have left many women who lose their jobs out of pocket, despite having paid their fair share of premiums.
In fact, the study finds as many as two in three working women who pay into EI don't receive a penny in benefits if they lost their jobs.
"Because so few of them qualify, they're subsidizing the benefits for men, who are more likely to qualify, and that doesn't seem fair," study co-author Monica Townson said in an interview.
Statistics Canada data show that 40 per cent of unemployed men received EI benefits in 2004. For women, the figure was only 32 per cent.
"The rules seem to be based on the standard male job of full-time, full year," Townson said.
"A lot of women are in non-standard jobs - part-time, temporary work, contract work and that kind of thing - so it's very difficult for them to get the hours in a lot of those cases."
Because of their child-rearing and family responsibility roles, women are required to take prolonged periods of time out of the workforce, something men usually don't.
When a woman does return to work after a few years, she is required to re-qualify for EI from scratch by working at least 910 hours in the most recent 52-week period.
"It doesn't take account of the fact that women have to be out of the workforce for periods to look after their children and that may make it harder for them to qualify for benefits," Townson said.
The report recommends taking a longer-term view to determine eligibility. "A longer-term perspective would help women in the patterns that (women) have of paid and unpaid work," Townson said.
The Canadian Press
EI STRUCTURE BIASED AGAINST WOMEN, STUDY FINDS
Canadian women are being unfairly shortchanged by the country's Employment Insurance system, which was made more restrictive a deade ago and now boasts a $51 billon surplus, a recent study concludes.
The study for the left-leaning Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives, to be released today, finds the qualification requirements for EI have left many women who lose their jobs out of pocket, despite having paid their fair share of premiums.
In fact, the study finds as many as two in three working women who pay into EI don't receive a penny in benefits if they lost their jobs.
"Because so few of them qualify, they're subsidizing the benefits for men, who are more likely to qualify, and that doesn't seem fair," study co-author Monica Townson said in an interview.
Statistics Canada data show that 40 per cent of unemployed men received EI benefits in 2004. For women, the figure was only 32 per cent.
"The rules seem to be based on the standard male job of full-time, full year," Townson said.
"A lot of women are in non-standard jobs - part-time, temporary work, contract work and that kind of thing - so it's very difficult for them to get the hours in a lot of those cases."
Because of their child-rearing and family responsibility roles, women are required to take prolonged periods of time out of the workforce, something men usually don't.
When a woman does return to work after a few years, she is required to re-qualify for EI from scratch by working at least 910 hours in the most recent 52-week period.
"It doesn't take account of the fact that women have to be out of the workforce for periods to look after their children and that may make it harder for them to qualify for benefits," Townson said.
The report recommends taking a longer-term view to determine eligibility. "A longer-term perspective would help women in the patterns that (women) have of paid and unpaid work," Townson said.
The Canadian Press
Tuesday, December 18, 2007
Turning a Blind Eye to Uganda's Human Rights Record
From the Saturday, November 24, 2007, Toronto Star, World section, page AA3, an article about the hypocrisy of Commonwealth countries in ignoring Uganda's record on human rights:
'DOUBLE STANDARDS' SLAMMED
Opposition accuses Commonwealth of hypocrisy for ignoring Uganda's disturbing rights' record
Richard Brennan
Ottawa Bureau
Kampala - The Commonwealth is turning a blind eye to the fact that Uganda is one of the most oppressed countries in world where murder, corruption and intimidation is systemic, says the leader of the main Ugandan opposition.
"The level of corruption in Uganda is unprecedented," Kizza Besigye, leader of the Forum for Democratic Change, told Canadian reporters yesterday.
Besigye said it was the height of hypocrisy for Uganda to host the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting, which espouses the values of human rights, democracy and an independent judiciary.
"We are quite disappointed with the Commonwealth, mainly for being unable and unwilling to promote and uphold its own principles," he said.
Up to 100 protesting opposition supporters gathered near the summit site yesterday and were attacked by police wielding batons and sticks, Beti Kamya, an opposition MP, told Associated Press.
The crowd responded by throwing empty bottles and stones, she said.
Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni will be chair of the Commonwealth for the next two years, and outgoing secretary general Don McKinnon of New Zealand has been quick to defend criticism of Museveni's government.
Besigye said the Commonwealth clearly displays a "double standard," referring to the fact it suspended Pakistan's membership this week for imposing emergency rule and jailing thousands of people who opposed President Gen. Pervez Musharraf's heavy hand, while conditions in Uganda are as bad or worse.
He accused the governing party, the National Resistance Party, of bribing members of the parliament to support amending the constitution to void term limits, allowing Musveni to run a third time.
Museveni yesterday defended the move, saying other Commonwealth countries don't have term limits.
Besigye, a former personal physician to Museveni, was jailed in 2006 on charges that included treason and rape, and during his time in prison he was nominated as a presidential candidate. While campaigning, he was handcuffed to a man charged with killing eight tourists.
"For the entire period of the campaign, I was busy in court defending myself against charges of rape," which were determined to be unfounded, he said.
Besigye said the presidential election was marred by violence - "including the open killing of our supporters here in the town of Kampala," as well as ballot stuffing and vote buying.
When Helena Guergis, Canada's secretary of state for foreign affairs, was told about Besigye's comments, she replied: "Duly noted."
Besigye also said it is shameful to have the government spend $150 million to host the Commmonwealth leaders when most Ugandas live in abject poverty.
"This expense is undertaken against the background of extreme poverty" and the fact that thousands of people have lost everything in recent floods with no help from the government, Besigye said.
"Not even one shilling has arrived in the emergency area ... but we are happy to spend hundreds of millions of dollars on a talk show,"he said.
'DOUBLE STANDARDS' SLAMMED
Opposition accuses Commonwealth of hypocrisy for ignoring Uganda's disturbing rights' record
Richard Brennan
Ottawa Bureau
Kampala - The Commonwealth is turning a blind eye to the fact that Uganda is one of the most oppressed countries in world where murder, corruption and intimidation is systemic, says the leader of the main Ugandan opposition.
"The level of corruption in Uganda is unprecedented," Kizza Besigye, leader of the Forum for Democratic Change, told Canadian reporters yesterday.
Besigye said it was the height of hypocrisy for Uganda to host the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting, which espouses the values of human rights, democracy and an independent judiciary.
"We are quite disappointed with the Commonwealth, mainly for being unable and unwilling to promote and uphold its own principles," he said.
Up to 100 protesting opposition supporters gathered near the summit site yesterday and were attacked by police wielding batons and sticks, Beti Kamya, an opposition MP, told Associated Press.
The crowd responded by throwing empty bottles and stones, she said.
Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni will be chair of the Commonwealth for the next two years, and outgoing secretary general Don McKinnon of New Zealand has been quick to defend criticism of Museveni's government.
Besigye said the Commonwealth clearly displays a "double standard," referring to the fact it suspended Pakistan's membership this week for imposing emergency rule and jailing thousands of people who opposed President Gen. Pervez Musharraf's heavy hand, while conditions in Uganda are as bad or worse.
He accused the governing party, the National Resistance Party, of bribing members of the parliament to support amending the constitution to void term limits, allowing Musveni to run a third time.
Museveni yesterday defended the move, saying other Commonwealth countries don't have term limits.
Besigye, a former personal physician to Museveni, was jailed in 2006 on charges that included treason and rape, and during his time in prison he was nominated as a presidential candidate. While campaigning, he was handcuffed to a man charged with killing eight tourists.
"For the entire period of the campaign, I was busy in court defending myself against charges of rape," which were determined to be unfounded, he said.
Besigye said the presidential election was marred by violence - "including the open killing of our supporters here in the town of Kampala," as well as ballot stuffing and vote buying.
When Helena Guergis, Canada's secretary of state for foreign affairs, was told about Besigye's comments, she replied: "Duly noted."
Besigye also said it is shameful to have the government spend $150 million to host the Commmonwealth leaders when most Ugandas live in abject poverty.
"This expense is undertaken against the background of extreme poverty" and the fact that thousands of people have lost everything in recent floods with no help from the government, Besigye said.
"Not even one shilling has arrived in the emergency area ... but we are happy to spend hundreds of millions of dollars on a talk show,"he said.
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