IKWRO

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Text of letter follows

Open letter to the Independent Police Complaints Commission, the Metropolitan Police and the Metropolitan Police's Directorate of Professional Standards

Re: the outcome of the IPCC investigation into officers' dealings with Banaz Mahmod prior to her murder.

The Iranian and Kurdish Women’s Rights Organisation was set up in 2002 to assist women and children disadvantaged in their country of origin who, when they came to the UK continued to suffer, sometimes in truly appalling ways like “honour” killing. The effective support given by the Organisation is made possible because most of the workers have themselves originated from the culture overseas and now have British citizenship or indefinite leave to remain. They understand the problems as none without the background could, unless instilled with the spirit of empathy and experience. Clearly their perspective on ‘honour’ violence and controlled murder i.e. ‘honour’ killing is one to be respected.

The Organisation has saved many women, but in the case of Banaz Mahmod was not actually involved until the tragic details of her death became known, details which revealed on the surface police denial, delay and gross negligence which in the view of the Organisation were a contributory factor to Banaz’s death, and possibly a main causal factor. The trial of the defendants, the murderers, those who assisted and the conspirators was closely followed by witnesses daily in the public gallery. At the same time evidence was gained as to just how shocking was the breach of trust due to the outlook and practices of the police.

IKWRO started the campaign ‘Justice for Banaz’ gaining thousands of signatures on a petition demanding an investigation into her death, believing that PC Angela Cornes’ failure to follow procedure was a serious dereliction of duty leading to the death of Banaz Mahmod. The Iranian and Kurdish Women’s Rights Organisation were therefore deeply disturbed to see that disciplinary proceedings against PC Cornes have been discontinued, as revealed in The Times on 1 December 2008. The IPCC had the powers to order the hearing to go ahead but instead accepted the advice of the Metropolitan Police not to do so on grounds of ‘insufficient evidence’. Clearly this was not the outcome expected from the research done by the Organisation. We believe that the IPCC concurred as it wished to set the police in a good light to inspire confidence in the public. If there is insufficient evidence in this case where it is abundant, it is hard to see how any case could be successful.

IKWRO also hoped that the IPCC misconduct hearings would throw light on the events of New Year’s Eve 2005, exposing failures in procedure and understanding, and creating an environment where the police might acknowledge that a deeper understanding of ‘honour’ based violence was required. A successful disciplinary action against PC Cornes was also necessary to restore some faith in the police amongst vulnerable women and girls from Middle Eastern and South Asian communities. Knowledge of the failures in this case has led them to conclude that violence against minority women is a low priority for the police, a conclusion that can only be reinforced by the perception that PC Cornes’ negligence, which may well have led to the death of Ms Mahmod, is similarly a matter of little interest to the Metropolitan Police.

Voluntary organisations like IKWRO similarly have seen their faith in the police questioned by this development. This has reduced our confidence in our work as partners with police for the protection of minority women, because discontinuance of the disciplinary proceedings against Angela Cornes’ sends a negative and harmful message that the police give the protection of women and the prevention of crime a very low priority. Prior to this, we had tried very hard to build a supportive two-way relationship which was developing well.

With these important issues dependent on a successful investigation we are extremely concerned that the IPCC failed to make a case against PC Cornes. On these grounds, we should like to ask the IPCC to respond to the following questions:

1. Why and how the IPCC come to the decision to bring disciplinary charges?
2. How and why IPCC come to the decision not to bring disciplinary charges?
3. Why was the IPCC investigation based in Wakefield, West Yorkshire, when all the parties involved, and all the witnesses were in London?
4. What efforts did the IPCC take to locate witnesses? Many people witnessed Banaz Mahmod’s escape from her father and her attempts to seek help, including customers and staff at the restaurant, passers-by and paramedics, including a woman who reported the broken window; further witnesses could have been drawn from the medical staff at the hospital.
5. Were all possible witness found and interviewed? If not, why not? If they were interviewed, were they asked to testify before a disciplinary hearing? If not, why not? If they refused to testify, what reasons were given? What attempts did the IPCC make to assist the witnesses to be able to testify? How many witnesses refused to testify?
6. If, as Naseem Malik of the IPCC claims, the failure to prosecute was entirely due to the reluctance of Rehmat Suleimani to give evidence, what explanation is there for the IPCC building of a case around a single witness?
7. Mr Suleimani is under constant police protection after giving evidence against the Mahmod family. Was Mr Suleimani assured that this protection would not be affected by his taking part in the prosecution of another serving police officer?
8. Could Mr Suleimani have been summoned to attend a hearing? Could other witnesses have been summoned as necessary? If so, why was this not done?

In the absence of reasonable answers to these questions, we cannot but assume that the failure of the IPCC to conduct a thorough investigation into the events of New Year’s Eve 2005 is either a sign of gross incompetence or a lack of will to face police failures in dealing with minority women, a failure which will solidify poor practice within the ranks of the Metropolitan Police and beyond. This will in turn endanger the safety of future victims of family and tribal violence.

Please treat the above requests for information as made under the Freedom of Information Act 2000.

IKWRO’s campaign for ‘Justice for Banaz’ will not be over until the police officers involved face disciplinary proceedings consequent to their negligence, and the two remaining suspects are extradited from the Kurdish region of Iraq to face trial. For the sake of justice for Banaz Mahmod, and for the sake of the future protection of other Kurdish women and girls, women and girls from the Middle Eastern and South Asian communities, we submit that the IPCC recommence an investigation into PC Angela Cornes and other officers involved in the case, and that the Metropolitan Police abide by its strategy and procedures, having a national plan for training related to ‘honour’-based violence and other issues affecting minority women in the UK.

Diana Nammi

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