Liverpool FC Forum

by **Leonmc0708** » Tue Oct 16, 2007 11:13 am

Just to draw your attention to the thread at the top of the stickies.

by **burjennio** » Tue Oct 16, 2007 11:25 am

Cheers for pointing that out Leon, I didn't realize the thread had been updated

by **ivor_the_injun** » Tue Oct 16, 2007 4:43 pm

Just added my name to the petition.

Normally I shrug at these things as I question whether or not they're even looked at, but in this case I'm happy to do so on the off chance that it makes even 1 iota of difference, and I encourage everyone here to do the same.

by **Wilhelmsson** » Tue Oct 16, 2007 4:46 pm

The petitions are looked at by Government officials and discussed before a decision is made by section of civil servants. Is this the first petition for Michael Shields on a Government based website?

by **paulrobbo** » Wed Oct 17, 2007 2:05 pm

Signed.

by **Owzat** » Sun Oct 21, 2007 11:05 am

This refers to "Michael shields thread at the top of the board" so I thought I'd put it there

Bump

by **Owzat** » Mon Oct 29, 2007 2:39 pm

by **ivor_the_injun** » Tue Nov 13, 2007 4:02 pm

The time's come to do the right thing now - what a Christmas present that would be for Michael and his family...

--------------------

Bulgarians: It’s up to Britain if it wants to free Michael Shields

Nov 13 2007 by Greg O'Keeffe, Liverpool Echo

THE BULGARIAN government today hinted it would not object if the UK decided to pardon Michael Shields and set him free.

President Georgi Parvanov made the admission in a letter to campaigners fighting for the release of the jailed 21-year-old.

It could prompt the British government to consider a pardon on the basis that student Michael, from Edge Hill, suffered a miscarriage of justice in Bulgaria when he was convicted of attempted murder.

City Labour leader Joe Anderson, who received the letter, hailed it as a major breakthrough in his campaign to win Liverpool fan Michael’s freedom.

Now Cllr Anderson hopes a dossier of new evidence which proves Michael’s innocence will finally be considered by the Foreign Office.

He said: “We hear what the Bulgarians are saying and that our country can commute or pardon the sentence.

“There is new evidence that Michael has been wrongly convicted of a crime he did not commit.

“The government has to accept that if this was a case tried under British law Michael would have been released by now.

“And it could be argued he never would have been convicted.

“Our government must do the honourable thing and pardon Michael.”

The letter on behalf of President Parvanov, signed by his top legal advisor Saho Penov, emphasises the UK and Bulgaria are both signatories of the Convention on the Transfer of Sentenced Persons.

It says: “Michael Shields’ problems might also be solved by the competent authorities in the United Kingdom.

“We have in mind the Convention on the Transfer of Sentenced Persons (article 12) which stipulates each party to this convention may grant pardon, amnesty or commutation of the sentence in accordance with its constitution or other laws.

‘The practices and legislation in the UK are familiar with the mechanisms for conditional discharge of sentenced persons, including their release on humanitarian grounds.”

Euro MP Arlene McCarthy, who is also campaigning for Michael’s freedom, is set to meet with President Parvanov for further talks in the next few weeks.

She said: “It has been our objective to seek the pardon of Michael and I don’t mind who does it – whether it’s the Bulgarians or the British government.”

A spokesman for the Foreign Office today said all legal representations would be considered.

In September Michael was moved to an adult prison for the first time in the UK.

Michael was arrested in Bulgaria as he returned from Liverpool's champions league victory in Istanbul.

The Bulgarian courts refused to accept alibi evidence and a confession, later retracted, by fellow Reds fan Graham Sankey.

The letter from the Bulgarians

'Michael Shields' problems might also be solved by the competent authorities in the United Kingdom.

'We have in mind the Convention on the Transfer of Sentenced Persons (article 12) which stipulates each party to this convention may grant pardon, amnesty or commutation of the sentence in accordance with its constitution or other laws...'

by **Leonmc0708** » Tue Nov 13, 2007 4:06 pm

Good news, lets hope the bellends in the London place that escapes me right now sort this out.

by **Owzat** » Wed Nov 14, 2007 2:30 pm

A pardon for doing nothing wrong, better than being in jail for a crime he didn't commit I suppose. Does he qualify as an honorary member of the A-Team?

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Michael shields thread at the top of the board - Please read

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