Sean Kenan acquitted

Wednesday, March 24, 1993 - 10:00

Sean Kenan acquitted

Aidex protester Sean Kenan was acquitted of charges of assaulting police by the ACT Supreme Court on March 19, following failure by the prosecution to prove at least one key element of the alleged offence.

Kenan was charged with assaulting two senior police officers while they were on duty during the Aidex protest in Canberra in November 1991. The police case against Kenan collapsed when the prosecution failed to prove that the officers involved were "on duty" at the relevant time.

Kenan now plans to proceed with his own charges against the police, alleging that he was tortured for five hours whilst held in police custody at the time of the arms traders' exhibition. Kenan has requested investigation of his case by the federal Human Rights Commission and by Amnesty International. His acquittal now leaves the way clear for these investigations to proceed. n

From GLW issue 93