No medals for China

I mentioned it in an earlier blog - the issue of the Iraqi interpreters who have worked for UK forces in Iraq and are being denied help by the UK - and the situations now really blown up.

After days of coverage, including high-profile media interviews from former interpreters, Gordon Brown and defence secretary Des Browne (no relation!) are promising to review the cases. An excellent development.

Like the case of the UK residents trapped at Guantanamo, its great to see that the government appears to be listening when there are obvious injustices. Will it last?

Meanwhile, if youre reading this at eight minutes past eight today (well, ok, not that likely) youll be getting the Niluccio blog exactly one year before the start of the China Olympics 8.08pm, 8/8/08.

So what? Well, theres mounting concern that Chinas backtracking on its promise to clean up its human rights act before Beijing 08.

At Amnesty weve been hearing that journalists, lawyers and even people daring to complain about their house being demolished to make way for the games are being imprisoned.

A specialist Geneva-based housing organisation estimates that 1.5 million Chinese people could have their homes demolished by next year. I live in east London and theres been quite a bit of graffiti against the 2012 London Olympics. The Olympics: who asked us? is one slogan.

Well, agree or disagree with the Livingstone Olympics, youre not likely to end up with a four-year sentence in HMP Pentonville for complaining about them.

Take action for people in China who are suffering exactly this fate.