A s you read this, perhaps over your breakfast, an Essex
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owner-driver is starving himself in a Moroccan jail. While the taste of food may still be in your mouth consider the case of Steve Bryant, a 42-year-old operator who was detained in Morocco almost three years ago when the authorities found cannabis in his load of frozen seafood. He has now gone on hunger strike to draw attention to his plight. In Morocco there's no defence for drugs possession; Bryant was sentenced to 1 0 years. He's always maintained his innocence—that's not for Commercial Motor to decide—what concerns us, as it should every international operator, are the conditions under which Bryant is being held. He's sharing a cell in Tangiers with /13 other men. Food is basic; sanitary conditions are appalling. Bryant's health is already poor. His hunger strike will inevitably make things worse. Last week CM described the problems faced by British drivers who have been caught unwittingly smuggling drugs. Their treatment at the hands ot supposedly "civilised" countries shows that the sacred tenet of a man being innocent until proven guilty is far from universal. The "lucky" ones are eventually released. Others, like Bryant are left to languish in inhuman conditions. We know operators are busy people. But perhaps after reading this hauliers would send a fax to MEP Hugh Kerr (01279 414465) in support of his efforts to get Bryant's case reviewed by the Moroccan authorities. According to Bernard Copeland, a driver who earlier spent three weeks in the same cell as Bryant: "I believe Steve to be innocent, but unless he's released soon I don't think he'll make it out." Think about that when you're sitting down to your next meal. Bon appetit...