The Privy Council in London has quashed the death sentences of the 13 people convicted of the 1983 killing of the Grenada prime minister and 10 other people. In an 11 page judgement delivered today, the London law lords also ordered that "Grenada 13" be resentenced. The lawyers representing the remaining prisoners including former deputy Prime Minister Bernard Coard and army general Hudson Austin had argued that their life sentences are illegal, and that if they're not released, they should be re-sentenced. The Privy Council upheld their appeal. "This appeal should be allowed and that it should be declared that the sentence of death imposed upon the appellants was invalid and that the case should be remitted to the Supreme Court of Grenada for the appellants to be sentenced in accordance with the construction of section 230 of the Criminal Code", the Privy Council statement read. Old wounds More than 23 years after the killings at Fort Rupert, feelings remain strong in Grenada. The relatives of those who were killed are opposed to the release of the Grenada 13. The Grenada government is reluctant to re-open old wounds releasing the prisoners into what is a small society. The Privy Council statement acknowledges this. "The question of the appellants’ fate is so politically charged that it is hardly reasonable to expect any Government of Grenada, even 23 years after the tragic events of October 1983, to take an objective view of the matter". "In their Lordships opinion that makes it all the more important that the determination of the appropriate sentence for the appellants, taking into account such progress as they have made in prison, should be the subject of a judicial determination". Campaigners reaction Reaction was swift from London based lawyers and anti-hanging campaigners Saul Lehrfreund and Parvais Jabbar in Britain who have taken a close interest in the case. “This is a tremendous victory after 23 years, including a long period facing imminent execution, the original death penalty has been set aside, their life sentences have been set aside and the Privy Council has ordered that they be resentenced, taking full account of their progress in custody. This offers hope of release to all the 14 appellants". Reprinted from bbccaribbean.com