Liberty - Protecting civil liberties, promoting human rights
Extradition Watch
Extradition Watch
Extradition Watch is our campaign for fairer extradition laws.
Extradition is an important part of international criminal law, but
changes in recent years have damaged time-honoured protections against
unfair extradition.
The Extradition Act (2003) streamlined the extradition process by side-stepping traditional British justice. ‘Fast-track’ extradition is justice denied.
Why the law needs to change
Please email your MP today
What is the 'forum amendment'?
In 2006 amendments were made to the Extradition Act that would allow a UK court to bar extradition (if appropriate) on the grounds that some or all the alleged conduct had taken place in the UK. Yet these amendments have never been brought into force. If a “forum bar” had been on the statute book, it would have been possible for a UK judge to halt the extradition of Gary McKinnon, Christopher Tappin and Babar Ahmad.
There is nothing to prevent the Government from activating this amendment and changing the law to help protect future Garys. Find out more about the forum amendment.
The Extradition Act (2003) streamlined the extradition process by side-stepping traditional British justice. ‘Fast-track’ extradition is justice denied.
Why the law needs to change
- Someone should not be extradited to another country for actions that are not criminal in the UK
- A basic case should be made to a British court before someone can be sent abroad to face trial in another country
- If a significant part of the conduct that led to the alleged crime took place in the UK, then a British court should be able to decide if it is in the interests of justice to extradite.
Please email your MP today
1. Ask them to put pressure on the Government to schedule a motion to debate bringing into force the ‘forum amendment’.
2. Ask them to encourage the Government to implement our suggested safeguards to UK extradition law.
What is the 'forum amendment'?
In 2006 amendments were made to the Extradition Act that would allow a UK court to bar extradition (if appropriate) on the grounds that some or all the alleged conduct had taken place in the UK. Yet these amendments have never been brought into force. If a “forum bar” had been on the statute book, it would have been possible for a UK judge to halt the extradition of Gary McKinnon, Christopher Tappin and Babar Ahmad.
There is nothing to prevent the Government from activating this amendment and changing the law to help protect future Garys. Find out more about the forum amendment.