|
|
| THE INTERNATIONAL PERSPECTIVE ON PRE-CHARGE DETENTIONIn 2007, Liberty obtained legal advice that showed that the UK already has a longer period of pre-charge detention than comparable democracies around the world.
How can our Government argue that we need to hold people for over a month when so many other countries manage with pre-charge detention periods of less than a week?
Any extension would not only worsen our international reputation on human rights but could also be used by some states as an excuse to pass their own unjust and over-broad measures.
Liberty asked prominent human rights defenders the world over to lend their solidarity to our campaign. This is what they said.
 | Archbishop Desmond Tutu, Nobel Peace Prize Winner“The best way to combat terrorism is by maintaining and strengthening the freedoms that terrorism seeks to destroy. The protection of those freedoms will not be advanced by increasing the period in which terrorism suspects can be held without charge.” |
 | Noam Chomsky, Emeritus Professor of Linguistics at MIT and political activist“It is most disturbing, indeed shocking, to learn of the plans to extend detention without charge to a level that should be completely intolerable in any free society, and will surely be welcomed as a model by brutal and repressive governments everywhere." |
 | Thomas Hammarberg, Council of Europe Human Rights Commissioner"I am concerned by the British Government's suggestion to allow terrorism suspects to be detained for 42 days without charge. This would be way out of line with equivalent detention limits elsewhere in Europe. We need to be more restrictive with such measures. Keeping people detained for such long periods before prosecution is excessive and will prove counter-productive. I would urge Members of the Parliament to carefully review the Government's proposal." |
 | Htein Lin, artist and former political prisoner, Burma“In my country, Burma, many people are detained for months or even years without a chance to appear in court. I do not want to see that happen in Britain.” |
 | Asma Jahangir, Chairperson,
Human Rights Commission of Pakistan“Detention without charge for a fairly long period of time seriously exposes people to abuse. Britain has a proud history of promoting democratic norms and upholding human rights. It takes the lead in advancing the cause of human rights. A measure that sees a reverse trend will send a negative signal to the international community... The worry is that while Britain may make amends, they would have left a poor precedent for dictators to follow on the pretext of fighting terrorism.” |
 | Helen Suzman, anti-apartheid activist and South African politician“There is a dangerous precedent to the UK government’s attempt to increase the period for which terror suspects may be detained without charge. I am reminded of the course of events in apartheid South Africa which started with house arrest without charge,
continued with 90 day detention without charge, then 180 days detention without charge, and finally, under the so-called Terrorism Act, indefinite detention without charge. I support your campaign." |
| "The International Campaign for Human Rights in Iran joins our colleagues in Liberty in opposing the effort to increase the period during which terror suspects can be detained without charge the United Kingdom. We oppose the proposal on principle as an unjustified encroachment on basic civil liberties, and also on practical grounds. No evidence exists that such practices strengthen the campaign against terrorism; on the other hand, the change would represent a retreat from human rights and bring the UK closer to the kind of repressive society many terrorists seek to impose." |
| Summary version of Liberty's report comparing pre-charge detention powers in the UK and other countries (PDF). Read Liberty's report comparing pre-charge detention powers in the UK and other countries, November 07 (PDF). Read this article from the Observer about the mounting international pressure on the UK Government, March 08
|
|
