20 Jul 2006

Today Home Secretary John Reid promised to provide training for frontline staff to help them dispel myths about human rights laws, a measure Liberty strongly supports.

Liberty welcomes the Government’s move to raise awareness about the public safety protections in the Human Rights Act.
 
Shami Chakrabarti, Director of Liberty, said:
 
“Liberty congratulates the Home Secretary on his promise to fight the myths which now shroud the Human Rights Act.
 
Any defence of human rights must promote better understanding of how they protect victims as well as the accused.
 
We promise to hold Dr. Reid to his word.”
 
Liberty awaits further details of other new criminal justice proposals laid out in the Home Secretary’s speech.
 
Contact Jen Corlew on 020 7378 3656 or 07973 831 128
 
NOTES TO EDITORS
 
1. Many human rights’ cases have involved victims challenging Governments for gross failures to protect them. For example, until one brave woman sued the British Government at the European Court of Human Rights, rape victims in England were subject to lengthy cross-examination in person by men who were alleged to have violated them. As a result of a judgment protecting her right not to be subject to “inhuman and degrading treatment”, the law in this country was changed.  

 
2. The Government’s Police and Justice Bill will be voted on in the House of Lords in October 2006. The bill marks the 60th piece of criminal justice legislation introduced since 1997. 
 
3. The Crime and Justice Act 2003 introduced a Sentencing Guidelines Panel which has ongoing responsibility for updating sentencing guidelines. ENDS//