Controversial Counterterrorism Bill Approved In The UK
For British police the new bill means more time to bring charges to terrorist suspects and fewer rights for the accused.
The bill was approved by 315 votes to 306. Gordon Brown´s approved bill extends the pre-charge detention of terrorist suspects to 42 days.
Many people are saying that the new bill is against human rights and that the right to detain terrorism suspects for up to six weeks without charges violates the fundamental right to liberty, as well as the following:
# Post-charge questioning without safeguards against self incrimination.
The bill gives police the power to question terrorism suspects after they’ve been charged. MPs should only support this measure if accompanied by safeguards to prevent oppressive questioning and to protect the right to remain silent. (source: UK Human Rights Watch)
# Blanket Life-long Notification requirements.
The bill imposes automatic, life-long notification requirements on people sentenced to five years or more for a terrorism offense, including those convicted outside the UK. These requirements include registering with the police and notifying them of any change of address and any travel for over three days. Notification requirements, which can be a reasonable measure, should be based on an individualized assessment of the risk of reoffending, and there should be a periodic review to determine whether the measure is still necessary. Without any guarantees that a person had a fair trial, no one convicted abroad should be subject to these requirements.(source: UK Human Rights Watch)
# Broader Definition of terrorism.
The bill broadens the definition of terrorism in UK law to include threats or actions for the purpose of advancing “a racial or ethnic cause.” MPs should take this opportunity to implement as well the other recommendation formulated by Independent Terrorism Reviewer Lord Carlile, who suggests narrowing the definition to cover acts whose goal is “to coerce or unduly compel” the government (replacing the current “to influence”).(source: UK Human Rights Watch)
# Classified inquests.
The bill gives the Home Secretary the authority to order that an inquest in which sensitive intelligence might be disclosed be held by a specially appointed security-cleared coroner without a jury. This provision flies in the face of the UK’s obligation under the European Convention of Human Rights to ensure an adequate, effective, and independent investigation into any death that resulted from the use of force by state agents.(source: UK Human Rights Watch)
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