European Human Rights Watchdog Criticises Britain (moved from ATSNN), page 1

Britain's anti-terrorist laws have been criticised by a European Human Rights watchdog. The group claims Britain's control order law breaks the European Union's standard for human rights. The control order law can allow the executive segment of government to deprive British citizens of their liberty by confining them to their home and disallowing any contact with the outside world. The lack of judicial oversight is the groups major concern.

uk.news.yahoo.com
In London, the minister responsible for the modernisation of the criminal justice system, Baroness Scotland, defended Britain's far-reaching anti-terrorism laws.

"Those control orders are proportionate," she told Channel 4 television news. "What we are doing is limiting the ability of those individuals who've been identified as potentially causing a risk to our country...

"I absolutely do not accept that we are in any way exaggerating the threat," she said. "What are the alternatives? What is being suggested that we should put in place to keep our country safe?"

Some British Muslims, who say they have borne the brunt of laws which give police extra powers to stop and search suspects, welcomed Gil-Robles' report.

The British Islamic Human Rights Commission commended it "for clearly shaming the UK as a nation which, rather than improving, is rapidly digressing from the most basic of human rights obligations".

"The British government ... continues to oppress the minorities in Britain through a general policy of fear," IHRC Chairman Massoud Shadjareh said.

"Fear of terrorism, fear of asylum seekers, fear of Muslims and general fear of 'the Other'."

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About time! The draconian control order law is a farce. Baroness Scotland wants to know what alternative we have to combat terrorist suspects? How about use the courts to prosecute them for conspiracy to commit murder! Terrorism is about murdering people and any one that is plotting to do so can be arrested via our traditional legal system.

Baroness Scotland let the cat out of the bag when she said:

"What we are doing is limiting the ability of those individuals who've been identified as potentially causing a risk to our country"

Which basically means, anyone wanting to upset the applecart of our government will be imprisoned in their homes. They will not be able to communicate with their family, friends, lawyer, no one. For the rest of their lives or at the discretion of the home secretary and/or prime minister.

Why have our home secretary and prime minister assumed the role of judge, jury and executioner? To combat terrorism? How does locking up a potential terrorist (or any one they deem to be for that matter, no oversight remember) solve our terrorist threat?

Do we lock these people up indefinately as assumedly a terrorist will resume their activities if released? Thats the only situation where it would be effective against a terrorist suspect.

So to make control orders work we have to take a (unjustifiable and unthinkable) leap of faith in giving the executives in our government so much power over us. And we have to allow them to lock people up for the rest of their lives with no charge, no court case and no right to appeal or even defend themselves.

What are they trying to protect this country from? They have finished off our hard fought way of life already. Our democratic and legal systems are dead. Our right to liberty is gone. What is there left to defend apart from our right to SPEND.

This law has to go, and so do most of our politicians.

[edit on 8/6/05 by subz]