You are under arrest for...actually, We're not going to tell you..
I realise I write alot of notes urging people to 'take action'. But I dont apologise, all I ask is that you hopefully take a few moments to read, look at some background, then decide if you too would like to make use of one of the biggest powers we have - our voice. thank you.
Armed police emerge from the back of a van, firearms raised, converging on their suspect and bundling them to the floor; cuffed, shocked, scared. He is taken to a prison facility, locked up and held for 6 weeks. No charges. No reason for detention given to him. Nothing...
....sounds like something you would associate with a notoriously dictator led, human rights abusing regime doesnt it? The kind you see on a Channel 4 documentary?
Sadly, it could be the UK:
"Proposals are being put in front of Parliament to extend the time people can be held without charge in the UK to 42 days - in other words you could be locked up for six weeks without being told what you are suspected of doing. We already have the longest pre-charge detention regime of any country with a comparable legal system and the government has failed to make the case for why it needs to be even longer."
Currently we already have the longest pre-charge detention regime of any country as it is, and now we want to extend it...all under that sickenly hyperbolic and orwellian fear-mongering phrase constantly bandied about by the government (and the US) to mask the true aim of state control and big-brotherism: "the war on terror"
Nobody disagress with the idea that any crime, no matter what it relates to, shouldnt go unpunished. But the proposals to increase pre-charge detention go against every principle of a democracy which is there to not only protect, but uphold basic human rights and civil liberties. How can we possibly criticise the human rights records, dictator led abuses, and civil liberty records and infringements of other countries, if we ourselves allow the law to controvene not only these ideals, but one of the fundamental tenets of the declaration of human rights - of which we are a signatory?
The list below is taken from Amnesty Internationals 'unsubscribe' website:
Ten GOOD reasons why extending pre-charge detention is a BAD idea:
1. UNDERMINES one of our most basic rights, enshrined in UK law as far back as Magna Carta and now at the heart of the European Convention on Human Rights, to which UK is a signatory: the right for anyone who is detained by the state to be told promptly why they are being held and what they are charged with.
2. COMMUNITY relations will suffer if the Muslim community appears to be particularly targeted for prolonged pre-charge detention. This could have an impact on intelligence gathering and policing, and could undermine positive efforts to engage with Muslims in the UK.
3. IMPACT on any individuals detained for such a long time – in terms of their job, family, house, friendships and relationships within their community – would be devastating.
4. QUESTIONED widely by experts – Lord Goldsmith (former Attorney General), Stella Rimington (former MI5 Chief), Sir Ken Macdonald (Director of Public Prosecutions and head of the Crown Prosecution Service) and parliament’s Joint Committee on Human Rights.
5. UNDERMINES presumption of innocence –Two months in prison is roughly equivalent to the length of time someone might serve in prison for assault. Lengthy pre-charge detention would impose what is in effect a ‘sentence’ of two months on somebody who may never be charged with any crime.
6. UK ALREADY has by far the longest pre-charge detention period for offences related to terrorism of any common law state.
7. INTERNATIONAL STANDING – it is much harder for the UK to criticise the human rights records of other countries that lock people up without charge when we are doing so at home. This measure would give other countries a ‘green light’ to curtail civil liberties.
8. HISTORY – from Northern Ireland and Amnesty’s experience all over the world - shows that locking people up without charge doesn’t work.
9. STATEMENTS obtained from suspects could be deemed inadmissible at trial if detention conditions are considered to be unduly harsh.
10. SAFEGUARDS discussed are insufficient – the kind of judicial oversight proposed is in no way the same as charging someone and giving them the chance to defend themselves in a fair trial.
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If you agree with a persons basic rights to a fair trial; to be protected by the human rights act; to be told why they are being arrested; to not be victimised; to be given due and fair legal process....
....then please make your voice heard. Write to your mp to oppose the 42 days - ask them to stand up for our civil rights and oppose this draconian extension of pre-charge detention.
Simply pop your postcode into http://writetothem.com and the site will channel your mail to your own MP. It is important that you write in your own words as this is very much more effective. A large number of MPs are opposed to the proposals and your mail may be just the thing that spurs them into action on this issue.
Please also get everyone you know to sign the petition on the Number 10 site http://petitions.pm.gov.uk/notadaylonger
Further links:
http://www.unsubscribe-me.org/actionofthemonth.php?
http://www.amnesty.org.uk/index.asp
http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=25423812664