On Wednesday (tomorrow!) MPs will make a crucial decision that could undermine the basic human rights of everyone in the UK. I believe Christians should speak out against this.

I cannot believe that our country is even contemplating such a law.

“42 Days“ who likes it and who doesn’t is the talk of the media right now. They’re referring, of course, to the government’s plans to give police the power to lock people up for 42 days, six weeks, without even charging them with anything. Last week John Major waded in; then the Guardian has found that senior police figures have reservations; the Times says the public like it but that Brown’s going to lose Wednesday’s Commons vote (on the Counter-Terrorism Bill, which contains the 42-day proposal); while the Mirror (and a reluctant Home Secretary) notes that even the UK’s intelligence community isn’t calling for it.

Time for Amnesty to pitch in then and we really don’t like it.

Amnesty’s UK Director Kate Allen has written to every potential rebel backbench MP, urging them to oppose any extension to pre-charge detention. Human rights in the UK are under serious threat and it’s time for MPs to defend them. Here’s what she had to say:

This week, you will have a chance to debate and vote on the Counter Terrorism Bill. The vote will be a watershed moment for human rights in the UK.

The Bill would increase pre-charge detention for terrorism suspects to 42 days. If this proposal goes ahead, people could be held for six weeks without knowing anything about the reason for their detention. This flies in the face of justice.

Prolonged detention without charge or trial undermines fair trial rights protected by international human rights law. Everybody who is arrested is entitled to be charged promptly and tried within a reasonable time, or to be released.

I am not reassured by the Government’s recent ˜concessions”.

– The Home Secretary will now have to be satisfied that there is a ‘grave and exceptional terrorist threat’ before authorising an extension. This definition is sweepingly broad.
– Parliament will debate and vote on the extension earlier than previously. However, this debate would be meaningless because of the risk of prejudicing future trials.
– Finally, the Bill makes no provision for proper judicial safeguards.

I understand the complexity of counter-terrorism operations and the threat that we face from international terrorism. The horrific terrorist attacks of recent years, including in our own capital, were barbaric acts and gross human rights violations. All states have an obligation to act to protect people from terrorism. The perpetrators of terrorist attacks must be brought to justice.

However, unless governments respond to the threat of international terrorism with measures that are fully grounded in respect for human rights, they risk undermining the values they seek to protect and defend.

You have an opportunity this week to defend the values that underpin civil liberties in this country. I urge you to stand in support of principles that lie at the heart of our society, principles such as justice and liberty. The alternative is to succumb to the climate of fear that terrorists seek to breed among us.

I urge you to oppose any further extension of pre-charge detention.
[ends]

Amnesty International members have been campaigning against extending pre-charge detention limits since the idea was first proposed. Over 7,000 people have signed our ˜Not a Day Longer” petition at the Number Ten website

It’s crunch time right now. Please spread the word on your blogs and sites or, even better, contact your MP and ask them to stand up for our civil liberties by opposing 42 days. You can find our press release here and a handy list of ˜ten good reasons why extending pre-charge detention is a bad” here .

Until next time,
Steve
From Amnesty’s Project Blog Team