Civil Liberties and Human Rights.  
  
 
 
 
 
 

Civil Liberties and Human Rights

Taking liberties part 6 is now loading!

Protest and free speech are crucial parts of political life, with a strong British history, yet a variety of measures undermine them.
 
Laws intended to combat anti-social behaviour, terrorism and serious crime are routinely used against legitimate protesters.
 
Free Speech has been a victim on the 'War on Terror', with offences of 'encouragement' and 'glorification' of terrorism threatening to make careless talk a crime.
 
Non-violent political organisations can be classified along with Al-Quaeda, with membership or association with them a serious criminal offence.
 
Meanwhile, the Racial and Religious Hatred Act 2006 has extended the offence of incitement to racial hatred to cover religion, threatening to seriously undermine legitimate debate.
 
For more on the impact on protest rights of the Serious Organised Crime and Police Act and Section 44 of the Terrorism Act 2000, visit the pages listed on the left.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
     

Liberty Policy Director Gareth Crossman said:

"The Extradition Act 2003 undermines longstanding safeguards against unfair removal and unfortunately appears to be more about politics than law.”

Liberty Press Office on 0207 378 3656 or 0797 3 831 128

NOTES TO EDITORS

In October 2006, Liberty, the CBI, the Institute of Directors, the Bar Human Rights Council, Justice, Gareth Peirce and others unsuccessfully sought Parliamentary support for a law to provide greater protection for British citizens who may be extradited to face criminal charges abroad.

Liberty intervened in the case Government of the United States of America v Bermingham, Mulgrew and Darby, to argue that removal to the United States would engage Article 8 of the Human Rights Act which protects the right to respect for a private and family life. Liberty argued that the interference with family life caused by removal to the Unit