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The UK may not be the worst human rights offender in the ‘war on terror’. But neither is it squeaky clean.
It has so far failed, for example, to take a clear and principled stance on the practice known as 'rendition'. This involves abducting individuals and flying them illegally across borders – usually to countries where interrogation practices are far from lawful. Despite government denials of wrongdoing, it is now known that CIA planes have used UK airports and airspace, and yet there has still been no independent investigation.
The government has been similarly uncritical of America’s use of secret detention centres in Europe and elsewhere. Meanwhile the debate about periods of detention in the UK continues to rage. In an extremely worrying development, the government is considering further extending pre-charge detention for terrorism suspects, possibly to as long as two months. We believe this could amount to internment.
It may seem unthinkable that such a thing could happen in this country. But remember, only a few years ago most American citizens would have felt the same way. Now a US internment camp is a reality at Guantánamo Bay where people have been held for over five years without even being charged or given a trial. In the past the UK has often been an effective champion of human rights.
Today we have a new Prime Minister, a new cabinet and a new opportunity to be that champion again. The government must be in no doubt, from the very start, that this is the wish of we the people. It needs to know that we Unsubscribe.
