EP, Write question, Detention-without-charge in the UK

(www.radicalparty.org) DOCUMENTS ON: CIVIL RIGHTS / DOC.TYPE: QUESTIONS (EP)

26/06/2008 | EP, Write question, Detention-without-charge in the UK

The House of Commons has approved a counter-terrorism bill proposed by the government which includes a controversial new measure to extend the current detention-without-charge limit for terror suspects from 28 days to 42 days. The Terrorism Act of 2000 allowed terror suspects to be held for 48 hours, extendable to seven days with the permission of a judge, which was doubled to 14 days in 2003 and doubled again to 28 days in 2006. Other countries - that have suffered from terrorist attacks - have shorter limit: the US has a two-day limit, Spain five days, Turkey seven and a half days.
Is the Commission aware of this fact? Doesn't the Commission that such extended periods for detention-without-charge for terror suspects is contrary to human rights and fundamental freedoms as protected by international conventions, the ECHR and the related jurisprudence, article 6 of the TEU? Will the Commission express EU's concern to UK authorities? How can mutual recognition in the EU area of justice be ensured when Member States risk violating fundamental right and freedoms such as the right to fair trial, due to persistent and serious failures in the administration of justice like in Italy, or due to long periods of detention without charge on the basis of intelligence information of unknown origin, that cannot be used during trials and without proper legal and judicial guarantees?

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