Liberty welcomes amendment to make extradition fairer

(London, 18 May 2009) Human rights group Liberty today welcomed an amendment laid by the Conservatives to the Policing and Crime Bill which would make the extradition process fairer. The amendment would give a judge the power to refuse extradition to another country if the crime was committed wholly or partly in the UK and it is in the interests of justice not to extradite. If this was already in force, in the case of Gary McKinnon it would mean that a UK court could bar his extradition to the US as the alleged offence was committed in Britain.

Sabina Frediani, Campaigns Co-ordinator for Liberty, said:

“No one should be parceled off to Europe, the US or anywhere else in the world without good reason. If a crime is committed in the UK then a British court should be allowed to refuse extradition.

This amendment would go some way to protecting people from being hauled off to a foreign land without the bare minimum of British justice being seen to be done.”

The Policing and Crime Bill reaches report stage in the House of Commons tomorrow.