Former Minister of State condemns UK's unfair extradition laws

A former Minister of State for Trade has released a statement condemning extradition laws to coincide with the launch of Liberty’s Extradition Watch campaign last night.

Baron Jones of Birmingham, former Trade Minister and Director of the Confederation of British Industry (CBI) said that the situation must change:

“If we as a nation are to avoid any more appalling situations where UK citizens are lifted…with little burden of proof. People are being extradited (by a judiciary rendered powerless by laws passed by this Government) to a situation which is unacceptable. This is not about guilt and innocence. This is about people being unfairly treated in practice before their trial “

Under current UK law an individual can extradited to another country without even basic evidence being shown in a local court. A YouGov poll, conducted on behalf of Liberty shows a lack of public awareness about extradition in the UK – 70% of those polled did not know about the UK’s extradition procedures.

The poll also revealed that 58% thought the law should be changed. Sabina Frediani, Campaigns Co-ordinator for Liberty, said:

“This poll shows the lack of support for summary extradition. Fast track extradition is justice denied – Extradition Watch, our new campaign, seeks to pressure Government to stop extradition without safeguards.”

At the launch of the campaign, which was chaired by Gillian Tett, speakers Edward Fitzgerald QC and Frank Symeou, father of Andrew Symeou, joined Liberty in criticising the UK’s current extradition arrangements.

In a moving speech Frank Symeou, whose son is currently fighting extradition to Greece on the basis of evidence described as ‘seriously flawed, contradictory and in places ludicrous’, told the audience that: ‘what is happening to Andrew and our family could happen to you…there are serious questions and concerns about the case against my son and it is totally unacceptable that a British court, CPS or even the police cannot examine the flawed evidence against him…..it seems nobody wants to listen’

Liberty believes

• that a person should not be extradited to stand trial in a foreign country without evidence being presented in a British court to prove there is a basic (prima facie) case against them
• If the crime is alleged to have occurred in whole or in part in the UK, then the person should not be extradited if a court here decides it is not in the interest of justice to extradite
• A person in the UK should not be extradited for something that is not a crime in the UK.
  
• British justice should not be circumvented.

Control orders, torture techniques and the rise of the BNP - Does Britain still care about human rights?

Liberty poll shows authorities out of step with British public

(London – 15 June 2009) – In defiance of recent events, a poll released today by Liberty shows overwhelming support for human rights laws. Despite a week of the Government defending the unjust and unsafe control order system, the Metropolitan police accused of using "waterboarding" techniques with suspects and the BNP winning two European parliament seats, polling reveals that 97% think it is important that there is a law that protects rights and freedoms in the UK.

Shami Chakrabarti, Director of Liberty, said;an rights in Britain. Despite headlines about "waterboarding" and punishment without trial, our common values still run extremely deep and the contents of the Human Rights Act are valued by the overwhelming majority of people."

The ComRes polling, commissioned by Liberty, sends a clear message to all political parties about the values the British public hold dear.

● 89% identified the right not to be tortured or degraded as either vital or important..

● 95% identified both the right to a fair trial and respect for privacy family life and the home as either vital or important.

● 76% believed that the right not to be detained without reason was either vital or important.

At last week's Liberty conference, recently retired senior Law Lord, Lord Bingham said of the

"This poll will be depressing reading for the cocky far right and others opposed to hum

Human Rights Act:

"Which of these rights, I ask, would we wish to discard? Are any of them trivial, superfluous, unnecessary? Are any of them un-British? There may be those who would like to live in a country where these rights are not protected, but I am not of their number."

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

"Britain hasn't just got talent; it's got an ocean of common sense and decency too. Public bodies have yet to step up and educate people about their rights protections but the public cherish them nonetheless. We need to be more suspicious of politicians who bash our human rights whilst demanding "due process" and "personal privacy" for themselves."

Liberty's poll coincides with the launch of the Equalities and Human Rights Commission's Human Rights Inquiry report. However, both the Commission and The Government have yet to educate the public about the Human Rights Act – the Liberty poll shows that only 10% remember seeing or receiving any information explaining the legislation.

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.

Liberty condemn High Court extradition decision

(London, 1 May 2009), Today, the High Court ruled that the extradition of Andrew Symeou must go ahead. Andrew Symeou, a young British man accused of manslaughter, is facing extradition to Greece under a European Arrest Warrant without a British court ever considering the evidence in his case.

The evidence includes statements given by two of his friends while under duress from Greek police officers who reportedly beat them and withheld food and drink - statements which were immediately retracted after the two were released. There are also strong indications that Zante police officers falsified evidence, and witness reports that Andrew was not at the club until 3 hours later have been ignored.

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

“This alarming case highlights the dangers of summary extradition. No one should be sent anywhere, be it Europe, the US or elsewhere, without a case first being made in a local court - British justice should not be circumvented in this way. Extradition Watch, our new campaign, seeks to pressure Government to stop extradition without safeguards.”

Liberty believes a person should not be extradited to stand trial in a foreign country without evidence being presented to a British court to prove there is a prima facie case against them. If the crime is alleged to have occurred in whole or in part in the UK, then the defendant should not be extradited if a British judge considers the offence should be tried in the United Kingdom.