Amnesty UK's Damian sends us Terrorism, Security and Human Rights, "a brilliant film attacking the way in which we are sleepwalking in the UK into abuses of human rights. Released on the day that the House of Lords is categorically destroying the 'argument' for extending the period people can be locked up without charge in the UK from 28 days to 42. Compare with 2 days in the US."
Better yet, according to the Guardian, the plan to allow for 42 day arbitrary imprisonment is now mostly dead.
Gordon Brown tonight abandoned his parliamentary battle to allow police to detain terror suspects without charge for up to 42 days, after the Lords overwhelmingly rejected the proposal by 191 votes. In an emergency statement to MPs tonight, Jacqui Smith, the home secretary, said that the counter-terrorism bill would continue its journey through parliament without the 42 day measure.
But in a face saving gesture, the government will publish a bill containing the 42 day plan; this bill will be held in reserve to be introduced should there be a terrorist emergency. Ministers said they had decided to follow this course because the introduction of the counter-terrorism bill would have been delayed by a year if the government had embarked on a lengthy battle with the Lords.
Terrorism, Security and Human Rights,
Government forced to drop 42 day detention plan
(Thanks, Damian!)
