While Human rights in the United Kingdom are generally respected, the UK is not immune from criticism over human rights issues.

Security legislation

The most recent criticism has concerned the Prevention of Terrorism Act 2005, which allows the house arrest of terrorist suspects where there is insufficient evidence to bring them to trial, involving the derogation (opting-out) of human rights laws. This aspect of the Prevention of Terrorism Act was introduced because the detention without trial of nine foreigners at Belmarsh Prison under Part IV of the Anti-terrorism, Crime and Security Act 2001 was held to be unlawful under human rights legislation.

Both the above Acts have been criticised for the lack of parliamentary discussion; the Anti-terrorism, Crime and Security Act went from introduction to Royal Assent in 32 days, the Prevention of Terrorism Act in 17.

The Civil Contingencies Act 2004 has also been criticised as giving the government very wide-ranging power in an emergency.

See also

• UK topics
  • Human Rights Act 1998
  • Internment

• Human rights in Europe
  • European Convention on Human Rights
  • European Court of Human Rights

• Civil liberties

External links

• publications by Parliament's Joint Committee on Human Rights
• U.S. Department of State publication: 2004 UK Country Report on Human Rights Practices
• U.S. Department of State publications: UK Country Reports on Human Rights Practices since 1996
• European Court of Human Rights Judgements

• Amnesty International UK site
• Islamic Human Rights Commission