UK urged to be nicer to terrorist suspects and illegals

The Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) found 10 areas in the UK where public authorities “can improve human rights protections”.

“Some groups which are socially marginalised or particularly vulnerable do not enjoy full protection of their rights,” the report said.

The review criticised the Government’s counter-terrorism powers, in particular the authority to hold suspected terrorists for up to 14 days without charge and the use of Terrorism Prevention and Investigation Measures (Tpims) which replaced control orders.

The 14-day pre-charge detention was “considerably longer than the four days permitted for individuals charged with a criminal offence”, the commission said.

This risks “breaching the right to security and liberty, as people who have not been charged with an offence should not be deprived of their liberty for an excessive length of time”.

The review also cited criticism by the United Nations of “Britain’s use of fast-track detention for asylum applicants for administrative convenience rather than last resort, and the lack of adequate safeguards to guarantee fairness of procedure and quality decision-making”.

“Immigrants may be detained for long periods without any realistic prospect of removal, breaching their right to liberty,” it said.

The commission also criticised the “inadequate” approach to holding illegal immigrants in detention.

“Measures in immigration removal centres (IRCs) are based on those in prisons but IRCs do not have access to similar mental health services, and healthcare staff lack expertise in trauma associated with torture,” the review added.

An EHRC spokeswoman said: “This review does not ask for more rights for terrorists. Nor does it ask for any more rights for anyone. It simply analyses where public bodies have not met the human rights standards set by Parliament and signed up to by the Government.”