PRESS RELEASE

30.08.98
For immediate release

Blair silences genuine dissidents
Juntas and dictators celebrate as Britain introduces ‘anti-terror’ laws

The attempted introduction of so-called anti-terror legislation by the government next week, is being strongly opposed by the Islamic Human Rights Commission. In a letter to all MPs, IHRC outlines, what it sees as the enormous potential for miscarriages of justice and violations of basic human rights.

Urging MPs to oppose the bill, IHRC cites the problems of definition:

“…’conspiracy’, ‘acts of terror’ , need to be clarified, before the moral validity of any such legislation is even discussed…It is indeed an anomaly that the government has resisted the introduction of legislation to combat religious discrimination, because it feels that the terms cannot be adequately defined. Surely this is even more so the case with the present bill.”

Measures which are designed to prosecute anyone supporting, aiding or associating with a banned ‘terrorist’ organisation, are open to incredible abuse in the service of governments and regimes friendly to the UK. Both France and Algeria are known to have pressurised Britain over the anti-junta activists who have sought asylum in the UK. Saudi Arabia, Nigeria and many other regimes with nationals of banned ‘terrorist’ organisations in the UK, will be ecstatic at the news of the wide-ranging powers of arrest and prosecution made available in the bill.

The limitation of freedom of speech and association as a result of these measures, are clear violations of the European Convention on Human Rights to be made law in the UK by the Human Rights Bill. The International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, to which Britain is also a signatory, will also be breached by the bill.

With the demonisation of Muslims ever increasing, IHRC fears that the new laws, if enacted, will only serve to additionally criminalise Muslims (and others), when in fact no crime has been committed.

For more information, please contact the Press Office, on 0181 931 1919, fax 0181 931 1920, mobile 0958 522 196, e-mail: ihrc@dial.pipex.com