Human rights group brands 2003 ‘bad year’ for justice

By Martin Banks

Date: 22/01/04

2003 was "another bad year" for EU citizens becaused of the continued "over zealous response" to the 11 September 2001 terror attacks in the US, according to human rights watchdog Fair Trials Abroad (FTA).

In its annual report on access to justice and fair trials, the UK-based FTA, which handles more than 3,000 cases a year, likens the ongoing security clamp down to what happened in Northern Ireland during the "Troubles" of the 1970s and 1980s. It states: "During the "war" between the IRA [Irish Republican Army] and Britain, there were 1,200 arrests under anti-terrorism legislation. This resulted in just 40 or so people being charged and 12 convictions. The ratio of mistakes to results was disgraceful.

"Post-11 September, figures we have for those arrested under current terrorism laws provide an almost identical ratio. For every 100 arrested and subjected to interrogation, three have been charged and one convicted."

The report highlights the difficulties faced by foreigners "incarcerated far from home without any real recourse to justice".

Meanwhile, Stephen Jakobi, FTA's director, is urging the European Commission to introduce identity cards for lawyers working in member states.

The call follows an outcry over the credentials of the lawyer representing UK mass murderer Harold Shipman, who hanged himself in prison last week. Italian Giovanni Di Stefano was not entitled to practise law in the UK as he had not provided the authorities with evidence of his qualifications.

http://www.f-t-a.freeserve.co.uk/home.htm http://www.f-t-a.freeserve.co.uk/home.htm

http://www.f-t-a.freeserve.co.uk/reports/endofyear2003.PDF http://www.f-t-a.freeserve.co.uk/reports/endofyear2003.PDF

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