UK Government on Brink of Creating Political Prisoners - Bruce

2.15.51pm UTC (GMT +0000) Wed 23rd Feb 2005

Speaking in the today's debate on the Prevention of Terrorism Bill, Gordon Liberal Democrat MP Malcolm Bruce, who is a member of the Council of Europe's Legal Affairs and Human Rights Committee, will say the following:

"Of the 46 members of the Council of Europe the UK is the only one to seek a derogation from Article 5 of European convention of Human Rights. Even countries such as Spain, which has suffered a serious terrorist attack, have not taken such a step.

"If the detention at Belmarsh is illegal, extending it to British citizens may make it less discriminatory but it will still be illegal.

"If the Home Secretary insists on the right to sentence people to house arrest or any other form of detention without trial, he will continue to be in breach of the law and will be creating a country which holds political prisoners.

"As Rapporteur for the Council of Europe on political prisoners in Europe I am seeking the release of such prisoners, notably in Azerbaijan. I also share concerns about such prisoners in Russia.

"I do not think it can be denied that a person put under house arrest by a government minister is anything other than a political prisoner. Such a development puts the UK in a shameful and invidious position."