I SINCERELY respect Mr Wall’s views regarding PC Beshenivsky’s murder (Human Rights Act flawed, Letters, June 11). It was an abhorrent crime, and agree that if Jama had been deported he wouldn’t have taken part in the atrocity. Under a British Bill of Rights, however, Jama still wouldn’t have been deported as the separate European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR) and the International Convention on Civil and Political Rights would have been enforced.
The ECHR, drafted by British lawyers and adopted by Europe (1950) safeguards against atrocities such as those committed by the Nazis recurring and is separate from the EU.
In a narrow argument such as above, a single incident is cited to twist an unfair representation of the broader subject. It’s a tactic often used, as when George Osborne blamed ‘Benefits Street’ cultures on the Philpott arson tragedy.
Both crimes are abominable. However, it is grossly insulting benefit claimants in Philpott’s case, and equally insulting to those who fought fascism, and constructed laws to repel it, in the Jama case.
It infuriates many when illegal immigrants commit crimes or benefits cheats are exposed, but Jama and Philpott should not be presented as demonic deities with which to attack sacred inalienable rights, handed to us from the great social reforms of post-war Britain.
In this 800th year of Magna Carta it is ironic that Londoner Shaker Aamer has been repeatedly tortured during 13 years' detention in Guantanamo Bay, despite not being charged, yet alone tried.
It is sacrosanct in any legitimate democracy that every citizen deserves a trial. What if we too started abolishing rights and introducing patriot acts like they have in the US?
Police forces there appear to act as judge, jury and executioner which we did experience in London when innocent Brazilian Jean Charles de Menezes was shot on the Tube. Dark skin and a puffa jacket rendered him mistakable for a terrorist, yet he has not received universal sympathy. The media outrageously reported him to be running away and he was vilified as an illegal immigrant due to his work permit having exceeded.
The Human Rights Act was introduced by Blair not only to enable the ECHR principles to be easily obtainable for citizens, but also to make police and other agencies of the state more accountable.
When governments start veering off, attempting to enforce right wing agendas such as repealing human rights, I urge people to remember Nuremburg and also those being imprisoned and tortured without charge.
There is still a death penalty in America that does little to deter murder and the wonderful Mr Gove, the new justice secretary, would like it here.
Police as judge, jury and executioner, torture, imprisonment without charge, hanging…I’d rather my human rights, thank you.
PHILLIP PRINCE
James Close, Ludlow