CAMPAIGN CLOSE:- 22/01/29

The Bill passed the Commons vote and will eventually be made law. However, the government has made a big concession to get it passed. And independent review of PREVENT will be conducted. The government has avoided this for years because they know how discriminatory it is.

This gives us, the Muslim communities, some leverage to finally shine some accountability on PREVENT and show how the government has systematically pushed Islamophobia through the guise of “extremism”.

Thank you to everyone who actioned the alert.

__________

The Counter Terrorism & Security Border (CTSB) Bill has been heavily criticsed by the House of Lords and by the wider public.

The Parliamentary Joint Committee on Human Rights stated the bill infringes human and civil rights. Especially when it comes Free Speech, Freedom to Organise, gaining access to solictors at the border and the expansion of Prevent Duty to local councils.

This also includes Border Police to stop, search, detain or take fingerprint/DNA samples without grounds for suspicion, as well as local councils having powers to monitor or fine venues.

It is now coming back to the House of Commons on 22nd Jan 2019 with amendments, but they do not go far enough.

It’s clear that, with this bill, the government wants to turn the UK into a police state

The government’s majority is extremely slim and can be defeated, but we must lobby and spread the word.

*ACT NOW*

Write to your MP with the following letter below.

Please send any replies to us via info@mpacuk.org

______

Template Letter

I am writing to you with great concern of the Counter Extremism & Border Security Bill that is coming back to the House of Commons on the 22^nd Jan 2019.

Several concerns, that have been voiced in the House of Lords and in wider society. As the Parliamentary Joint Committee on Human Rights have said, the bill infringes our human and civil rights (specifically Human Rights Act 1998) in the name of security.

Furthermore, the bill has had little or no consultation from civil society leaders, activist groups, journalists or mainstream members of the Muslim community (who Counter Extremism disproportionately targets).

Expansion of Border Police Powers

• Border police powers extend to being able to search, question, detain and take fingerprint/DNA samples without any grounds of suspicion. This is even more problematic given DNA database is not well looked after.
• Refusal to answer questions when detained at the border – even to defend a confidential client – may lead to a year in jail.
• Border Police do not have any legal consequence if they disobey their own code of conduct.
• High ranking police offers can stop your right to access a solicitor and can even listen into their legal advice to you.

Expansion of Prevent

• Prevent has been criticised by the NUT, Royal College of Psychiatrists, various human rights organisations, countless academics and even the United Nations.
• Prevent Duty has already eroded trust in schools, NHS and Universities. However, this bill will expand the duty to local council authorities without even any independent review of its impact.
• “Extremism” and “radicalisation” STILL do not have a clear or fixed definition, making the entire counter extremism apparatus and language open to abuse by political agendas.
• In addition, local councils will gain powers to monitor and fine venues and event organisers for host “extreme” or “radical” speakers – Again, these powers are open to abuse by political agendas and shutting down Freedom of Speech.
• Prevent has already been proven to alienate the Muslim community by legitimising Islamophobic narratives – making these council powers even more dangerous.

This government bill ironically claims that disengaged communities are vulnerable to radicalisation, yet at the same time expands powers that have proven to create disengagement and distrust, especially when it comes to policing at the border and Prevent Duty in our own communities.  

It is for the reasons above, I request as my MP, you attend the debate in the House of Commons and vote against this Bill and demand an independent review into Prevent.

Yours Sincerely,