13 March 2005 — Statewatch

Full contents see: www.statewatch.org/news

1. UK: Prevention of Terrorism Act 2005
2. EU: After Madrid: the EU’s response to terrorism
3. Iraq: Global public health experts: failure to count Iraqi casualties irresponsible
4. EU: Data Protection Supervisor says exchange of criminal records proposal is not proportionate
5. UK: Intelligence and Security Committee report on detainees
6. Civil society Declaration from 3rd Information Commissioners Conference in Cancun
7. International Helsinki Federation: Report on Intolerance and Discrimination Against Muslims in the EU

1. UK: Prevention of Terrorism Act 2005 as enacted on 11 March – full-text (pdf):
www.statewatch.org/news/2005/mar/uk-pta-2005.pdf

The PTA 2005 introduces “control orders” for terrorist “suspects” – full-text (pdf). After an epic parliamentary battle between the House of Commons and the House of Lords this became law. The opposition to the Bill had called for a “sunset clause” (ie: that the Act fell in one year) and the government said they would only accept an “annual renewal” (whereby parliament traditionally “nods” though renewal and without the chance to amend an Act). The government changed its mind and announced that a new Counter Terrorism Bill would be introduced in the autumn introducing “preparatory offences” for terrorist “suspects” and that this would allow the new PTA 2005 to be amended.

See on control orders “A stampede against injustice”, article by lawyer Gareth Peirce on control orders and their effect on liberties and rights:
www.statewatch.org/news/2005/mar/gareth-peirce-guardian.pdf

and “preparatory offences” and G8/EU counter-terrorism plans: Statewatch special report: The exceptional and draconian become the norm – G8 and EU counter-terrorism plans: www.statewatch.org/news/2005/mar/exceptional-and-draconian.pdf

2. EU: After Madrid: the EU’s response to terrorism: Report from the House of Lords Select Committee on the European Union:
www.statewatch.org/news/2005/mar/after-Madrid-HoL.pdf

3. Iraq: Global public health experts say failure to count Iraqi casualties is irresponsible – statement (pdf):
www.statewatch.org/news/2005/mar/iraq-civilian-casualties.pdf

UK and US governments must monitor Iraq casualties (British Medical Journal, link): bmj.bmjjournals.com/cgi/content/full/330/7491/557?ehom
Counting the dead in Iraq (BMJ, link): bmj.bmjjournals.com/cgi/content/full/330/7491/550?ehom

4. EU: European Data Protection Supervisor says exchange of criminal records proposal is not proportionate – will the Commission heed the Opinion?
www.statewatch.org/news/2005/mar/03eu-dp-crim-record.htm

5. UK: Intelligence and Security Committee: The Handling of Detainees by UK Intelligence Personnel in Afghanistan, Guantanamo Bay and Iraq (pdf):
www.statewatch.org/news/2005/mar/int-sec-comm-treatdetainees.pdf

6. Civil society Declaration from 3rd Information Commissioners Conference in Cancun, Mexico (pdf):
www.statewatch.org/news/2005/mar/Cancun-declaration-final.pdf

7. International Helsinki Federation: Report on “Intolerance and Discrimination Against Muslims in the EU – Developments Since September 11″ (link):
www.ihf-hr.org/documents/doc_summary.php?sec_id=3&d_id=4029

BOOKMARK

News online – full contents:
www.statewatch.org/news
What’s New on the Statewatch site:
www.statewatch.org/whatsnew.htm
Statewatch European Monitor:
www.statewatch.org/monitor/monitor.html

________________________________________________
Statewatch: Monitoring the state and civil liberties in Europe
PO Box 1516, London, N16 0EW. UK
tel: +44(0)20-8802-1882; fax: +44(0)20-8880-1727
www.statewatch.org