Breaking the Human Rights Act would have “terrible consequences”, including removing obligations to properly address violence against women and girls and destabilizing peace in Northern Ireland, more than 50 organizations have warned.
In a letter to Boris Johnson, Amnesty, Liberty, the British Institute of Human Rights and others cited the “significant consequences” of repealing the law, which is expected to be announced in the Queen’s speech Tuesday, asking for an emergency meeting to discuss plans.
Sasha Deshmuk, Chief Executive Officer of Amnesty International in the United Kingdom, said: “Breaking the Human Rights Act will unleash a Pandora’s box with dire consequences for the United Kingdom, and we desperately call on the Prime Minister to reconsider.
“Not only will the repeal of the Human Rights Act damage the UK’s international reputation, but it will also undermine the global system of rights and protections and our ability to hold other countries accountable, at a time when we have never needed more than this protection. ”
Signatories, including Stonewall, Friends of the Earth, End Violence Against Women Coalition and Freedom from Torture, are concerned that the prime minister intends to lift obligations to protect certain rights. As an example of how women victims of violence could rely on these duties, they cite the successful judicial review of the act of two early victims of serial sex attacker John Worboys against police for failing to properly investigate the black taxi driver, who subsequently continued to attack dozens more women.
The letter says that given that the incorporation of the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR), achieved through the Human Rights Act, is an explicit commitment to the Good Friday Agreement, the amendment of the act risks violating the peace agreement in Northern Ireland. This will also require a review of the delicately balanced peace agreement, on which it would be difficult to reach a consensus, he added.
Deshmuk said: “Human rights law is the most important piece of human rights law in the United Kingdom and plays an absolutely vital role in ensuring stability, justice and protection at home and abroad. It’s not time to replace it with diluted substitute. “
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The letter, shared with the Guardian, said the repeal of the act would have very “far-reaching and very real consequences”. Claiming that the European Court of Human Rights is overstepping its legitimate role and that parliament is demanding a “democratic shield” against unfavorable sentences in Strasbourg, the UK is following in the footsteps of countries with authoritarian leaders such as Russia, Hungary and Poland.
The signatories wrote: “If the United Kingdom is serious about protecting human rights and international law, it cannot take steps at home that undermine the most important international human rights mechanism in its region.”
A government spokesman said: “Our proposals will essentially strengthen British human rights, such as freedom of expression, while remaining a party to the ECHR. They will also prevent abuses of the system by adding a healthy dose of common sense and restoring the legitimate role of parliament as the final decision-maker on laws affecting the UK population.
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