![]() |
Главная Случайная страница Контакты | Мы поможем в написании вашей работы! | |
|
Legislation to protect the public against terrorism has given the authorities certain exceptional powers for dealing with and preventing terrorist activities, while taking account of the need to achieve a proper balance between the safety of the public and the rights of the individual. While acknowledging that the special powers make inroads into civil liberties, the Government believes that they should continue in force as long as a substantial terrorist threat remains. Nobody can be imprisoned for political beliefs; all prisoners, except those awaiting trial, have been found guilty in court of criminal offences.
The Northern Ireland (Emergency Provisions) Acts 1978 and 1987 give the security forces in Northern Ireland special powers to search, question and arrest suspected terrorists; allow the Secretary of State to proscribe terrorist organizations; and. provide for certain serious offences to be tried by a judge sitting alone without a jury to obviate the dangers of intimidation of jurors. The 1987 Act makes provision for statutory time limits to be imposed on the time an accused person may be held in custody awaiting trial although these powers so far have not been invoked. The maximum period for which the police can hold a suspected terrorist on their own authority has been reduced from 72 to 48 hours. Statements obtained by the use or threat of violence are inadmissible in court.
The Prevention of Terrorism (Temporary Provisions) Act 1984 (first introduced in 1974), which is applicable throughout the United Kingdom, provides for the exclusion from Great Britain, Northern Ireland or the United Kingdom of people connected with terrorism related to Northern Ireland affairs and for the proscription of terrorist organizations in Great Britain. It also gives the police powers to arrest people suspected of being involved in terrorism (whether international or relating to Northern Ireland) without warrant and hold them for 48 hours and, with the approval of the Secretary of State, for up to a further five days.
Both Acts are reviewed annually by an independent person reporting to the Government. The Emergency Provisions Acts are renewable each year by Parliament. The Prevention of Terrorism (Temporary Provisions) Act expired in 1989 and the Government is proposing that its replacement should have no limit on its time-span but should continue to be reviewed annually by Parliament.
Дата публикования: 2015-01-13; Прочитано: 444 | Нарушение авторского права страницы | Мы поможем в написании вашей работы!