Human Rights Watch Briefing On The Terrorism Bill 2005

Second Reading in the House of Lords

Legacy Link
This briefing concerns problematic new measures on speech and detention contained in the draft terrorism legislation—the fifth major piece of counter-terrorism legislation in as many years—currently being debated in the British parliament. It concentrates on two key matters: a potentially sweeping new offence of “encouragement of terrorism,” and an increased detention period to twenty-eight days in terrorism cases for those who have yet to be charged with a crime, seven times longer than that allowed for any other crime.