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UK: House of Lords rules in favour of Belmarsh detainees

01 December 2004

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UK: The appeal court in the House of Lords (the highest in the land) has ruled that the detention of people without trial breaks human rights laws - the House of Lords law lords ruled by an eight to one majority in favour of appeals by nine detainees. Most of the men are being held in Belmarsh prison, south London:

"The real threat to the life of the nation… comes not from terrorism but from laws such as these." and "It calls into question the very existence of an ancient liberty of which this country has, until now, been very proud - freedom from arbitrary arrest and detention" - Law Lord Hoffman, 16 December 2004

Full-text of judgement (pdf)
Guardian coverage (link)

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