Human rights
This page highlights some of the current parliamentary material available on human rights. This includes select committee reports, briefing papers on current legislation and other subjects produced by the parliamentary research services, and the latest Early Day Motions put down by MPs.
Standard Notes
| Date | Description |
|---|---|
| 16.05.2012 | In Brief: Ukraine and Euro2012 |
| Ukraine is due to host the Euro2012 football competition jointly with Poland from 8 June to 1 July. Ukraine's human rights record has led to calls for a boycott. | |
| 15.05.2012 | Deportation of individuals who may face a risk of torture |
| International law places obligations on the UK when deporting individuals to countries where they may face a real risk of torture. Although the Refugee Convention allows refugees to be removed if they pose a risk to national security, the absolute prohibition on torture in the European Convention on Human Rights was interpreted in the case of Chahal v United Kingdom as precluding a 'balancing act' between a person's national security risk and the risk that he may be tortured on return. | |
| 11.05.2012 | Azerbaijan and the Eurovision |
| After winning the 2011 competition in Düsseldorf, Azerbaijan will be hosting the Eurovision Song Contest from 22 to 26 May 2012 in the capital, Baku, despite calls for a boycott. | |
| 03.05.2012 | Bangladesh: the International Crimes Tribunal |
| The Government of Bangladesh has re-established a long dormant International Crimes Tribunal to try people for alleged 'international crimes' committed during the 1971 war of independence. Eight men, all senior figures in opposition parties, currently face trial. While steps have been taken to strengthen the rules of procedure of the Tribunal, there are criticisms that the process still falls short of interntional standards. | |
| 30.04.2012 | The UK and Reform of the European Court of Human Rights |
| The UK holds the Chairmanship of the Council of Europe until mid-May 2012. The UK has Government supported proposals to reform the European Court of Human Rights contained in the Interlaken and Izmir Declarations and has proposed in the draft Brighton Declaration that more account be taken of the principles of subsidiarity and the margin of appreciation. |
Research Papers
| Date | Description |
|---|---|
| 01.06.2011 | Terrorism Prevention and Investigation Measures Bill |
| This briefing on the Terrorism Prevention and Investigation Measures Bill has been prepared for the second reading debate on the Bill in the House of Commons. This is due to take place on 7 June 2011 | |
| 22.12.2009 | Crime and Security Bill. Bill 3 2009-10. |
| The Bill would amend the law governing the taking, retention and destruction of fingerprints and DNA data from persons arrested for, charged with or convicted of criminal offences. It would reduce the requirements on the police to record information following a stop and search. It would introduce new 'go' orders for suspected perpetrators of domestic violence, which could mean excluding them from their homes in order to protect the victim. The Bill would also, in effect, extend new injunctions for gang-related violence to 14-18 year olds, and require courts to issue a Parenting Order where a child under 16 had breached an Anti-social Behaviour Order. It would require wheel clamping companies to be licensed, and create a new offence of possessing an authorised mobile phone in a prison. It also creates a new offence of preventing a person under 18 from gaining unauthorised access to air weapons. | |
| 17.06.2008 | Reinventing humanitarian intervention: Two cheers for the Responsibility to Protect? |
| Reinventing humanitarian intervention: Two cheers for the Responsibility to Protect? House of Commons Library Research Paper 08/55. | |
| 08.06.2007 | The Serious Crime Bill |
| 10.09.2004 | Children Bill (HL) (Bill 144 of 2003/04) |
| Children Bill (HL) (Bill 144 of 2003/04). House of Commons Library Research Paper 04/68. |
Select Committee Reports
| Date | Description |
|---|---|
| 01.10.2011 | Legislative scrutiny: Terrorism Prevention and Investigation Measures Bill - government response to the... |
| Government response. Home Office report [Commons] | |
| 14.09.2011 | FCO's human rights work 2010-11. |
| Government response. Foreign and Commonwealth Office report [Commons] | |
| 06.09.2011 | Terrorism Act 2000 (Remedial) Order 2011: stop and search without reasonable suspicion (second report).... |
| Human Rights Joint Select Committee report [Commons and Lords] | |
| 11.06.2011 | Legislative scrutiny: Terrorism Prevention and Investigation Measures Bill; Armed Forces Bill. |
| Human Rights Joint Select Committee report [Commons and Lords] | |
| 07.06.2011 | Legislative scrutiny: Education Bill and other bills. |
| Human Rights Joint Select Committee report [Commons and Lords] |
Early Day Motions
| Date | Description |
|---|---|
| 08.02.2012 | DETERIORATING HUMAN RIGHTS IN TIBET |
| That this House strongly condemns the Chinese security forces' unwarranted use of force including opening fire on unarmed demonstrators to quash peaceful protests in Tibet; is greatly ... | |
| 25.01.2012 | INTERNATIONAL WOMEN'S DAY |
| That this House supports International Women's Day on 8 March 2012; celebrates the political, social and economic advancement of women while recognising the urgent need for further ... | |
| 11.01.2012 | HUMAN RIGHTS IN IRAN (No. 2) |
| That this House is concerned by the practice of execution by stoning in Iran; notes that stoning is a particularly repugnant and cruel form of execution; is concerned that stoning is ... | |
| 20.12.2011 | HUMAN RIGHTS IN KAZAKHSTAN |
| That this House is deeply concerned at reports of the killing of oil workers in Kazakhstan who have been protesting about their living conditions and the poverty of their region; condemns ... | |
| 20.12.2011 | GUANTÁNAMO BAY |
| That this House notes that on 11 January 2012 it will be a decade since the first detainees were incarcerated at Guantnamo Bay naval base; believes that Guantnamo detainees should either ... |
Lords Library Notes
| Date | Description |
|---|---|
| 19.03.2012 | Question for Short Debate on 26 March: Joseph Kony and the Lord's Resistance Army |
| This Library Note provides background information on steps to bring to trial Joseph Kony and other leaders of the Lord's Resistance Army. | |
| 03.02.2012 | Question for Short Debate on 8 February: Blockade of Gaza |
| This Library Note provides an overview of the blockade of Gaza by the Government of Israel, including its history, attempts to bypass the blockade and recent developments. It then examines the impact of the blockade on the humanitarian situation in Gaza, and finally the response of the British Government. | |
| 28.11.2011 | Debate on 1 December: International Development Policy and the Situation of Dalits |
| This Library Note provides an overview of the situation of Dalits in South Asia and looks at the issue of caste-based discrimination in India. It also examines the Government's international development policy for India, currently the largest recipient of UK development aid. | |
| 13.05.2011 | Debate on 19 May: European Convention on Human Rights |
| This Library Note provides background reading for the debate on the European Convention on Human Rights. |
