Civil Liberties

LibDem European justice & human rights spokeswoman Baroness Sarah Ludford MEP has jointly with MEPs from other political groups condemned the United States’ targeted killing programme under which  the CIA and the military hunt and kill individuals suspected of links to terrorism anywhere in the world. They are calling on the EU to contest the US attempt to pervert international law.

Sarah Ludford commented:

Commenting on the anticipated announcement today by the Home Secretary regarding the handling of the decision on the 'block opt out' from EU policing and crime-fighting measures including the European Arrest Warrant, LibDem European justice spokeswoman Sarah Ludford MEP said:

"It is important to remember that no final decision will be taken until there is agreement within the coalition on which measures the UK will seek to rejoin. The Liberal Democrat criterion will be the national interest and we at least will listen carefully to experienced voices stressing the importance of European cooperation to the security of the British people."

An estimated 75 million people fall victim to a crime every year across the EU. The European Parliament has today adopted the first European-wide law on the protection of crime victims, to improve support for them.

Speaking at a debate of the European Parliament yesterday on her follow-up report into alleged transportation and illegal detention of prisoners in European countries by the CIA, Liberal Democrat European justice & human rights spokeswoman Sarah Ludford criticised Member States for failing to meet their obligations to carry out full, independent inquiries to investigate human rights violations.

Sarah Ludford commented:

“It’s vital that Member States support independent inquiries to ascertain and secure accountability for their complicity in rendition and torture, without which we risk eroding citizens’ trust in the democratic institutions of the EU to protect and promote our human rights.”

The European Parliament Civil Liberties Committee has adopted its position for negotiations with the EU Council of Ministers on a new law designed to guarantee all criminal suspects the right to have a lawyer before questioning and during proceedings, although it does not cover legal aid.

Liberal Democrat European justice & human rights spokeswoman and London MEP Sarah Ludford commented:

“In the UK the right to have a lawyer present during police questioning is now firmly ingrained in our legal system, not least because of bad experience of people being 'fitted up'. Unfortunately, this right is not always respected in all EU countries."

Liberal Democrat European justice & human rights spokeswoman and London MEP Sarah Ludford spoke about her work as a Euro-MP to members of WIZO UK, one of the largest Jewish women’s organisations in the UK, at the invitation of Holocaust survivor Gena Turgel.  The lunch assisted WIZO's fundraising for projects in Israel caring for vulnerable families and children.

Sarah Ludford, who is also vice-President of Liberal Democrat Friends of Israel, commented:

Liberal Democrat European justice & human rights spokeswoman and London MEP Sarah Ludford has urged the European Commission to support local as well as international action in its new strategy, due for publication tomorrow, to combat trafficking of people for labour and sex purposes. 

Sarah Ludford commented:

Liberal Democrat European justice & human rights spokeswoman and London MEP Sarah Ludford has visited Lithuania as part of a delegation following up the 2007 European Parliament inquiry report - of which she was vicechair - on European collusion in extraordinary rendition and torture.

She is co-rapporteur of a new report aiming to determine European states’ progress in investigating and determining accountability in the last 5 years.

Sarah Ludford commented:

“Credit must go to Lithuania for having instituted both a parliamentary and a prosecutorial inquiry, more than any other country. This positive example shames bigger states, like the UK under the Labour government, which have refused to lift the lid."

LibDem European justice & human rights spokeswoman Sarah Ludford MEP will today vote in favour of the agreement on transfer and use of air passenger data to the US designed to help combat terrorism and serious transnational crime. She said:

"This agreement is not perfect. But it's a great deal better than the existing framework and, crucially, than any of the alternatives. There is no chance of the US improving their offer."

"If MEPs reject this deal it creates legal uncertainty, deprives us of any platform on which to build a better agreement, and leaves the field open to weaker bilateral accords which the EU will not be able to control."