UK 'grants impunity to war criminals'
Tuesday, 11 August 2009 5:16 PM
By Liz Stephens
Inconsistencies in UK law are allowing international war criminals to visit and stay in the UK without fear of prosecution a group of influential MPs has said.
The joint select committee on human rights said the government has failed to fully implement international conventions to give UK courts jurisdiction over crimes such as genocide, torture, war crimes, crimes against humanity, and hostage-taking.
This has led to an "impunity gap", said the committee.
Suspects should be liable to arrest and victims should be able to seek reparation in the UK against the foreign states that tortured them.
Andrew Dismore chair of the committee said: "The UK must not be a safe haven for evil.
"The message to those who have perpetrated the most heinous crimes imaginable must be clear: they are not welcome here - not to visit, not to live, not to holiday, shop, or get medical treatment.
"We should lead the world in bringing international criminals to justice".
The committee called for the establishment of a specialist war crimes unit.
Justice secretary Jack Straw put forward proposals recently in the coroners and justice bill to prosecute war criminals living in Britain who committed crimes before 1991.
However, the changes proposed would not cover those who are non-resident, such as students and tourists.
Jack Straw said: "Our preference is for those alleged to have committed such terrible crimes to be brought to justice in the country where the crimes took place, which allows the community that has suffered to see the perpetrators brought to justice.
"But when this is not possible, we are committed to ensuring those guilty of these crimes are punished appropriately and to the full extent of the law in this country."
The Aegis Trust, which works to prevent crimes against humanity worldwide, has said several people suspected of genocide are currently in the UK, including alleged war criminals from Afghanistan, Sudan, Sierra Leone and Sri Lanka.
The total number of suspects in the UK is not in the public domain, but the UK Border Agency has screened 1,863 individuals for war crimes, genocide or crimes against humanity since 2004.
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