Human Rights

Liberal Democrat European justice & human rights spokeswoman and London MEP Sarah Ludford has called on the EU and its member states to do much more to combat the high level of antisemitic hate crimes.

After attending the latest conference, in Brussels, of the Inter-Parliamentary Coalition for Combating Antisemitism (ICCA), Sarah Ludford said:

Croydon Liberal Democrat MEP Sarah Ludford has met representatives of a Croydon voluntary organisation, Croydon Community against Trafficking, set up by concerned citizens to help combat human trafficking for sexual exploitation in their community. They are also networking with residents in other boroughs across London to share their expertise.

Sarah Ludford (ALDE ). - Madam President, I am pleased that the rapporteur is backing the amendment that I originally tabled in committee on the need for European accountability for rendition and torture abuses if the EU is to lead in the promotion of human rights in the world. I hope it will get wide support in plenary and that we will also push all EU states to sign and ratify the Convention against Forced Disappearances.

Commenting on the statement by Home Secretary Theresa May on Abu Qatada, Liberal Democrat European justice and human rights spokeswoman Sarah Ludford said:

'The guarantees she has secured from Jordan seem sound. Unlike her I supported the Strasbourg court judgement, but I applaud her hard work in ensuring that evidence extracted under torture will not be used at his trial."

"I also welcome her robust rejection of any suggestion that the UK government could 'just ignore Strasbourg and put Qatada on a plane.' It is reassuring that she insists on the UK respecting the rule of law."

Notes to Editors

Theresa May’s statement can be read here:

Question for written answer E-011425/2011to the Commission
Rule 117
Baroness Sarah Ludford (ALDE)
Subject: Iranian death penalty for drug offences and EU funding
Iran is one of 32 countries which apply the death penalty for drug-related crimes, including trafficking, cultivation, manufacturing and possession of illicit drugs. However, under Article 6(2) of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights capital punishment should be reserved only for 'the most serious crimes', and the UN Human Rights Council has stated that drug offences do not fall into this category. It is estimated that Iran executed approximately 590 people for drug offences in 2010 alone[1].

Liberal Democrat European justice & human rights spokeswoman and London MEP Sarah Ludford is co-rapporteur of a new European Parliament report assessing the state of play on extraordinary rendition, secret detention and torture.

This follows up MEPs' 2007 report on complicity by European states in 'war on terror' abuses, which pointed to a dozen countries which had colluded in extraordinary rendition. They appear to have allowed CIA rendition flights to use their airports, harboured secret prisons or colluded in abductions.  MEPs then urged EU states to carry out full inquiries, and are now reviewing what progress has been made in Europe and internationally. Today a hearing has been held in the sub-committee on human rights. 

Sarah Ludford commented:

Commenting on the ruling by the European Court of Human Rights that extradition to the US would not breach the rights of several terrorist suspects, including Abu Hamza and Babar Ahmad, Liberal Democrat European justice & human rights spokeswoman and London MEP Sarah Ludford said:

"The finding by the Court that there would be no inhuman treatment if extradition to the US took place still leaves open the question of whether the US is the right place to try all of these suspects."

"There should be a bar to both EU and US extradition if the offence took place mainly in the UK. Those like Gary McKinnon and Richard O’Dwyer whose alleged crimes were perpetrated from their computers at home in Britain should face home-grown justice."

Dear friends,

We were particularly busy on consumer and citizens' rights in Brussels last week, as well as - very importantly - the interests of taxpayers. More on those stories later, first a word about the London Liberal Democrat conference last Saturday. 

London LibDems

The European Parliament has adopted its latest annual report on implementation of rights for European citizens under EU law. One of the issues highlighted was the barriers that still exist for same-sex couples.

The report demands full freedom of movement with recognition of legal rights for same-sex couples and an end to Member States' obstruction of a 2004 EU law meant to achieve this.

Sarah Ludford, Vice President of the LGBT+ Liberal Democrat group commented:

“Due to disarray in the ranks of the European Socialist and Democratic group (S&D) to which the Labour party belong, the key relevant paragraph got deleted at committee stage due to the voting power of the right-wing parties.”