Human Rights

Sarah is pictured with two members of the five strong 'Row for Freedom' team.

Sarah Ludford is pictured with Asmaa Mahfouz one of the winners of the European Parliament's annual human rights prize the Sakharov prize for Freedom of Thought 2011 and Sarah's Belgian Liberal MEP colleague Annemie Neyts.

Euro-MPs have in a resolution voted today demanded EU action to improve prison standards across Europe and in particular to stop long periods on remand awaiting trial sometimes in poor or overcrowded conditions.

While detention conditions and prison management are primarily a national responsibility MEPs are worried that low standards are putting EU countries in breach of European human rights obligations and undermining the trust necessary for cross-border cooperation on crime such as through the European Arrest Warrant.

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

Sarah Ludford on behalf of the ALDE Group . - Mr President I congratulate Ms Sippel as rapporteur for leading us to a successful conclusion and I as always welcome the full support and backing of Vice-President Reding.

It is clear that a person who is arrested or questioned is in a vulnerable position and deserves to know their rights and how to apply them but the quality of information provided is often poor. People often do not understand what rights they have and this ignorance is exacerbated by being a foreigner and not speaking the local language. A particular need given that we know that there is discrimination in granting of bail is to know how to contest pre-trial detention.

Liberal Democrat European justice & human rights spokeswoman and London MEP Sarah Ludford met supporters of Anti-Slavery International as they delivered a 10000-signature petition to the President of the Europ

Commenting on the annual UN day for the Abolition of Slavery Liberal Democrat European justice & human rights spokeswoman and London MEP Sarah Ludford said:

"The reality is that slavery has not been consigned to the history books. It's vital to highlight that while slavery in the form of the transatlantic slave trade was abolished millions of people are being enslaved today through trafficking for prostitution child exploitation or forced labour."

"The UK government has acknowledged that human trafficking either for the sex trade or for cheap labour is a problem in this country. Its decision to sign up to a new EU directive to catch traffickers was a welcome boost for the essential cross-border policing and prosecution."

Nov 9th is International Day against Anti-Semitism and Fascism marking the anniversary of the 'Kristallnacht' pogrom against Jews in 1938 which presaged the Holocaust.

Next Monday the UK takes over for 6 months the chairmanship of the Strasbourg-based Council of Europe which hosts the European Court of Human Rights. That Court applies the European Human Rights Convention (ECHR) in cases brought by citizens of the 47-country organisation.

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

"I fully share the government's top priority of reform of the European Court of Human Rights to make it more streamlined and efficient long championed by LibDems. The current huge backlog of cases bureaucratic delays and variable quality of judges obviously prejudice the Court's effectiveness."

On the eve of tomorrow's EU Anti-Trafficking day which also marks the second UK Anti-Slavery day Liberal Democrat European justice & human rights spokeswoman and London MEP Sarah Ludford has called for decisive action to be taken against human trafficking in Olympic year.

The UK Government opted in to a new EU Directive this year which widens the definition of trafficking increases criminal penalties and fosters cross-border cooperation to prosecute traffickers operating in several EU states.

Sarah Ludford said:

"The legislation is in place but greater determination is needed to really protect and rescue those vulnerable adults and children put through the traumatic experience of trafficking."

Commenting on the statement by Home Secretary Theresa May that she will change UK law to stop foreign criminals invoking family claims to keep them in the UK Liberal Democrat European justice and human rights spokeswoman Sarah Ludford MEP said:

"The Home Secretary is perfectly right to point out that unlike the right not to be tortured family life is not an absolute right under the Human Rights Act and the European Convention. So judges can and should balance such claims against the demands of public safety prevention of crime or rights of others."

"But she should not promise what she cannot deliver. Unlike the mythical cat British-born children could have a strong claim not only to stay here but also to have their mother or father stay with them."