Sunday 24 January 2010

Why The Human Rights Act Must Be Reformed



The person on the right in the above picture is Laith Alani, a paranoid schizophrenic from Iraq.

He has spent the past 19 years in s secure hospital after he killed two NHS consultants in a horrific frenzied attack because he believed he had received a "command from Allah."

The Home Office wanted to deport him on his release to protect the British public, but he appealed to the Asylum and Immigration Tribunal (AIT) where a panel led by Lance Waumsley, a senior immigration judge, ruled he could remain in the UK.

The reasons given were deportation would breach his human rights, insofar as he has a right to a private and family life because he moved to the UK with his parents as a child, plus that if he was sent back he would be unlikely to receive medicine which keeps his paranoid schizophrenia under control.

The judgement, was delivered in October but has only just been revealed. This man could be set free next year.

David Cameron hasn't mentioned his proposals for reform of The Human Rights Act recently but cases like this show just how necessary urgent action is required.


12 comments:

Byrnetofferings said...

Rosa, if David Cameron were to create a British Bill of Rights to replace the Human Rights act, it can only build upon what is already there as we are still signed up to the ECHR.

Jolly good, I reckon, but you'll probably disaree.

JJ said...

I'm afraid you're right Subrosa, this act badly needs amending. Here is a man who killed two people and yet will be allowed on to the streets, perhaps to kill again.

My fear is that Cameron will only ever pay lip service to the replacement of the Human Rights Act, rather than delivering anything with any teeth.

Nikostratos said...

Subrosa

why do you run bleating to David Cameron and not to Our Alex?????

subrosa said...

I would disagree Byrne, on the grounds that the present system is completely unbalanced.

I'm having to pay well over the odds here for my electricity while friends in Lincoln receive electricity generated from here at 20% less than me. Isn't that against my human rights?

Small matters like that are disregarded but they are important to what's left of the fabric of this society.

subrosa said...

I doubt if he'll do anything either JJ except issue a volume of hot air.

subrosa said...

I never bleat Niko, that's for sheep.

Now Niko, I know I have senior moments, but did the FM have an input into the HRA?

Yer bored today Niko cause of the weather. Make some soup - that's usually therapeutic. :)

Sue said...

So, let me get this straight. Upon his release, it´s OK for him to be amongst the citizens of the UK but not of Iraq? So, who takes responsibility when he murders again?

Not only do I believe that the taxpayer should not have been subsidising this animals confinement and medical costs but also that he should be handed over to the nearest Iraqi loonie bin when he had committed the crimes.

F**k his human rights, what about everyone elses?

We need to bring back the death sentence for murder, where it is beyond doubt.. and if any commenter tells me that he is insane and needs love and help... let me ask you, how many murderers do you think are sane?

Selma said...

Are you suggesting that we amend the human rights act because this guy is/looks foreign?
Don't you know that we have many white british schizophrenics in the country already that can be just as dangerous if their medication is stopped?
I say let the guy stay and medicate him like any other schizophrenic and if there is a case for him being put in an institution due to a serious risk of danger to himself or others there is a perfectly clear process for doing so!

subrosa said...

Aye you've got it in one Sue. The Righteous say he may not be able to get his medicine.

For gawd sake, there are thousands of law-abiding UK citizens who can't get the appropriate medicine to help their illnesses yet a court rules this bloke has to stay here.

Exactly, that's why I'm glad I live where I do, tucked away.

I wouldn't have a clue to the answer Sue. The truth is never told in courts is it. Look at last week when the chap who beat up his knife-wielding burglar had his sentence reduced. The 'burglar', according to the powers that be, couldn't plea in court as he was too ill.

Then we find out he's been charged with further offences since he was 'unable to plea'.

Really, every day my faith in any system drops further into disbelief.

subrosa said...

What are you implying Selma?

The man is not British or the Home Office would not have already tried to deport him.

Selma, I perhaps know more than the average person about mental health issues. In fact, most people of any intelligence know that medication is important in these cases, same as most of us know that medication is important in people who suffer from heart failure, kidney failure etc.

The perfectly clear process you speak of has been shown to have serious flaws in the past. No process is full-proof if the patient doesn't co-operate.

I have been calling for the reform of the HRA since I started blogging. We will have many more elderly dying this winter because of the severe cold we've experienced and the cost of keeping warm is outwith their incomes. For me that's against their human rights insofar as the response from the government is 'they can get pension credit if they ask'.

Have you ever tried the pension credit system? I won't bore you with the details but I completely understand why people are humiliated when they attempt to ask for help.

No lawyers help these people. There's not enough money in it for them, the helping of the elderly. And don't mention Age Concern or Help the Aged or I will begin to rant and rave.

Apogee said...

What about the rights of the rest of the humans,to be protected by those who volunteered to be elected to govern and run this country, and who take the pay for supposedly doing, to be protected against people like this.
Who is protecting the law abiding majority against the violent and/or criminal minority.
Seems no one is.
So the elected volunteers should be forthwith sacked for non performance of their job and promises they made when applying for the job.
And charged with fraud for taking money under false pretences.
These elected jobs should be for a term of three (3) years with a provision for recall before this for flagrant abuse of elected public office in the view of the public , not politicians or political parties.


D.

Woodsterman (Odie) said...

Liberals are the same everywhere. Common sense has taken a vacation. I have a feeling that voters in both of our countries are going to bring it back.

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