MPs must reject UK charter of cover-up

More than 100 human rights groups, legal experts and press freedom campaigners have jointly called on the British MPs to vote down the government’s “secret courts” plan, which they said is a “charter for cover-ups”.

The group said in a letter to The Observer that the proposed Justice and Security Bill will impair principles of justice, the right to fair trial and the rule of law.

“The bill is a charter for cover-ups. Neither the public, nor the victims, nor their lawyers nor the media will have a right to know. Court records could be kept secret forever. Secret courts could be extended to undercover police officers, deaths of suspects in custody and deaths in the military,” the alliance, that includes such organizations as Amnesty International, said.

“The measures in the bill are an attack on open and accessible justice, they threaten the right to a fair trial and the rule of law. Journalism at its best uncovers the truth and the bill intends to hide the evidence,” it added.

The bill proposes that the so-called “closed material procedures” that allow certain hearings related to national security to be held behind closed doors to be extended to include almost every area the government sees fit.

Campaigners have long blasted the proposals saying if they turn into law they will become a tool in the hands of the government to cover up any potentially embarrassing issue and protect any official from prosecution on a whim.

MPs are expected to vote on the third reading of the bill later this week.