Creating a fairer Britain
Everyone has the right to a fair trial and the courts have a duty to uphold this. Things that make a trial fair include being held in public; being held within a reasonable time; being independent and impartial, and the presumption of innocence.
For more information about Article 6 see the Human rights section. For further details on your rights to a fair trial see the Criminal justice section.
In normal cases, the current time limit for holding suspects is 96 hours, after which police must either charge or release them. If police believe the suspect poses a threat to national security the can ask for an extension to the pre-charge time limit. In spring 2008, in the Counter-Terrorism Bill, the Government proposed extending the pre-charge detention time limit in exceptional cases from 28 to 42 days. This clause was dropped in October.
Human Rights organisation, Liberty, produced a short film on this subject as part of their Charge or Release campaign.
Commission's comments on Counter-Terrorism Bill: Second reading, House of Lords, 8 July 2008
For more detailed information on this topic and a chance to vote, follow this link to the Taking Liberties interactive and from the top menu select Liberty and the Law