Compassion in Politics signs joint statement supporting the ECHR
Compassion in Politics is one of nearly 300 organisations that have signed a joint statement marking the 75th anniversary of the European Convention on Human Rights.
Full statement:
The European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR) is fundamental to our democracy and enables ordinary people, of all backgrounds, to hold the state and public bodies accountable. These rights are needed more than ever in an unstable world, with growing political polarisation and authoritarianism, environmental instability and technological upheaval, to ensure the dignity of us all.
The ECHR was born out of the horrors of World War II, with the UK playing a leading role, setting minimum standards which governments across Europe agreed to abide by. This has improved respect for human rights across Europe (no signatory has used the death penalty for 25 years) and facilitated cross-border cooperation on issues of joint interest, like crime and human trafficking.
In the UK, the ECHR and the Human Rights Act (HRA) have protected the rights of ordinary people every day up and down the country; from victims of sexual violence to LGBT+ service personnel, public interest journalists to mental health patients and victims of serious injustice (from Hillsborough to Windrush).
The ECHR helped bring peace finally in Northern Ireland, through the Good Friday Agreement, and has improved the quality of public services. We reject the narrative that human rights are not in the interests of the public – everyone in our society would be much worse off without these key protections.
In recent months, following a trend established over several years, the ECHR and HRA have increasingly come under fire from some leading politicians and media organisations. This has often been based on myths, over-simplifications, inaccuracies, and scaremongering, particularly around migration. Leaving the ECHR would not solve policy problems like the backlog of asylum cases, or people risking their lives through Channel crossings, but would bring about years of legal uncertainty, undermine our international position, and cause harm to the rights of both migrants in the UK and our wider communities.
We call on politicians to stop using our human rights as a scapegoat, level with the British public about the significant costs of ECHR withdrawal (such as the impact on the Good Friday Agreement) and end the escalating, irresponsible rhetoric targeting migrant and minoritised communities, which has devastating real-world consequences for people who are often already made vulnerable by wider social and economic marginalisation and stigmatisation.
We also call on the Government, whose party predecessors were architects of the HRA, to make the positive case for our human rights protections and how they empower ordinary people across the UK. It is an important part of our country’s safety net, not an inconvenience which must be tolerated. Its rights are common-sense, pragmatic protections which improve services at home and increase international cooperation abroad.
Now is the time for a full-throated defence of the ECHR and HRA. No one has human rights, unless we all have human rights.
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Signatories
Abortion Rights, Kerry Abel, Chair
Access Social Care, Kari Gerstheimer, CEO
ACH, Fuad Mahamed, CEO
ACS Visas, Tariq Nawaz, Principal
Action on Armed Violence, Iain Overton, Chief Executive
Advicenow, Dr Lisa Wintersteiger, CEO
Advocacy Focus, Justine Forster, CEO
African Rainbow Family, Aderonke Apata, Founder and CEO
Age Scotland, Katherine Crawford, CEO
Alcohol Focus Scotland, Alison Douglas, Chief Executive
Amina Muslim Women's Resource Centre, Mariam Ahmed, Chief Executive Officer
Amnesty International UK, Sacha Deshmukh, Chief Executive
Another Europe is Possible, Alena Ivanova, Campaigns Lead
Anti Trafficking and Labour Exploitation Unit, Victoria Marks, Director
Apex Law, Wajid H Immigration Lawyer
ARC England, Samantha Leonard, Director
ARGH Scotland, Kabie Brook, Chairperson
Armazi, Peyman Zonouzi, Director
Art27 Scotland, Helen Trew, CEO/Director
ARTICLE 19, Quinn McKew, Executive Director
Asha North Staffordshire, Darcy Crook, Volunteer and Befriending Coordinator
Association of Visitors to Immigration Detainees (AVID), Gee Manoharan, Director
Asylum Aid, Piya Muqit, Executive Director
Asylum Support Appeals Project, Kat Lorenz, Director
Ayr Housing Aid Centre SCIO, Suzanne Slavin, Chief Executive Officer
Baca Charity, Anya Hulley, Community Engagement & Communications
Bail for Immigration Detainees, Charlotte Buckley, Director
Baptist Union of Great Britain, Revd. Diane Watts, Faith & Society Team Leader
BARAC UK, Zita Holbourne, Co-founder / National Chair
Barrow Cadbury Trust, Asif Afridi, CEO
Become, Clare Bracey, Interim CEO
BEMIS, Danny Boyle, Executive Director
Ben & Jerry's UK, Mathilda Della Torre, UK Activism Manager
Best for Britain, Naomi Smith, CEO
Big Leaf Foundation, Vicki Felgate, Chair of Trustees
Birmingham and Solihull Women's Aid, Maureen Connolly, CEO
Birnberg Peirce Ltd, Nigel Leskin, Director
Birthrights, Tracey Fletcher, Interim CEO
Black South West Network, Sado Jirde, Director
BRASS, Brian Cunningham, Director
Breakout Youth, Zoe Grant, CEO
Brighton & Hove LGBT Switchboard, Rob Sainsbury Chief Executive Officer
The Brigstowe Project, Rami Ghali, CEO
Bristol Law Centre, Karen Bowers, CEO
Bristol Mind, Emma Brech, CEO
Bristol Women's Voice, Katy Taylor, CEO
British Association of Social Workers, Professor Sam Baron, Interim Chief Executive
The British Institute of Human Rights, Sanchita Hosali, CEO
Campaign for Freedom of Information, Maurice Frankel, Director
The Campaign for Freedom of Information in Scotland, Carole Ewart, Director
CARAS, Eleanor Brown, CEO
Care Rights UK, Helen Wildbore, CEO
Care4Calais, Steve Smith, CEO
C-Change Scotland, Sam Smith, CEO
Ceasefire Centre for Civilian Rights, Mark Lattimer, Executive Director
CEMVO Scotland, Francesca Malila, Human Rights & Race Equality Officer
Central Scotland Regional Equality Council (CSREC), Dr Eman Hani, CEO
Centre for Military Justice, Emma Norton, Director
Centre for Women's Justice, Harriet Wistrich, CEO
The Centre Place / LGBT+ Service Nottinghamshire, Georgia Crossland, CEO
Children and Families Across Borders, Carolyn Housman, CEO
Children First, Mary Glasgow, Chief Executive
Children's Law Centre, John O'Doherty, Chief Executive Officer
Children's Health Scotland, Helen Forrest, Chief Executive
Citizens Advice Ipswich, Nicky Willshere, CEO
Citizens Advice Newcastle, Hannah Cooper, Research and Campaigns Manager
City of Edinburgh Council Green Group, Cllr Claire Miller, Equalities Spokesperson
City of Sanctuary UK, Sian Summers-Rees, CO
CIVIUM, Nina Zonouzi, Director
Community House Eton Road, Sarah Miller, Development Manager
Community Transport Association, David Kelly, Head of Policy & Campaigns
Compassion in Politics, Jennifer Nadel, CEO
Constructing Rainbows Ltd, Sharon Slinger, Director
Corra Foundation, Shelley Gray, Head of Policy and Communications
Cycling UK, Sarah McMonagle, Director of External Affairs
Cytun Churches Together in Wales, Dr Cynan Llwyd, General Secretary
Dates-n-Mates, Fiona Kyle, National Lead
Defend Digital Me, Jen Persson, Director
Detention Action, Lochlinn Parker, Interim Director
Devon and Cornwall Refugee Support (DCRS), Alex Vessis, CEO
DFN Project SEARCH, Ms Courtney Bruner, Country Lead: Scotland, Wales, Ireland, NI and Iberia
Disability Action, Nuala Toman, Head of Accessibility
Disabled Greens, Kit Renard, Co-Convener
Discrimination Law Association (DLA), Nicola Redhead, Chair
Dumfries and Galloway Advocacy Service, Pamela Deans, Chief Executive
Dyslexia Scotland, Cathy Magee, Chief Executive
East Ayrshire Advocacy Services, Neill Clark, CEO
ECPAT UK (Every Child Protected Against Trafficking), Patricia Durr, CEO
Edinburgh Development Group, Maureen Martin, CEO
Empower Women for Change, Asma Abdalla, CEO
End Violence Against Women Coalition, Andrea Simon, Executive Director
Engender, Catherine Murphy, Executive Director
English PEN, Daniel Gorman, Director
Equality and Employment Law Centre, Julie Ehlen, CEO
Equality Network, Rebecca Don Kennedy, CEO
Equally Ours, Ali Harris, CEO
Fable, Tom Newman, Owner
Fair Play South West, the Women's Equality Network, Jackie Longworth, Chair
Fair Vote UK, Kyle Taylor, Founder and Director
Fawcett Society, Penny East, Chief Executive
FFLAG, Des Johnson, Trustee
Freedom from Torture, Sonya Sceats, Chief Executive
Friends of the Earth England, Wales and Northern Ireland, Asad Rehman, Chief Executive
Friends, Families and Travellers, Sarah Mann, CEO
Galop, Ben Kernighan & Jasmine O'Connor, Co-CEOs
Gaydio, Ian Wallace, Business Director
Gendered Intelligence, Jay Stewart, CEO
Glasgow Council for the Voluntary Sector, Ian Bruce, Chief Officer
Global Justice Now, Nick Dearden, Director
Global Link, Gisela Renolds, Executive Director
Gold Jennings, Salima Budhani, Director
Good Chance Theatre, Naomi Popli, Executive Director
Govan Community Project, Traci Kirkland, Head of Charity
Greater Manchester Law Centre, Jason Tetley, Director
GSN Immigration Ltd, Syed Zaib Shah, Director
Hackney Community Law Centre, Sean Canning, Solicitor
Hammersmith & Fulham Law Centre, Sara Taylor, CEO
The Harbour Project, Tom Bain, CEO
Haringey Welcome, Lucy Nabijou, Chair
Harrow Law Centre, Pamela Fitzpatrick Director
Health and Social Care Alliance Scotland (the ALLIANCE), Lucy Mulvagh, Director of Policy, Research and Impact
Helen Bamber Foundation, Alison Pickup, CEO
Hibiscus, Baljit Banga, CEO
The Hong Kong Scots CIC, Daniel Tsz Kin KWOK, First Director
Hope for Justice, Tim Nelson, CEO
Hope for the Young, Hannah Greenwood, Fundraising and Communications Manager
Human Rights Consortium, Kevin Hanratty, Director
Human Rights Consortium Cymru, Ele Hicks, Project Manager
Human Rights Consortium Scotland (HRCS), Charlie McMillan, Director
Human Rights Watch, Yasmine Ahmed, UK Director
Humanist Society Scotland, Fraser Sutherland, CEO
Humanists UK, Andrew Copson, Chief Executive
IKWRO, Diana Nammi, Executive Director
Immigration Law Practitioners' Association (ILPA), Zoe Bantleman, Legal Director
Improvement Service Scotland, Adrian Flegg, Human Rights Project Manager
In Control Scotland, Pauline Lunn, Director
Inclusion London, Svetlana Kotova, Director of Campaigns & Justice
Inclusion Scotland, Heather Fisken, CEO
INQUEST, Deborah Coles, Executive Director
Institute for Constitutional and Democratic Research, Sam Fowles, Director
International Bar Association's Human Rights Institute, Emily Foale, Programme Lawyer
International Rescue Committee UK, Denisa Delic, Director of Advocacy
Ipswich Romanian Community, Romeo Mustata, CEO
Jesuit Refugee Service UK, David Ryall, Director
Joint Council for the Welfare of Immigrants, Rose Bernstein, Interim Executive Director
Just Fair, Jess McQuail, Director
Just for Kids Law, including the Children's Rights Alliance for England, Louise King, Co-lead and Director
JUSTICE, Fiona Rutherford, Chief Executive
JustRight Scotland, Emma Hutton, CEO
Karma Nirvana, Natasha Rattu, CEO
Lancashire LGBT, Dr Lewis Turner, Chief Executive
Latin American Women's Aid – LAWA, Angie Herrera, Director
Latin American Women's Rights Service, Gisela Valle, Executive Director
Laura Devine Immigration, Ludovica Bello, Solicitor
Law Centre NI, Eddie Lynch, CEO
Law Centres Network, Julie Bishop, Director
Learning Disability England, Tim Kielty, Member Representative Co Chair
LEF, Matthew Smerdon, CEO
Legal Aid Practitioners Group, Chris Minnoch, CEO
LGBT HERO, Ian Howley, Chief Executive
LGBT Youth Scotland, Dr Mhairi Crawford, CEO
LGBT+ Consortium, Paul Roberts OBE, Chief Executive
Liberty, Akiko Hart, Director
London Friend, Monty Moncrieff MBE, Chief Executive
London LGBTQ+ Community Centre, Bisila Noha, CEO
Making Rights Real, Clare MacGillivray, Director
Manchester Migrant Solidarity, Aderonke Apata, Founder and Chairperson
Meeting Centres Scotland, Graham Galloway, CEO
Mermaids, Kathryn Downs, CEO
The Methodist Church in Britain, Revd Richard Andrew, President of the Methodist Conference
Migrant Voice, Nazek Ramadan, CEO
Migrants' Rights Network, Fizza Qureshi, CEO
Mind, Dr Sarah Hughes, Chief Executive
Minority Rights Group International, Carl Soderbergh, Director of Policy & Advocacy
Muslim Association of Britain, Raghad Altikriti, Chair
The National Autistic Taskforce, Yo Dunn, Strategic Lead
Network for Police Monitoring (Netpol), Kevin Blowe, Campaigns & Media Coordinator
New Prospects Association, Tim Keilty, CEO
Next Chapter Scotland, Eppie Sprung, CEO
Norfolk Community Law Service, David Powles, Chief Executive
North Bristol Advice Centre, Katherine Tanko, Director
North Kensington Law Centre, Franck Kiangala, Director & Solicitor
North Wales Regional Equality Network, Robert Moore, Company Secretary
North West London Law Centres, Sean Canning, Director
North Yorkshire Citizens Advice and Law Centre, Carol Shreeve, CEO
Not1More, Justine Taylor, Director
Oasis, Susie Ventris-Field, CEO
Olton Friary Justice & Peace Group, Helena Madden, Group Organiser
Open Rights Group, Jim Killock, Executive Director
Open Spaces Society, Kate Ashbrook, General Secretary
OTR Bristol, Amanda Edwards, CEO
Outside the Box, Angela Ross, Company Secretary
Palestine Solidarity Campaign, Ben Jamal, Director
Parents Advocacy & Rights (PAR), Taliah Drayak, CoDevelopment Officer
The Paristamen Charity, Prof Gareth Morgan, Chair of Trustees
Parkinson's UK, Laura Cockram, Head of Campaigns
Participation and the Practice of Rights, Chloë Trew, Director
Peace Brigades International (PBI) UK, Ben Leather, Director
Playing Out CIC, Ingrid Skeels, Co-founder
Plus Importance Project, Matt Humberstone, Founder
Project 17, Abi Brunswick, Director
Praxis, Minnie Rahman, CEO
Prisoners' Advice Service, Lubia Begum-Rob, Director
Proud Futures, Ellis and Lou Beardsmore, Co-CEOs
Public Interest Law Centre, Jean Demars, Director
Public Law Project, Jamie Peters, Interim CEO
The Pyramid at Anderston, Ailsa MacKenzie, Chief Officer
Quakers in Britain, Paul Parker, Recording Clerk
Race Equality First, Aliya Mohammed, CEO
Race Equality Foundation, Jabeer Butt, Chief Executive
The Rainbow Project, Scott Cuthbertson, CEO
RAIS Lancaster, Caitlin Luna, Operations Manager
RAMFEL (Refugee & Migrant Forum of Essex and London), James Tullet, Chief Executive
RealisingRights, Edward Waller, Human Rights Consultant
Reclaim the Agenda, Danielle Roberts Communications and Sustainability Coordinator
Refuge, Gemma Sherrington, CEO
Refugee Action, Tim Naor Hilton, Chief Executive
Refugee Council, Enver Solomon, CEO
Refugee Support Devon, Susanna Revolti, CEO
Refugee Welcome Homes, Jess Davidson-Egan, Director
René Cassin, Mia Hasenson-Gross, Executive Director
Respect, Jo Todd CBE, CEO
Reunite Families UK, Caroline Coombs, Executive Director
Right to Remain, Eiri Ohtani, Director
Rights for Peace, Mariana Goetz, Director
Rights of Women, Estelle du Boulay, Director
Runnymede Trust, Shabna Begum, CEO
Safe Passage International, Gunes Kalkan, Head of Campaigns & Communications
SafeLives, Liz Thompson, Director of External Relations
Scottish Care, Dr Donald Macaskill, Chief Executive
Scottish Child Law Centre, Jamie Speirs, Senior Solicitor
Scottish Independent Advocacy Alliance, Suzanne Swinton, CEO
Scottish Partnership for Palliative Care, Mark Hazelwood, CEO
Scottish Women's Aid, Marsha Scott, CEO
Screen Share, Moses Seitler, CEO
SCVO, Anna Fowlie, Chief Executive
Secure Scotland, Janet Fenton, Organiser
Seraphus, Christopher Desira, Director
Settled, Kate Smart, CEO
Shaman PR, Mona Adam, Founder and Director
Sheffield Citizens Advice & Law Centre, Sylvia Ward, CEO
Shelter, Sarah Elliott, CEO
Shelter Scotland, Alison Watson, Director
SMK Law Solicitors, Shoaib M Khan, Human Rights Lawyer
Social Benefits Consortium CIC, Sandra Beeton, CEO
Solace, Nahar Choudhury, CEO
South Bristol Advice Services, Fran Begley, CEO
South Wales Law Centre, Warren Palmer, Centre Director
South West London Law Centres, Paul Keeley, Solicitor
Southall Black Sisters (SBS), Selma Taha, Executive Director
Southern England Law Centre, Olivia Pulley-Crowther, Managing Director and Senior Solicitor
Southwark Law Centre, Stacey Edgar, Executive Director
Space Youth Project, Helen Walsh, CEO
Spectra, Joel Robinson, CEO
Sri Lanka Campaign for Peace & Justice, Yvonne Schofield, Campaign Director
Stand Against Racism & Inequality (SARI), Alex Raikes MBE DL, Chief Executive
Stand For All, Daniel Sohege, Director
Statewatch, Chris Jones, Executive Director
Stay Safe East, Angie Airlie, CEO
Streets Kitchen, Elodie Berland, CoDirector/Coordinator
Suffolk Law Centre, Sue Wardell, Director of Operations and Development
Suffolk Refugee Support, Rebecca Crerar, Charity Manager
Swansea City of Sanctuary, Tom Avery, Chair of Trustees
Swansea Women's Asylum and Refugee Support Group, Dr Jeni Williams, Chair
the3million, Andreea Dumitrache, CEO
Together (Scottish Alliance for Children's Rights), Juliet Harris, Director
Trans in the City, Bobbi Pickard, CEO
Trans Media Watch, jane fae, Chair
Trauma Foundation South West, Katherine Cox, Director of Services
The Traveller Movement, Yvonne MacNamara, CEO
Trinity Community Arts Ltd, Emma Harvey, CEO
Union Romani Voice, Simona Lazar, CEO
United Nations Association – UK (UNA-UK), Jane Kinninmont, CEO
The United Reformed Church, Catriona Wheeler, Moderator of the General Assembly
Uniting Church Sketty, Louise Gough, Minister
Unlock Democracy, Tom Brake, Director
Visa and Immigration Services Capital, Mohammed Ali, Founder
Visa Positive, Fayyaz Chopdat, Founder and immigration adviser
WCVA, Dr. Lindsay Cordery-Bruce, CEO
Welfare Scotland, Rob McDowall, Chair
Welsh Women's Aid, Sara Kirkpatrick, CEO
West London Queer Project, Aubrey Crawley, Founder & CEO
WILPF UK, Paula Shaw, Director
WISH, Alexandra Phillips, Chair
Women for Refugee Women, Andrea Vukovic, Co-Director
Women's Aid South Lanarkshire and East Renfrewshire, Heather Russell, CEO
Women's Budget Group, Dr Mary-Ann Stephenson, Director
Work Rights Centre, Luke Piper, Head of Immigration
Worker Support Centre, Caroline Robinson, Executive Director
Yoker Community Campus Development Company, Douglas Taylor, General Manager
17-24-30 National Hate Crime Awareness Week, Mark Healey, Founder CEO
1st Citizen Lawyer, Fraz Wahlah, Director
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