Evidence from witnesses affected by European Arrest Warrant

• Joint Committee on Human Rights
• Watch the meeting: The human rights implications of UK extradition policy 

The inquiry will focus on the practical implementation of extradition policy from a human rights perspective. It will focus particularly on the compatibility of the operation of the UK’s bilateral extradition treaties including the EAW, the US-UK extradition treaty and other procedures such as the European Arrest Warrant with the UK’s human rights obligations.

Likely areas of interest

Issues of interest to the committee include:

• Can and should British courts be able to exercise greater discretion when considering applications for extradition under EAW to consider whether the human rights of the accused will be respected, and to bar extradition proceedings where they will not?
• Does the lack of a proportionality principle in the EAW create problems for its compatibility with human rights? How could it be amended to incorporate a proportionality principle? 
• Does the UK implement the EAW in a stricter fashion than is required by the original framework decision? What safeguards do other EU member states apply?

The Committee’s inquiry is intended to contribute to the review of UK extradition treaties and the UK Extradition Act 2003, announced by the Home Secretary on 8 September 2010.

• Review of UK extradition arrangements (Home Office website)

Witnesses

at 2.20 pm

• Catherine Heard, Head of Policy Fair Trials International,
• Jodie Blackstock, Barrister and Senior Legal Officer (EU: Justice and Home Affairs)
• Sally Ireland, Director of Criminal Justice Policy, Justice
• Sophie Farthing, Policy Officer , Liberty

at 3.20 pm

• People with experience of extradition proceedings

Further Information

• About Parliament: Select Committees
• Visiting Parliament: Watch Committees