The Government's plan to scrap the #HumanRightsAct and replace it with the #RightsRemovalBill is an unthinkable attack on each one of our rights to be treated fairly & with dignity and respect. 🧵
On #WindrushDay, it is an attack on Vernon Vanriel and Eunice Tumi. Vernon travelled to Jamaica and was denied re-entry into the UK, facing destitution as a result. Arguing that their human rights were breached, they were subsequently granted citizenship.
theguardian.com/uk-news/2021/d…
It is an attack on people like Mr. and Mrs. Driscoll, whose council allocated Mr. Driscoll a spot in a care home, but not Mrs. Driscoll. They made arguments on the basis of their right to family life, and were eventually placed together in the same home.
theguardian.com/society/2006/f…
It is an attack on Debartri *, who fled an abusive relationship & sought support, only for the local council to seek to separate her from her children. Debartri argued that they had a right to family life and the council eventually housed them together.
bihr.org.uk/blog/we-make-h…
It is an attack on the victims of the Black Cab rapist John Worboys, believed to have commited rape and sexual assault on more than 100 women. His victims used the HRA to hold the police to account for their failure to investigate Worboys.
theguardian.com/uk-news/2018/f…
It is an attack on Siobhan McLaughlin. When her partner of 23 years died, she was unable to claim Widowed Parents Allowance because they hadn't been married. She used the HRA to argue that the scheme discriminated against her family
irishtimes.com/news/ireland/i…
It is an attack on Craig Mathieson, the father of Cameron, a child with severe disabilities. Craig was denied a disability benefit after Cameron had been in hospital for 84 days. Using the HRA Craig challenged the discriminatory withdrawal of benefits
theguardian.com/commentisfree/…
It is an attack on the victims of the Hillsborough disaster and their families. After decades of campaigning, they were able to use the HRA to argue that a fresh inquest was needed, which found the victims had been unlawfully killed.
savetheact.uk/human-rights-a…
It is an attack on the right to protest. In 2017, police arrested four Stop DSEI protesters for blocking a road outside the arms fair. In 2021, they successfully used the HRA to argue that the right to direct action is protected under the law.
caat.org.uk/news/the-ziegl…
It is an attack on journalists like Chris Mullin, who investigated the Birmingham Six miscarriage of justice, and successfully used the HRA to protect the confidentiality of his source, in spite of demands for disclosure on the part of the police
irishtimes.com/opinion/protec…
It is an attack on Zahid Mubarek, 19, who was killed by his racist cellmate at Feltham Young Offenders Institution. His family used the HRA to demand an independent investigation, in which they could participate and ask questions.
thezmt.org/zahid-mubarek/…
It is an attack on Gypsy and Traveller communities, whose nomadic way of life is protected by the HRA, which requires the State to facilitate this way of life. Of course, the #PolicingAct's criminalisation of trespass poses an existential threat to this as well.
It is an attack on Ian Burnip and Lucy Trengove, who used the HRA to fight changes to the local housing allowance which meant that disabled people who need 24 hour live-in support would not be given support for an extra bedroom for their care staff
disabilitynewsservice.com/courts-ruling-…
It is also an attack on Richard Gorry, who used the HRA in a related case to fight for enough local housing allowance so that his disabled children could have separate bedrooms
disabilitynewsservice.com/courts-ruling-…
It is an attack on people wanting to be involved in decisions about their care like Janet Tracey, who died in hospital after sustaining serious injuries, and on whom the doctors placed a Do Not Resuscitate order without consulting or informing her.
leighday.co.uk/latest-updates….
It is an attack on people like Adrian Jennings and his mother, Angela. Adrian died two weeks after his discharge from an inpatient mental health unit. Angela used the HRA to secure an inquest into what happened and to hold the NHS and police to account
bihr.org.uk/angelas-story
It is an attack on Corporal Anne-Marie Ellement and her loved ones. Anne-Marie sustained bullying, rape, and mistreatment by her colleagues and chain of command on a base in Germany. Her loved ones used the HRA to hold the Army to account for her suffering
centreformilitaryjustice.org.uk/human-rights-s…
Anne-Marie's sister, Sharon, said: "Accountability. Justice. Reform. These things do not happen overnight. They are the product of years of hard work by the devastated victims of state abuse – or, where the victim has not survived, their loved ones."
"And the Human Rights Act enabled us to do it. Without it, we would have achieved absolutely nothing.’"
centreformilitaryjustice.org.uk/human-rights-s…
Continuing this thread with more examples, though the examples are, quite literally, innumerable.
The #RightsRemovalBill attacks trans people - the ability to change one's gender in the UK was won through protections provided by the HRA.
mermaidsuk.org.uk/news/human-rig…
It attacks LGBTQ+ military veterans such as Joe Ousalice, who served in the British Navy for 18 years but was discharged from the Navy for being gay and stripped of his medals. The HRA enabled Joe to be given back his medals and to obtain an apology.
bbc.co.uk/news/uk-560790…
It attacks Nadia Eweida, who worked as a member of check-in staff for British Airways and wore a small silver cross on a chain around her neck. BA suspended her, but using the HRA Nadia argued she had been subject to religious discrimination
theguardian.com/law/2013/jan/1…
It attacks Suzanne Breen, a journalist who was ordered to hand over notes containing information on the Real IRA. Relying on the HRA, Breen successfully argued that handing over the notes would endanger her life as well as that of her sources
theguardian.com/media/2009/jun…
The #RightsRemovalBill is an attack on John Catt, a peace activist who used the HRA to fight for details of his political activities and previous attendance at protests to be deleted from a secretive police database
theguardian.com/world/2019/jan…
It is an attack on nine-year-old Ella Kissi-Debrah and her mother Rosamund, who used the HRA to demand a fresh inquest which established that exposure to toxic and excessive air pollution was a material cause of Ella's death
theguardian.com/environment/20…
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