Public meeting
Stop the War on Dissent:
The threat to civil liberties posed by the Terrorism Acts 2000 and 2001

Tuesday, 12 February 7pm
Grand Committee Room
House of Commons
Westminster, SW1

Hosted by Jeremy Corbyn MP

Before our very eyes the unthinkable seems to be happening. Long cherished civil liberties are whittled away by a state using fear, ignorance and a dose of prejudice to enact panic legislation in the aftermath of 11 September. A mood of paranoia exploiting legitimate public fears formed the basis for the Anti-Terrorism, Crime and Security Act 2001 (ATCSA) which has fundamentally altered the relationship between the individual and the state in this country.

Under the Act, which builds on the Terrorism Act 2000, Britain has effectivelv been transformed into a "police state" on paper with such a broad definition of terrorism, the emergence of a paramilitary national police force, the powers on disclosure of information, new duties on citizens to act as informants on suspects, powers of detention and the lack of impartial scrutiny of police activities.

In particular, the sharing of information on individuals between government bodies and the police has been traditionally seen as one hallmark of a police state. It is now part of British law.

People need to be alerted to this unprecedented attack on our civil liberties: There is now to be surveillance of the e-mail and Internet users with providers obliged to hold data on each person's electronic transactions and website visits; stiff new penalties for terrorist hoaxers up to seven years, the same as for a rapist, and two years for anyone who fails to disclose any knowledge of such a crime. Minorities such as asylum seekers, refugees and Muslims are specifically targeted: the finger prints of anyone seeking asylum can now be held long after full refugee status has been granted; their photos can be passed onto other countries, even if that is the country from where someone may have fled torture or escaped death; Police can now order the removal of any facial coverings, a measure clearly designed to hit Muslims.

It has been said that some of the measures in the new act will never be used; they are there simply to intimidate and deter legitimate political protest. This does not make ATCSA any less alarming. It is a repressive and badly drawn up law that deserves no place on the British statute books and stains the country's democracy.

The meeting seeks to unite individuals from various campaigns, communities and professions who are most effected by the Act and devise a common strategy of resistance.

The meeting is organised by the Campaign Against Criminalising Communities (CACC) and supported by Lord Avebury, Lord Rea, Hugo Charlton (Spokesperson on Human Rights, Green Party), Christine Blower (NUT ex-President), Tim Gopsill (NUJ, Editor of "The Journalist"), Frances Webber (CARF), Martin Hogbin (CAAT), Committee to Defend Asylum Seekers, The Muslim Parliament, Peace in Kurdistan Campaign, Kurdistan Solidarity Committee, Federation of Kurdish Associations UK, Charter for Basic Democratic Rights, Freedom Press, Campaign for Universal Rights and Liberies, Tamil Action Committee, Tamil People's Forum etc

For information contact Estella 020 7586 5892 e-mail