Campaigners unite against secret courts

Over 100 lawyers and human rights activists and freedom of the press call on parliamentarians to reject the "closed material procedures An alliance of more than 100 human rights groups, lawyers and activists called free press MPs to vote against the government's plans for "secret tribunals" - calling them "of letter cover-up "seriously undermine the principles of British justice.

In a letter to the

Observer

the group says it is "deeply concerned" for the purposes of justice and security to the parameter "open and accessible justice" and insists that he is a threat to the right to a fair trial and the rule of law.

MEPs will vote on the third reading of the bill that would expand the number of hearings to be held behind closed doors this week.

Ministers

were involved in the controversy over a year on its plans to extend the so-called "closed material procedures" (CMP), which are heard in its entirety in private , civil law.

The proposals have been developed in close collaboration with the security services, they want evidence of terrorism and other sensitive cases are kept secret. Services argue that other countries stop information sharing with Britain if the information is heard in public session.

secret court

plan has emerged as a direct result of the evidence that has emerged in the court to confirm the allegations that MI5 and MI6 knew of torture or inhuman and degrading part of the CIA terrorism suspects, including British citizens and residents, especially Binyam Mohamed.

In a move that has angered Washington, the High Court was subsequently endorsed by the Chief Justices of the Court of Appeal ruled that the CIA had information passed to MI5 and MI6 be revealed.

• To avoid disclosing that the security services have known about the secret transfer of detainees at the U.S. military prison at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, and their treatment, the government gave out expensive settlement.
• ministers, under pressure from security agencies and U.S. intelligence - and - decided to introduce a new law to prevent any information that is disclosed in civil hearings only

While the former Justice Secretary Kenneth Clarke, has put forward a series of amendments, they have failed to satisfy critics who say that the fundamental principles of British justice system are being in danger.

supporters plans to argue that the bill will prevent the need for costly government out of court settlements to prevent the evidence heard in public in cases of terrorism or other extremists.