The United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Türk, has criticized the public order law recently approved by the British Parliament, which establishes measures to deal with actions that may generate negative impacts, such as blocking roads, bridges, and other infrastructure, carried out by environmental organizations such as Extinction Rebellion and Just Stop Oil. Türk has denounced that this legislation “imposes serious and unjustified restrictions” on human rights, such as freedom of expression, peaceful assembly, and association, for which he has asked the British government to review the law as soon as possible.
According to Türk, the new law is “deeply disturbing” and contravenes the UK’s international human rights obligations. He has also pointed out that this legislation is unnecessary since the British police already have the authority to act against violent and disruptive demonstrations.
The High Commissioner has been particularly critical of the new “serious disturbance prevention orders,” which will allow UK courts to ban people from being in certain places and limit their use of the internet, even without suspicion, and has expressed concern. because these warrants can be issued against people who have never been convicted of any crime. In general, Türk has considered that the new law defines some crimes in a vague and broad way and imposes unnecessary and disproportionate criminal penalties on people who organize or participate in peaceful demonstrations.