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Are airport super-scanners breaking the law?
Date published: 16 February 2010
The use of body scanners at UK airports may be unlawful, the Equality and Human Rights Commission warned today.
Scanners already in place at Manchester and Heathrow may be breaking discrimination law as well as breaching passengers’ rights to privacy, the commission said.
It has now expressed its concerns in a letter to Transport Secretary Lord Adonis.
In the letter, the commission said it recognised the threat posed by terrorist activities but that it had concerns “about the apparent absence of safeguards to ensure the body scanners are operated in a lawful, fair and non-discriminatory manner.”
It added that it also had “serious doubts that the decision to roll out body scanning in all UK airports complies with the law.”
The commission’s chairman, Trevor Phillips, said: “The right to life is the ultimate human right and we support the Government’s review of security policies.
“State action like border checks, stop-and-search and full body scanning are undertaken for good reasons.
“But, without proper care, such policies can end up being applied in ways which do discriminate against vulnerable groups or harm good community relations.
“National security policies are intended to protect our lives and our freedoms, but it would be the ultimate defeat if that protection destroyed our other liberties.”
Comments
Easy solution!!! EVERYBODY gets searched........man, woman & child........white, black, yellow and all shades in-between........Christian, Muslim, Buddhist, Jew and every other whinging god-botherer!!! I want to get on a plane feeling confident I'm going to get off. If it means additional security staff, then so be it!!!!
The only reason why this outfit is now bringing up the human rights issue is because Muslims are objecting that it is against their religion for their woman to be thus photographed. We must not let this politically correct quango decide on our air security. All passengers should be x-rayed, especially those in a burkha!
Another useless "commission" statement - what is it with this country and looking after the "rights" of criminals. Stop sticking your noses into something that is protecting the general public!! I'm sure some discrimination is needed to target those who are responsible for carrying out terrorist activities on planes...?
What do these people want? Passenger aircrafts blown out of the sky or security for the nations law abiding citizens?
sod human rights ya cant do anything these days coz of it national security is more important than worrying about a x-ray whilst in an airport im sick of all this pc rubbish aswell make the country save is the main thing coz if someone was to try a terrorist attack their would be uproar about why didnt we use these scanners prevention is better than a cure
In his opening statement Trevor Phillips states "The right to life is the ultimate human right" and kills any argument on the use of body scanners. I suppose they are frightened of upsetting the people these scanners or aimed at, basically people of the Muslim Faith or the terrorist organisations associated to that faith. I want to feel safe when i travel and expect our government to take all relevant steps to protect us.
I believe that as it's not a "human right" to fly it would be correct to make passing through one of these scanners a pre-requisite to air travel in this country, if you don't like it, don't fly, go and find an alternative transport mode. Simple. However I am genuinely curious as to what counter argument could be given. If anybody objects on whatever grounds, please come forward and share your views.
If it wasnt for the extremists with their fanatical religeous believes we wouldnt be in the position we are in now.And to add insult to injury its the same people who are objecting to it--it certainly isnt the genuine english--wasnt it nice in the good old days .
Why are we being persecuted?
The rules are be searched or do not fly, it is the passenger's choice - just as another rule is pay your money for a ticket or do not fly. Could I therefore claim it is against my human rights for the airlines to charge me money before they will let me go on one of their aircraft ?
Have Your Say
i dont care if they are,my main concern is to be able to fly safely to go and see my family abroad
By margaret @ 16/02/2010 13:57:36