Briefing for the House of Lords on Police Reform and Social Responsibility Bill

The briefing from REDRESS to the House of Lords concerns the Police Reform and Social Responsibility Bill, recommending that although no change is necessary for the current system for bringing war criminals to justice, if change is to happen, then REDRESS recommends the amendment to Clause 154 proposed by Baroness D'Souza.

This briefing paper – co-authored by Redress and several partner organisations – raises serious concerns about Clause 154 of the Police Reform and Social Bill, which would require the Director of Public Prosecutions’s (DPP’s) consent before an arrest warrant could be issued for an international crime such as torture, war crimes or crimes against humanity. Not only would this undermine the criminal justice system to hold accountable perpetrators of such crimes who live in or visit the UK, it would signal to the international community that the UK is no longer committed to ending impunity for international crimes.

If the House wishes to give the DPP a greater role in the arrest warrant procedure, we recommend the amendment to Clause 154 proposed by Baroness D’Souza, Lord Lester of Herne Hill and Baroness Tonge. This would give the DPP the opportunity to advise the court upon the issuing of the warrant but would not require his consent to its being issued.