EU warrant opt-out 'could free Julian Assange': Campaigners warn of four-month loophole

[struggle4progress]

before UK rejoins treaty
Sarah Morrison
Jane Merrick
Sunday 04 August 2013

... Last month, David Cameron formally notified the EU council that the UK will repatriate police and criminal justice powers. It will "opt out" of 133 measures, including the EAW.

While the Government has made clear it will opt back in, there could be a "formal gap of at least a few months" while the commission deals with formalities, according to Professor Steve Peers, an EU law specialist from Essex University.

In this time, campaigners warn that a fugitive – such as Mr Assange – could argue his arrest warrant was no longer valid.

Thais Portilho-Shrimpton, the director of the campaign group Justice Across Borders, said: "The Government needs to make sure the process to opt back is seamless and leaves no room for expensive legal challenges or for suspects – such as Julian Assange – and criminals to evade the law" ...

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/eu-warrant-optout-could-free-julian-assange-campaigners-warn-of-fourmonth-loophole-before-uk-rejoins-treaty-8744948.html

[treestar]

1. what a name, Thais . . .

He's part of the authoritarian conspiracy, it appears.