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CONTROVERSIAL: Stop and search policy violates privacy say human rights committee

THE GOVERNMENT is being urged to stop their controversial ‘stop and search’ policy following claims it violates human rights.

A committee of MPs and peers have renewed its call for the controversial practice to be ammended to reflect the "respect of private life" clause in the European Convention of Human Rights.

The news comes just days before the debate in the House of Lords over whether the current policy should be kept.

Stop and search powers were introduced under the 2002 Terrorism Act, allowing officers to conduct random searches of peoples possessions, without the need for a warrant or evidence against the individual.

Last October The Guardian reported that black people in the UK were 26 times more likely than white people to be stopped and searched by police, sparking debates that officers target ethnic minorities.

Dr. Hywel Francis MP, chair of the human rights body, The Joint Select Committee, said: "We are disappointed that, despite some welcome clarifications, the Government has not accepted the need to amend this Order to prevent possible future human rights violations."

"The power to stop and search without reasonable suspicion is rightly controversial and has to be very tightly controlled. We remain concerned that, as it stands, without tighter definition of the power and stronger legal safeguards, the Order will not prevent future legal challenges," he added.