UK slammed for plan forcing people to prove nationality

The British government has been criticized for a recent “discriminatory” bill that would make people show proof of their nationality or face prosecution.

According to Press TV, the government is proposing the bill to provide police and immigration officers across the UK with an authority to order arrested people to prove their nationality and the foreign nationals to show their nationality documents like passports.

If they fail to prove their nationality within 72 hours, they would face a criminal offence and prosecution.

The Conservative government claims the move will lead to easier removal of foreign offenders while a number of experts warn that this would enable the police to target people because of their looks, color and accent.

Sara Ogilvie, from civil rights organization Liberty, said the basis of the policy is discrimination as appearance and accent are the only grounds on which police could decide who is not a British citizen.

“Requiring police to make clumsy assumptions and ask provocative questions about a person’s nationality is a toxic recipe for race relations in our towns and cities. This policy should have no place in the criminal justice system and risks leading to unfair trials,” she noted.

ME