觀英國的Human Right Act Reform：A Modern Bill of Rights

觀英國的Human Right Act Reform：A Modern Bill of Rights
 
完全唔識英國法律。粗粗地睇左個簡介，睇完都有啲心寒。這個新的Human Right Act Reform：A Modern Bill of Rights 有五個主要範圍（第3、4是重點）：
 
1. Respecting our common law traditions and strengthening the role of the UK Supreme Court
 
聽落夠本土／英國本位。但其實佢想嘅係收窄原有Human Rights Act嘅解讀、解釋空間，令法院以後只需「look at the text of the rights themselves and at decisions previously made in the UK」，唔再需要「‘take into account’ any relevant cases decided by the European Court of Human Rights. 」
 
更重要，係終於見識到英式嘅語言偽術。佢話：

 

「The Consultation also suggests that the Bill of Rights should contain a provision that highlights the importance of the right to freedom of expression.」

 

聽落好正面，如果你睇漏「provision」（條款）呢個字 。冇錯，言論自由係要有「條款」的。「highlight」原來可以用得咁有警告意味，警告你必須理解言論自由的重要性——而重要性在於，閣下的言論自由是有「條款」、「前提」附帶的。「The government wants to set out guidelines on how this right should be balanced （with the socalled public interest）」
 
2. Restoring a sharper focus on protecting fundamental rights
 
呢句修辭都算嘆為觀止。「sharper focus」，好聽，但咩意思？原來方法係提高申訴嘅門檻，申訴人要搵方法證明自己慘嘅程度係要過到門檻先可以申訴，「The Consultation suggests introducing a permissions stage for bring human rights cases to court. This could mean that an individual would have to demonstrate that they have suffered “a significant disadvantage” in order for the case to be heard at court. 」、「This would reduce the number of human rights cases heard in our courts.」，減少了申冤嘅case，便可以「加強專注」了，真是治根不如治本啊。
 
3. Preventing the incremental expansion of rights without democratic oversight
 
呢句簡直有黑格爾嘅辯證feel。防範人權的擴張，在沒有人民的監督之下。唔熟英國法律，但據那網頁簡介，呢點係針對原有Human Rights Act嘅Section 3提出：
 

「Under Section 3 of the Human Rights Act, any laws in the UK must be read in a way which is compatible with the European Convention on Human Rights. This can be done by courts when deciding cases; it is also an important tool for public officials to consider when making decisions so they can be rights-respecting in the first place and avoid being taken to court. The Consultation proposes that Section 3 should be replaced with a provision which sets out how legislation should be interpreted. This could mean that the power to interpret legislation could be restricted.」

 
簡言之，都係想用「guidelines」取替傳統的「interpretation」，方便人按本子辦事。而按本子辦事，既安全又有效，只是沒有個人責任可言而已。下面呢段將政府用意講得更加白：
 

「Currently, if a non-absolute right must be restricted, that restriction must be proportionate, or least restrictive. The Government suggests that this means that law makers cannot balance individual rights with the wider public interest. Instead, they want to place further weight on the view of Parliament . This may reduce the importance of proportionality」

 
學多咗「proportionality」呢個term。原來喺英國，「合比例」地限制人嘅自由，係指要用最「least restrictive」嘅手段。真係縱慣哂。咦，有啲嘢都好似關流亡嘅香港人事：
 

「The Consultation also suggests that the use of human rights law by foreign criminals who are going to be deported should be restricted. The Government proposes that rights such as the right to liberty, the right to a fair trial and the right to respect for private and family life should not be able to be used to prevent deportations.」

 
呃。自求多福啦。
 

4. Introducing responsibilities within the human rights framework

 
「介紹」人權架構底下的新責任（或義務）。嗯，笑就好了。
 

「The Consultation also suggests that an individual’s behaviour should also be relevant when deciding on any remedies that they may be entitled to for a breach of their human rights. Behaviour from the past may also be used to reduce or remove any awards of compensation.」

 
太陽底下無新事。中國的紅太陽和社會信用系統，終於有望在西方升起了。

最後坦白講句，單睇個議案名，你見到「Reform」同「Modern」兩個term竟然可以痴埋一齊，都應該知咩事啦。大佬，我哋「modern」咗幾耐，又「後現代」咗幾多年了？時至二十一世紀，幾大都應該整個「Post－Modern Bill of Rights」嚟嘆下嘛，何必如此食古不化呢？
 
8/3/2022
 
資料參考：
(https://www.bihr.org.uk/explainer-the-report-of-the-ihrar-and-the-governments-consultation-on-the-human-rights-act?fbclid=IwAR2de5WWHhxM0yCdj1UhYuOw1gLZqALscZQluYna1hQ5avrE_fZNmWiFUKk)