As the government today (24 January) publishes its Counter-Terrorism Bill, with plans to give police the power to detain terrorism suspects for 42 days, Amnesty International urged Northern Ireland MPs and the public alike to show their opposition to the proposals.

Patrick Corrigan, Amnesty International's Northern Ireland programme director said:

“The Counter-terrorism Bill is utterly draconian. Locking someone up for six weeks is punishment without a court deciding the law has been broken.

"We are calling on Northern Ireland MPs to stand up to the government and tell them that these measures are both wrong and counter-productive.

"Most people in Northern Ireland are utterly opposed to terrorism. They want anyone suspected of trying to murder innocent people to be tried before a judge and jury and, if guilty, punished with the full weight of the law.

“But once the government starts using oppressive laws, it risks losing the crucial battle for "hearts and minds".

"Indeed, if pre-charge detention limits are raised once again, the communities likely to be most affected are going to see the government’s words as very hollow.”

Amnesty is asking local people to sign the “Not a Day Longer” e-petition on the No.10 website at: http://petitions.pm.gov.uk/notadaylonger