THE growing threat of terrorism has pushed many governments to reassess that balance between civil liberties and state protection. This week Britain's Parliament passed a bill that will allow the detention of terrorist suspects without charge for 42 days. Civil-rights groups such as Liberty point out that at 28 days, Britain already has the highest limit of western (and some eastern) democracies. Other countries at high risk of terrorism, such as Spain or Turkey, may hold suspects for far less time. America's government got around the issue by excluding “unlawful enemy combatants” from its two-day limit. A Supreme Court ruling on Thursday June 12th allowing prisoners at Guantánamo Bay to challenge their detentions may change that.

Shutterstock