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vrijdag 22 september 2023

WORLD WORLDWIDE UK EU Statewatch News Journal Update - Global predictive policing; Scrutinising police surveillance; Lampedusa: solidarity and resistance

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Issue 15/23, 21 Septemberr

Statewatch News

Also available as a PDF.

Welcome to the latest issue of Statewatch News. Along with our usual news, analysis, and round-up of new material from across Europe, we are pleased to say that we have a vacancy open for a Communications Worker! You can find the details here.

This week you can also find us in other outlets: our Director, Chris Jones, is one of the guests interviewed for a BBC series, ‘The cost of migration’. Listen to part three, ‘Europe’s response’, to hear his comments. The first two parts are here and here. You can also find all our media citations here.

Elsewhere, our Researcher Romain Lanneau has an essay, ‘Article 18: Digital rights and the protection of the right to asylum in the Charter of the European Union’ in a new publication from the Digital Freedom Fund, Digital Rights are Charter Rights.

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Interpol building multi-million dollar “predictive analytics” system

The International Criminal Police Organisation, Interpol, is building a vast data-processing platform called INSIGHT that is ultimately supposed to provide police forces around the globe with “predictive analytics” generated from Interpol’s internal data, information received from its member states, “external” sources such as commercial databases, and “visual, video, audio recognition, facial and bio-data matching.” The US State Department has so far committed more than $12 million for the project.

Full story here.

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Scrutinising European police surveillance of social movements

A new guide created by Statewatch, European Digital Rights, IT-Pol and Access Now aims to improve the ability of activists and campaigners to request data held on them by Europol, the EU’s policing agency, and to increase public and political scrutiny of European police forces gathering data on individuals’ political activities.

Police forces have always closely observed protest, activist and campaign groups, and information recently made public suggests that over the last year European police forces have acquired a renewed interest in environmental movements.

Full story here.

 

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 Arrivals in Lampedusa: Solidarity and resistance in the face of Europe's reception crisis!

On Tuesday 12 September, more than 5,000 people who had travelled across the Mediterranean on 112 separate boat journeys arrived on the Italian island of Lampedusa, leading to massive overcrowding in the under-resourced reception centre and eventual (successful) escape attempts. We have joined more than 80 other organisations in signing a joint statement that expresses deep concern at the security response of European states, the crisis of reception, and reaffirms solidarity with people on the move arriving in Europe.

Read the full statement here.

 

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Our reports

Interpol: multi-million dollar “predictive analytics” system under construction

Police AI needs strict limits and controls, warn civil society organisations

Scrutinising European police surveillance of activists: new guide on personal data requests

Arrivals in Lampedusa: Solidarity and resistance in the face of Europe's reception crisis!

Statement to EU countries: Do not agree to mass surveillance proposal, warn NGOs

The new proposal on the security of EU information: a wider but incomplete legal framework for classified information

The proposal on security of EU information: how to burst the bubble and open the EU fortress

 

News

21 SeptemberInterpol: multi-million dollar “predictive analytics” system under construction

The International Criminal Police Organisation, Interpol, is building a vast data-processing platform called INSIGHT that is ultimately supposed to provide police forces around the globe with “predictive analytics” generated from Interpol’s internal data, information received from its member states, “external” sources such as commercial databases, and “visual, video, audio recognition, facial and bio-data matching.” The US State Department has so far committed more than $12 million for the project.

20 SeptemberPolice AI needs strict limits and controls, warn civil society organisations

Secret "trilogue" negotiations on the EU's proposed Artificial Intelligence Act are ongoing, and next week MEPs and EU member state representatives will start discussing bans and prohibitions. The week after, decisions are expected on whether to classify the use of AI for migration and security purposes as "high risk" or not. A statement directed at decision-makers and signed by 115 associations and individuals, including Statewatch, calls for strict limits and controls in the AI Act "to prevent harm, protect people from rights violations and provide legal boundaries for authorities to use AI within the confines of the rule of law."

18 SeptemberScrutinising European police surveillance of activists: new guide on personal data requests

A new guide aims to improve the ability of activists and campaigners to request data held on them by Europol, the EU’s policing agency, and to increase public and political scrutiny of European police forces gathering data on individuals’ political activities.

18 SeptemberArrivals in Lampedusa: Solidarity and resistance in the face of Europe's reception crisis!

Joint statement signed by Statewatch and more than 80 other organisations: Following the arrival of a record number of people on the move in Lampedusa, civil society expresses its deep concern at the security response of European states, the crisis of reception, and reaffirms its solidarity with people on the move arriving in Europe.

13 SeptemberStatement to EU countries: Do not agree to mass surveillance proposal, warn NGOs

Over 80 organisations, including Statewatch, are calling on EU member states to block the proposed Child Sexual Abuse Regulation, which would fatally undermine encryption and thus the safety and privacy of all internet users. In the UK, the government has recently conceded that similar clauses in the Online Safety Bill will not be enforced until it is technologically possible to do so - which is likely to be never.

Analysis

19 SeptemberThe new proposal on the security of EU information: a wider but incomplete legal framework for classified information

Part 3 of a series /// The proposal on security of EU information, as introduced, would create a legal framework for classified information with a number of gaps and loopholes that would prevent the European Parliament and the Court of Justice from exercising their roles as set out in the EU treaties. Changes are required to fix these problems.

12 SeptemberThe proposal on security of EU information: how to burst the bubble and open the EU fortress

Part 2 of a series /// The Commission's proposal on security of EU information threatens to fatally undermine the rules on access to documents, which are essential for transparency, openness and public participation in democratic-decision making. The European Parliament and the Council need to take action to fix the proposal on security of information. At the same time, there are clear steps they could take to improve the access to documents rules, ensuring that legislative deliberations are as open and transparent as required by the treaties.

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Upcoming events

Brussels, 28 SeptemberClose Guantanamo!

“This is the most significant gathering ever assembled on Guantanamo in the European Parliament. It will present first hand testimony about the horrors of this camp and the nightmare that continues for the 16 men who have been approved for release, never convicted of anything, but who have nowhere to go.”

 

Online, 5 OctoberGlobal Webinar: Sharing a standard for the Reproductive Justice and Digital Rights Movements

“Women on Web and Women's Link invite you to a global webinar, which will offer a space to share both the successful legal strategy behind the case and the issues found with its implementation. It will also be a space to hear what other digital challenges and threats activists and groups are facing in their reproductive rights work, what strategies are being used to counter digital suppression, and how strategic litigation and other legal actions combined with advocacy, communication, and social mobilization strategies can be helpful in different contexts with similar issues and challenges."

New material

Asylum and immigration

Civil liberties

Law

Policing

Prisons

Privacy and data protection

Racism and discrimination

Secrecy and transparency

Surveillance

Asylum, immigration and borders

Politico Europe, 21 SeptemberIn Tunisia, the EU is repeating an old and dangerous mistake

“As the representatives of so-called ‘Team Europe’ were shaking Tunisian President Kais Saied’s hand this July, hundreds of refugees and migrants were stranded in the country’s desert border areas with Libya, after its security forces rounded them up and abandoned them there without access to food, water or shelter.

The European People’s Party President Manfred Weber later referred to these reports — including of multiple deaths near the border — as ‘some videos from the desert or something.’”

 

Oxfam, 21 SeptemberEU Spending to Build Fortress Europe Risks Breaking Aid Rules

“The EU is in danger of violating global and EU aid rules by using aid to halt migration. This is according to Oxfam’s new report, From Development to Deterrence, which sheds light on how the EU employs its aid budget to outsource migration control to countries in Africa. The report reveals that 6 out of the 16 identified migration activities in Niger, Libya and Tunisia potentially breach aid rules. These 6 activities total €667 million, with the total funds analysed amounting to approximately €1 billion.”

 

EurActiv, 20 SeptemberPoland says Europe will become ‘Lampedusa’, slams EU relocation scheme

“The Polish government has adopted a special resolution on EU migration and asylum reform, condemning the bloc’s relocation system in light of the drastic increase in migrant arrivals on the Italian island of Lampedusa.”

 

Giuseppe Campesi, 20 SeptemberNew decree defines hotspots and reception sites as national security sites

“art. 21(1) DL 124/2023 definisce #Cpr, #Hotspot e centri accoglienza opere "destinate alla difesa (e alla sicurezza) nazionale" ex art. 233 ordinamento militare (OM).

Saranno coperti da segreto su "atti, documenti, notizie, attività e beni militari" (art. 235 OM)?”

In Italy, a new decree defines hotspots and reception centres as defending national security and defence structures which may mean greater secrecy.

 

DPG, 19 SeptemberUK: Brook House Inquiry Publishes Damning Report into Abuse & Mistreatment of Detained People at Brook House Immigration Removal Centre

“The Brook House Inquiry report, published today, is a searing indictment over 711 pages of Brook House Immigration Removal Centre in 2017, but its conclusions go far further. It is the first time there has been a public inquiry in immigration detention, and the report pulls no punches”

See: Inquiry press release (pdf), the report and: I warned ministers about our disgraceful UK detention centres. Their solution? Stop the inspections (The Guardian, 19 September)

 

InfoMigrants, 18 SeptemberLa France suspend les visas pour les étudiants du Mali, Burkina Faso et Niger

France suspends visas for students from Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger.

 

Politico Europe, 15 SeptemberVisas-for-bribes scandal rocks Poland’s anti-immigrant government before election

“WARSAW — Exactly a month before a pivotal general election, Poland’s ruling nationalist Law and Justice (PiS) party is scrambling to contain a snowballing scandal, in which officials have been fired and others arrested and charged over an alleged bribery scheme to hand out Polish visas.”

 

EU Law Analysis, 14 SeptemberThe EU’s New Pact on Migration and Asylum: three key arguments

“This commentary develops three key arguments: i) while not inherently negative, the Pact’s seamless migration processes are in fact geared to externalising protection obligations thus undermining fundamental rights; ii) the Pact instruments pay greater attention to the policies’ administrative design and carry potential to enhance implementation; iii) the Pact instruments contain a vision of flexible solidarity that remains linked with pressure and misses the mark of fair sharing.”

 

The Guardian, 14 SeptemberUK: Asylum policies open up pre-election divisions between Labour and Tories

“Clear pre-election divisions have opened up between Labour and the Conservatives on immigration as Downing Street ruled out ever accepting an asylum seeker quota sharing deal with the EU, after Keir Starmer’s comments that he would.”

 

DW, 14 SeptemberGermany suspends migrant intake from Italy

“The voluntary agreement aimed to ease the burden on the southern EU border country. Germany's interior ministry has now paused it due to "high migratory pressure."”

See also: Tracking the Pact: Only 207 refugees relocated so far via “voluntary solidarity mechanism” (31 January)

 

Refugee Support Aegean, 14 September

“Today marks 3 months since the deadly shipwreck of the «Adriana» vessel on June 14. Forty survivors of the shipwreck filed yesterday a criminal complaint against all responsible parties before the Naval Court of Piraeus.”

 

European Ombudsman, 14 SeptemberOmbudsman asks Commission about respect for fundamental rights in EU agreement with Tunisia

“The Ombudsman has asked the European Commission how it plans to ensure respect for human rights in migration-related actions resulting from a recent agreement between the EU and Tunisia.

A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the EU and Tunisia was signed in July and it includes provisions related to combating irregular migration as well as EU financial support for improving Tunisia’s management of its borders.

Under the MoU, the EU will provide EUR 105 million for training and technical support for Tunisian border management, for combatting anti-smuggling operations, and for reinforcing control of borders.”

 

Border Criminologies, 13 SeptemberThe distressing practice of airlines as first line of border control

“I am a person without any nationality or citizenship, i.e. stateless. My family and I were among the 700,000 in Latvia who were barred from acquiring nationality when the country became independent in …, contrary to political promises made during the independence movement. We received the so-called “non-citizen” status. This status always creates a lot of problems for people, especially in travel or in migration. Restrictions on freedom of movement are only one barrier that stateless people face. It is, nonetheless, the focus of this post, which highlights the inane role airlines play in these restrictions.”

 

IRPI, 13 SeptemberOrs, la multinazionale della detenzione amministrativa sbarca in Italia

Ors, the multinational administrative detention company lands in Italy: The company is well-established in Switzerland, but "the loss of some contracts and a substantial reduction in the number of asylum seekers in Switzerland led the CEO to redefine the group's strategy."

 

Politico Europe, 12 SeptemberEU work permit rules lead to exploitation, migrant workers say

“Imagine you graduate at the top of your class in high school in your home country. Then, you move to Europe to study and graduate first in your class. Then, you get exploited.

That’s what happened to Caleb, whose lofty dreams quickly crumbled when he realized that he would not get a job that matched his skills — nor would he be able to fight back against his employer’s exploitation.”

 

Home Office, 12 SeptemberUK: New Illegal Migration Act measures and age dispute assessment tests

“A series of measures to strengthen the immigration system and prevent abuse are being introduced to Parliament this week, marking the next step in the delivery of the Illegal Migration Act 2023 and our plan to stop the boats.”

 

Byline Times, 12 SeptemberUK: Home Office Faces Legal Challenge Against ‘Appalling’ Use of Bibby Stockholm Barge to House Refugees

“A Labour mayor has launched a legal challenge to Home Secretary Suella Braverman’s use of the Bibby Stockholm barge to accommodate around 500 male asylum-seekers at Portland Port in Dorset, without obtaining planning permission.”

 

Free Movement, 12 SeptemberUK: The Rwanda litigation: who is arguing what in the Supreme Court?

“The appeals have been expedited and listed to be heard by five Supreme Court judges on 9 to 11 October 2023. The Supreme Court will almost certainly reserve their decision and issue it together with its reasoning at a later date. The Divisional Court took around three months to issue its decision; the Court of Appeal two months. Clearly, there is significant pressure for a decision to be made quickly.”

 

Bloomberg, 12 SeptemberUK Nears Post-Brexit Deal for Access to EU Border Agency

“The UK has reached a preliminary agreement with the European Union to access the bloc’s border agency, according to people familiar with the matter, in the latest effort to rebuild cooperation between the two sides after Brexit.”

 

European Law Blog, 11 SeptemberThe General Court finds Frontex not liable for helping with illegal pushbacks: it was just following orders.

“The applicants claimed that their summary expulsion from Greece to Turkey was unlawful. They also said that as a result of this unlawful pushback they had suffered immaterial and material damage, varying from emotional harm, to the costs of living in Turkey and travelling to Iraq. Since it was accepted by all parties, and found as a matter of fact by the General Court, that the transport to Turkey was a joint operation by the Greek Republic and Frontex, they sued Frontex for compensation for their damage.”

And see: Frontex above the law – a missed opportunity for a landmark judgment on Frontex’s responsibility with regards fundamental rights violations: WS and Others v Frontex (T-600/21) (EU Law Live, 20 September)

 

franceinfo, 9 SeptemberTraversées de la Manche : la surveillance du littoral nord de la France va être renforcée par des drones

Surveillance of the channel to be reinforced with 76 cameras mounted on drones, helicopters and planes.

 

Council of Europe, 8 SeptemberCouncil of Europe anti-torture Committee monitors treatment of foreign nationals during Frontex-supported return flight from Germany to Pakistan

“The return flight was organised by Germany, with the participation of three other countries, and was supported by the European Border and Coast Guard Agency (Frontex).”

Observing a Frontex-supported deportation from Italy in 2015, the CPT found that one woman was wrongly removed from the country. More here: Deportation Union

 

Civil liberties

The Guardian, 19 SeptemberUK: Fears over right to protest after woman with sign at climate trial prosecuted

“Civil liberty campaigners have warned that the prosecution of a woman for holding up a placard about the rights of jurors outside a court is part of the government’s increasing attacks on the right to protest.”

 

Middle East Eye, 19 SeptemberFrance detains journalist who covered killings of civilians in Egypt-Libya border operation

“French police detained a journalist on Tuesday in connection with her reporting on alleged French complicity in extrajudicial killings of civilians in Egypt's Western Desert between 2016 and 2018, according to investigative news website Disclose.”

 

The Guardian, 12 SeptemberUSA: Anti-choice states aren’t satisfied. Now they want to punish traveling for abortions

“How free can any woman be in a country where her right to control her body and family depends on the jurisdiction where she happens to live? Republicans are looking to find out. Over the past few weeks, as Republican officials in anti-choice states seek to make their abortion bans enforceable and compel women into childbirth, a new front has opened up in the abortion wars: roads. The anti-choice movement, through a series of inventive legal theories and cynical legislative maneuvers, is now attacking women’s right to travel.”

 

Información, 12 SeptemberLa Fiscalía pasa a considerar a 'Extinction Rebellion' y Futuro Vegetal como grupos "terroristas"

In the annual report of the Spanish state prosecutor, the country's branches of Extinction Rebellion as well as the group Futuro Vegetal are discussed under the headings "terrorism" and "radical ecology".

 

Middle East Eye, 7 SeptemberUK: Boycott bill: Labelling critics of Israel antisemitic a 'dangerous road', MPs told

“The UK government is taking a “dangerous road” by labelling critics of Israel’s human rights record as antisemitic, a parliamentary committee examining a bill that would ban public bodies from supporting the BDS movement has been told.”

 

Law

European Law Blog, 19 SeptemberGlukhin and the EU regulation of facial recognition: Lessons to be learned?

“The Court does not embrace a proactive stance in the case, leaving many questions open on the legitimate use (if any) of the technology. This “laid-back” approach may be justified by the exclusion of Russia from the Council of Europe. The ECtHR is aware that the decision will not be executed and might have decided to avoid any confrontation on the matter with other Contracting Parties. Still, this might also have been a chance for the Court to take some liberty and provide general guidance.”

 

Council of the EU, 18 SeptemberCouncil adoption: new EU law to modernise judicial cooperation on terrorism cases

“The Council today gave its final green light on a new EU law that will boost the digital information exchange in terrorism cases between national authorities and Eurojust. Thanks to a more efficient exchange on investigations and the prosecution of terrorist offences, member state authorities and EU agencies will all have access to the most complete and updated information on terrorism cases.”

 

Irish Legal News, 11 SeptemberHuman rights warning over call for Ireland-UAE extradition deal

“…the head of campaign group Detained in Dubai warned that an extradition treaty would have to be “carefully crafted” to ensure it does not “expedite wrongful deportations over entirely illegitimate charges against Irish citizens, or others living under Irish jurisdiction”.”

 

Article 19, 7 SeptemberEU: Court denies full transparency about emotion recognition

“ARTICLE 19 is disappointed by today’s judgement of the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) in a case concerning public access to documents about a controversial European Union-funded emotion recognition project to be deployed at borders. The EU Research Executive Agency (REA) denied access to numerous documents related to the project, citing the protection of the commercial interest. In Breyer v REA, the General Court, in first instance, ruled that the harm to the commercial interests outweighed the public interest in having such information disclosed as the requested documents related to the early stages of the research project. Today, the CJEU upheld this decision.”

 

JUSTICE, 31 AugustUK: The UK’s longstanding commitment to the Rule of Law is under grave threat according to landmark report from JUSTICE

“Cross-party legal reform charity, JUSTICE has today published a landmark report describing how the rule of law in the UK has “regressed significantly on multiple fronts” and threatens the very democratic fabric of our nation.”

 

Policing

EFF, 19 SeptemberUK: Today The UK Parliament Undermined The Privacy, Security, And Freedom Of All Internet Users

“The U.K. Parliament has passed the Online Safety Bill (OSB), which says it will make the U.K. “the safest place” in the world to be online. In reality, the OSB will lead to a much more censored, locked-down internet for British users. The bill could empower the government to undermine not just the privacy and security of U.K. residents, but internet users worldwide.”

 

The Independent, 17 SeptemberUSA: Wrongly arrested because of facial recognition: Why new police tech risks serious miscarriages of justice

“On 16 February, Porcha Woodruff was helping her children get ready for school when six Detroit police officers arrived at her door. They told her she was under arrest for a January carjacking and robbery. She was so shocked she wondered for a moment if she was being pranked.”

 

The Guardian, 15 SeptemberUK: Met police agree six-figure payout to student hit by baton at protest

“The Metropolitan police have apologised and agreed to pay a six-figure settlement to a man who needed emergency brain surgery after being hit by an officer’s baton during the 2010 university tuition fees protests.”

 

ESWA, 14 SeptemberMajority of MEPs reject or abstain on dangerous and flawed proposal to criminalise clients of sex workers

“The European Sex Workers’ Rights Alliance, together with the European Coalition on Sex Workers’ Rights and Inclusion representing another 12 human rights organisations, strongly called on all Members of the European Parliament to reject and to vote against the report through this Open Letter.

The report was voted on and passed as a full-fledged resolution. However, the result definitively represented only the minority opinion of the European Parliament, with significantly more MEPs voting against or abstaining than voting in favour of the report.”

See: Sex workers, activists call on EU lawmakers to reject report on prostitution (EurActiv, link)

 

Le Monde, 5 SeptemberBRAV-M : deux policiers renvoyés devant le tribunal de Bobigny pour des faits de violences

Two officers from a notorious French police unit, BRAV-M, are to appear in court charged with violence and threats against a student in Paris.

 

European Data Protection Supervisor, 6 SeptemberExecutive summary of an audit report on Europol

The audit is dated December 2022 but was only published this month. It focuses on the processing of minors’ personal data and notes that data on minors received from third countries requires a more stringent assessment than that from EU states, in order to assess lawfulness.

 

Refuge, SeptemberUK: Remove the Rot: Refuge investigation uncovers magnitude of police force’s failure to tackle violent misogyny by police officers and staff

“Police forces are failing women and girls over the handling of police misconduct cases, including cases of domestic abuse, sexual assault and sexual harassment perpetrated by police officers. The murder of Sarah Everard by a serving Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) Officer and the crimes by serial rapist police officer, David Carrick, alongside mounting cases of police-perpetrated violence against women and girls across police forces in England and Wales, have highlighted the deep-rooted issue of institutional sexism and misogyny in the police.”

 

EDRi, 29 AugustIs this the most criticised draft EU law of all time?

“An unprecedentedly broad range of stakeholders have raised concerns that despite its important aims, the measures proposed in the draft EU Child Sexual Abuse Regulation are fundamentally incompatible with human rights.”

 

Real Media, 28 AugustUK: Netpol - Protest Restrictions - 01 New Laws

“Kevin Blowe, from Network For Police Monitoring, discusses recent legislation which handed enormous power to police to restrict protest. The first of three interviews.”

 

Prisons

Wired, 11 SeptemberFinland: These Prisoners Are Training AI

“Across a sterile white table in a windowless room, I’m introduced to a woman in her forties. She has a square jaw and blonde hair that has been pulled back from her face with a baby-blue scrunchie. “The girls call me Marmalade,” she says, inviting me to use her prison nickname. Early on a Wednesday morning, Marmalade is here, in a Finnish prison, to demonstrate a new type of prison labor.”

 

Privacy and data protection

European Law Blog, 11 SeptemberRequirements for GDPR compensation after the ECJ decision in UI v Österreichische Post

“When do you receive compensation for illegal data use? How do you calculate the amount? Is a compensation always monetary? The judgment of the Court of Justice of the European Union (ECJ) in Case C-300/21 brings us a step closer to the answers.”

Racism and discrimination

Irish Legal News, 13 SeptemberIreland: Report calls for crackdown on LGBT+ discrimination in direct provision

“The 56-page report also calls for the urgent provision of own-door accommodation to LGBT+ asylum seekers, and proposes a mechanism similar to that in place for Ukrainian refugees which would allow LGBT+ asylum seekers to be accommodated with a host family or in a safe house.”

 

The Guardian, 23 AugustUK: Human rights group backs Manchester men who say racism led to murder convictions

“The human rights campaign group Liberty has backed three black men who are contesting their murder convictions on the grounds of institutional racism by Greater Manchester police and the criminal justice system.”

 

Secrecy and transparency

Patrick Breyer, 19 SeptemberTransparency of landmark judgements: European Parliament wants to introduce public access to EU court documents

“The EU Parliament’s Legal Affairs Committee (JURI) today unanimously voted in favour of giving the public, civil society and the media a right of access to documents, positions and arguments exchanged in court proceedings, subject to some exceptions. The proposal was originally made by MEPs René Repasi (S&D group) and Patrick Breyer (Pirate Party, Greens/EFA group). Whether the Parliament‘s amendment will become part of the reform of the Statute of the European Court of Justice will now be decided in the upcoming trilogue negotiations with the EU Council and the EU Commission”

See: European Union: Court’s reform a chance for open justice (Article 19, 15 September)

 

Surveillance

The Guardian, 21 SeptemberUK: Call to shut down Bristol schools’ use of app to ‘monitor’ pupils and families

“Criminal justice and antiracist campaigners have raised concerns over an app being used by schools in Bristol to “monitor and profile” pupils and their families.

The app, which is being used by more than 100 schools, gives safeguarding leads quick, easy access to pupils’ and their families’ contacts with police, child protection and welfare services.”

Access Now, 13 SeptemberRussia: Hacking Meduza: Pegasus spyware used to target Putin’s critic

“An investigation by Access Now and the Citizen Lab at the Munk School of Global Affairs at the University of Toronto (the Citizen Lab) has revealed that the iPhone of journalist Galina Timchenko, head of Meduza, a leading Russian independent media outlet based in Latvia, has been infected with Israeli firm NSO Group’s Pegasus spyware. The spyware attack took place two weeks after the Russian government declared Meduza an “undesirable organization” for its critical coverage of Vladimir Putin’s regime and the war in Ukraine.”

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