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issue 25/15 10 October

welcome Dear Statewatcher, We have been busy. In the last two weeks, Statewatch staff have attended events in Brussels, Mérida and Warsaw – sharing our views, generating ideas, and plotting and planning with friends old and new. Those events dealt with some of our core topics: police powers, immigration control and border externalisation, accountability for the (mis)use of new technologies, and oversight of counter-terrorism policies. In the midst of all that, we are proud to be able to keep providing news, analysis and documentation on key issues concerning state power, civil liberties and human rights. In the last fortnight, amongst other things, we have: published the latest issue of our bulletin on border externalisation; exposed the EU’s  latest deportation plans; explained how UK police can store footage of protesters for decades; and revealed the Slovenian government’s demand for the EU to stand up to US government sanctions against international officials upholding the rule of law, amongst other things. This work takes time and money. We do not have a lot of either – but you can help change that. If you want to see us do even more, become a Friend of Statewatch and support us with a monthly contribution. Every donation, no matter how small, helps support our core work of monitoring, exposing and analysing threats to civil liberties, human rights and democratic standards – work that is more urgent than ever.

make a donation in EUR >> make a donation GBP >> news Franco-British "one in, one out" deal condemned as absurd and dangerous British and French organisations, including Statewatch, have denounced the "one in, one out" deal between the French and British governments. The deal is ostensibly aimed at limiting unauthorised migration across the Channel/La Manche. The statement, published in Le Monde, highlights the dangerous consequences for migrants' rights. read more >> Slovenia demands EU reponse to US attacks on judicial indepencence and the rule of law The Slovenian government wants EU justice and interior ministers to discuss "how to protect the international rule of law and justice system" in the face of "continued targeting of international judicial and human rights mandate holders by U.S. sanctions." A document obtained by Statewatch requests a discussion at the Justice and Home Affairs Council meeting next week. read more >> Border externalisation: Documents reveal ongoing efforts to outsource immigration control The latest issue of our bulletin on EU border externalisation policies includes: updates and documents on the Atlantic, Mediterranean and Balkan 'routes'; priorities for Ethiopia and Somalia; member state comments on the "safe third country" and "safe country of origin" proposals; and much more. read more >> EU deportation proposals: the member states sink to new depths A new compromise text for the upcoming deportation Regulation was recently circulated by the Danish presidency of the Council of the EU. Alongside two other legal proposals currently under discussion, the deportation Regulation forms the legal basis for the EU’s plan to increase deportations, in particular by forging new ‘Euro-Rwanda’ deportation schemes. The latest text makes even more cuts to safeguards and protections. read more >> EU Council seeks swifter deportations with even lower standards on “safe” countries Discussions are ongoing in the Council of the EU on proposals to establish an EU list of “safe countries of origin” to which people can be deported, and to revise the principle of the “safe third country.” The Danish presidency of the Council, taking into account delegations’ comments, presented proposed new versions of the texts at the beginning of September. read more >> UK: Police footage of protests can be held for decades Police in London and across the UK regularly film protests, with multiple officers often deployed to do so. A response to a recent freedom of information request says that footage of “a public order event without targeted individuals” can be held “for a period of up to 6 years.” However, if it contains “intelligence” it can potentially be held for decades. read more >> Bosnia and Herzegovina: “a society that has gone through a genocide is more prone to it happening again” The Srebrenica massacre remains the only event on European soil since the Holocaust to be formally recognised as genocide - and, in a tale all too familiar, it unfolded as Europe looked on. read more >>

what we're watching This is our bi-weekly round up of all the important news, events, and resources we've come across over the last two weeks. Find this resource useful? If so, please consider making a donation to support us.

borders and frontiers UK: Refugees to face longer route to UK settlement rights Refugees will have to wait longer than the current five years before they can apply to settle permanently in the UK, under changes the government has said it is planning to the asylum system. Read more UK: PM tells BBC he wants to change how international law used in asylum cases Sir Keir Starmer wants to change how international law is interpreted, to stop unsuccessful asylum seekers blocking their deportation on the grounds they could be sent to worse prisons or healthcare systems. Read more Ireland: Asylum seekers to be offered more cash to leave Asylum seekers are to be offered greater financial support of up to €2,500 per person or €10,000 per family to voluntarily leave Ireland sooner, the government has announced. Read more The EU and the externalisation of migration and asylum: An analysis of potential human rights violations and legal responsibility Externalisation fundamentally contradicts the values of the rule of law, including transparency, participation in decision-making, good faith and human dignity. As such, it creates a context where human rights violations are likely to occur. Read more Netherlands and Uganda sign letter of intent on return hub deal for rejected asylum seekers The Netherlands and Uganda have agreed to cooperate on returning rejected asylum seekers via Uganda as a transit point, the Dutch government said in a statement on Thursday. Read more Mauritania: Years of Migration Control Abuses Mauritanian security forces committed serious human rights violations between 2020 and early 2025 against migrants and asylum seekers. The European Union and Spain, bilaterally, have continued to outsource migration management to Mauritania, despite its rights violations. Read more The Cost of Passage: Violence and Death on the Atlantic Route to Spain Every year, tens of thousands of migrants set off to Europe from Africa in fragile wooden boats. But there’s growing evidence that these perilous journeys are marred by horrific crimes. Read more coercion and control New publication on freedom of thought launched as challenges multiply in the age of AI As artificial intelligence (AI) reshapes daily life, the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) is calling for renewed attention to a fundamental yet often overlooked right: freedom of thought. Read more Tunisia: Severe and ongoing human rights violations committed by authorities At the forefront of these concerns is freedom of expression, both online and offline, which has been subject to significant and widespread restrictions. Civil society activists, journalists and political opponents have also been targeted with judicial prosecutions based on fabricated charges. Read more UK: New police powers to protect communities from disruption caused by protests Police forces will be granted new powers to put conditions on repeat protests as the Home Secretary orders a fresh look at how protests are policed and organised. Read more USA: The speech wars come for Wikipedia Following their success in bringing Meta and Alphabet to heel for allegedly censoring right-leaning viewpoints, conservatives have been amping up their pressure campaign against Wikipedia. Read more Attacks on academic freedom are spreading to democracies, report shows Academic repression is increasingly being felt in traditionally democratic countries, according to a report from Scholars at Risk. The most striking case is the US, where a gradual erosion of academic freedom since 2020 has risen sharply since the return to power of Donald Trump. Read more) The Internet Coup Is Here. And the World Is Still Asleep While UN delegates are busy congratulating themselves on defending freedom, a quiet coup is taking place — not in parliaments or palaces, but in the invisible infrastructure of the internet. Read more Ukraine: New anti-terrorism law could stifle grassroot activism The law on listing terrorist organisations lacks safeguards and clear definitions, raising concerns about its potential misuse against civil society organisations and activists. Read more France: MFRR condemn new resurgence of police violence against journalists Several journalists have been injured since early September while covering the protests against the 2026 national budget plan. IPI joins the Media Freedom Rapid Response (MFRR) partners in condemning the deliberate violence by law enforcement officers. We jointly call on the French authorities to protect and recognise the work of journalists as essential during protests. Read more How Security Council discourse drove counter-terrorism expansion at the UN This discussion paper tracks how the institutional expansion of counter-terrorism has occurred hand in hand with rhetorical patterns at the UN Security Council. We look at how critical juncture points influenced the content of speeches made at the UN Security Council, and which Member States more frequently use words directly associated with counter-terrorism. Read more crime and collusion EU dismisses demands to stop funding Libyan Coast Guard after shooting attack "I think it's really important to say that if you want to improve the situation, we need to remain engaged," Guillaume Mercier, a European Commission spokesperson, told reporters. Read more UK: Met police shame: 'Reprehensible' racism and misogyny of Charing Cross station officers revealed in TV exposé Scotland Yard chief Sir Mark Rowley has apologised after serving officers called for immigrants to be shot, revelled in the use of force and were dismissive of rape claims in an undercover BBC documentary. Read more Global research collaboration with Israel sharply down this year Significantly fewer academics, particularly in Europe, are authoring preprints with researchers in Israel this year, a sign that academic boycotts could be starting to scientifically isolate the country. Read more discrimination and racism Former Frontex official promises "hunting" of migrants to jobseekers article or report title During a videoconference in early September, a former Frontex officer wanted to make the job of border guard attractive to “young men”. To recruit 500 by January 2026, the agency has lowered the level of education required at the bac. Read more UK: More than 150 lawyers and refugee NGOs report being ‘pressured into silence’ by far-right protesters At least two refugee NGOs that have been supporting asylum seekers who have received notices from the Home Office that they will be forcibly removed to France under Labour’s controversial “one in, one out” scheme have closed their offices after credible threats to their safety. Read more UK: Go home? The politics of immigration controversies In July 2013, the UK government arranged for a van to drive through parts of London carrying the message ‘In the UK illegally? GO HOME or face arrest.’ The vans were short-lived, but they were part of an ongoing trend in government-sponsored communication designed to demonstrate control and toughness around immigration. This book explores the effects of such performances of toughness: on policy, on public debate, on pro-migrant and anti-racist activism, and on the everyday lives of people in Britain. Read more resistance and solidarity Turkish and European MPs issue call for release of flotilla activists The statement condemned Israel's interception of the boats as a "blatant breach of international law", and urged governments to push for "the immediate and unconditional release of remaining detainees, with protection from ill-treatment and guaranteed medical care, legal counsel and consular access". Read more secrecy and transparency ‘Working Documents’ and transparency of the legislative process in the Council of the EU Considering that the Council has over 150 preparatory working parties and committees, WK documents are highly important both for the activities of the institutions and for citizens to grasp the nature of decision-making processes, particularly those of a legislative nature. Read more surveillance and snooping Spy case collapse blamed on UK government failure to label China a threat A case involving two men accused of spying for China collapsed because evidence could not be obtained from the government referring to China as a national security threat, the UK's most senior prosecutor has said. Read more UK: Spycops Scandal Set to Deepen as Inquiry Resumes Metropolitan Police’s secret political spying operations face further condemnation for their racist targeting of family justice campaigns, including the family of Stephen Lawrence. Read more Europol conference warns: cybercrime fight hinges on access to data Criminals are exploiting encryption, anonymisation and emerging technologies faster than regulators and law enforcement can respond – making access to data the decisive challenge in the fight against cybercrime. This was the warning sounded at Europol’s 4th Annual Cybercrime Conference this week. Read more SIS Logged 15 Billion Accesses in 2024, Alerts Topped 93 Million Europe’s Schengen Information System (SIS) continued to expand in 2024, with more searches, more alerts, and more confirmed “hits” routed through national SIRENE Bureaux. The Netherlands generated the largest share of searches, followed by Belgium and France, according to eu-LISA’s new annual statistics. Read more European Data Protection Supervisor opinion on the EU-USA "border security partnership" plans EDPS Opinion 24/2025 on the Recommendation for a Council Decision authorising the opening of negotiations on a framework agreement between EU and USA on the exchange of information for security screenings and identity verifications. Read more Check your own databases before asking to see our passport photos, Home Office tells UK cops The Home Office has told police forces to check their own photo databases before asking it to search its libraries of passport and visa facial images, as well as avoiding urgent requests "unless it is absolutely necessary." Read more ­

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